Scotland's Moving Image Archive at National Library of Scotland preserves over 100 years of Scottish filmed history reflecting 20th century social, cultural and industrial heritage. The films capture the lives of ordinary people across the generations and celebrate the achievements of Scottish based film-makers.
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Fishmarket - Aberdeen
Rich amateur colour footage of Aberdeen's famous fish market and granite quarry filmed by Colportage Society member, James Clark, on an Evangelist tour of Scotland in the 1950s.
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Overview
James Clark, an Evangelist preacher and Scottish Colportage Society member, treats us to stunning amateur colour footage of Aberdeen’s famous fish market and granite quarry in the 1950s. Both industries are shown in their productive prime, a far cry from today; fishing in Aberdeen is much less prominent and the granite quarry closed in 1971. These industries made Aberdeen and Clark’s film is a fitting homage to them and their importance to this great coastal Granite City.
Evangelist colporteurs like James Clark distributed publications, books and religious tracts around the country, often preaching to large crowds along the way. The Scottish Colportage Society was founded in 1793 by a group of Edinburgh based businessmen. The Society’s work was widespread and at one point it employed almost 300 colporteurs to visit parishes across Scotland. James Clark worked for the Society from the mid-1940s to the late 1960s. He documented his trips on 16mm film, shooting anything of interest and often getting others to film his sermons. For anyone interested in learning more about James Clark and the Society and its work, see his autobiography entitled ‘From Pit Boy to Preacher’.
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