The North East Film Archive is one of a network of regional film archives established to collect, preserve and show film made in, or about the North East of England. Our collections are non-fiction, and date from the early 1900s to the present day, providing a rich record of life in the region over the 20th century. Many of our films are available to watch, free of charge, on our website.
This film is part of Free
Durham Police Cadets
Young cadets train up for a life on the beat with Durham Police in this charming film of the 1960s.
From the collection of:
Overview
A booster film for a recruitment scheme follows a bunch of adventurous young cadets training in County Durham. Precision drills prove a little tricky, but cadets get to grips with judo and gymnastics, and theres dog handling, horses and arms training for the boys. The recruits bond on rigorous Outward Bound hikes and camping expeditions, offering tantalising glimpses of picturesque scenery in Northumberland and the North York Moors.
This film makes police work look so appealing! But it certainly bears the imprint of its time no arms, police dog or mounted training for the few girl cadets of the period. By 1968 4,280 women were employed in the police force slow progress indeed since militant suffragette journalist Nina Boyle co-founded the Womens Police Volunteers in London at the outbreak of World War I. Female police officers were excluded from many of the roles held by male colleagues until the introduction of the 1975 and 1976 Sex Discrimination Acts. On the appointment of the first female traffic officers in the late 60s, local press branded them The Petticoat Patrol.
Related
It's Not all Coal It's Not all Coal
Amateur film 1954 30 mins Silent Location: Bellingham
A magical travelogue of Northumberland proves it’s not all grim up North.
Cluborama: A Record of Club Activities 1963-1964 Cluborama: A Record of Club Activities 1963-1964
Amateur film 1964 31 mins Silent Location: Newcastle upon Tyne
A delightful record of freewheeling fun on workers’ trips and social club capers in Byker with the Newcastle and District Water Company.
Police Cadet Police Cadet
Amateur film 1973 33 mins Location: Durham
A young police recruit arrives in his platform shoes to become a police officer having climbed cliffs, learnt judo, driven a tractor, used a theodolite and done an assault course.
The Coast of Kings The Coast of Kings
Documentary 1962 28 mins Location: Newcastle upon Tyne
From sand dunes to slag heaps, this fascinating 1960s travelogue reveals a coast of striking contrasts along the shores of wild and windswept Northumberland.
Getting it Back: The Story of Cymande - Q&A Getting it Back: The Story of Cymande - Q&A
Inside Film 2024 22 mins
The director of a documentary about British funk pioneers Cymande joins the band at BFI Southbank to talk about the film.
The West Case The West Case
Action and Adventure 1923 28 mins Silent Location: Tilbury
Plotting world domination, Devil Doctor Fu-Manchu steals plans for a new aero-torpedo in this earliest surviving thrill-a-minute serial instalment.
Enter the Scala!!! Enter the Scala!!!
Inside Film 2024 16 mins
Filmmakers Jane Giles and Ali Catterall discuss their documentary Scala!!!, revisiting the legendary and inspirational cinema venue and some of the most notorious films that screened there.
Smith Smith
Charity appeal 1939 10 mins
Long thought lost, this Powell-directed promotional short for a veteran’s charity was only rediscovered in 2003.
An Airman's Letter to His Mother An Airman's Letter to His Mother
Documentary 1941 6 mins
A poignant, stirring letter from a recently deceased pilot to his mother is read by John Gielgud.
The NHS75 Celebration The NHS75 Celebration
Short documentary 2023 3 mins
Former Bristol Poet Laureate, Miles Chambers reads a poem specially commissioned for the 75th anniversary of the NHS.