National Screen and Sound Archive of Wales preserves and celebrates the sound and moving image heritage of Wales, making it accessible to a wide range of users for enjoyment and learning. Its film collection reflects every aspect of the nation’s social, cultural and working life across the 20th century, giving a fascinating insight into Welsh filmmaking, both amateur and professional.
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Flying Week at Rhyl
Passengers board a biplane for a bird’s eye view of Rhyl, whose beach huts and pier look toy-like as it ascends.
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Overview
It’s chocks away at Rhyl beach as passengers board an Avro plane for a bird’s eye view of the town. The biplane climbs seaward, camera on board, then sweeps back over beach huts and the pier, shallow water glistening in the sands. Mountains loom in the distance as the plane pushes east towards the edge of town and beyond. Another trip is seen too, this time taking in more of the eastern seaboard.
Derek Shannon took over Rhyl’s Market Street cinema from Arthur Cheetham in May 1919, and with the Shannon Film Company produced local topicals covering events such as the Flying Week, Lifeboat Day and May Day celebrations. The Flying Week is known to have been held at Rhyl in both 1919 and 1920, and the Shannon brothers knew that views of the town from the skies would fill cinema seats. However, it is unclear whether both years are reflected here (in this NSSAW edit), or whether we are seeing two flights on the same day.
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