This film is part of Free
I Am a Reporter
The inner-workings of local paper the Hertford Mercury are revealed by young, fresh-thinking reporter Peter Gibbs on his hunt for a regional scoop.
Documentary 1961 12 mins
Overview
This charming documentary follows Hertford Mercury reporter Peter Gibbs on his daily hunt for a scoop. Failing to turn up anything sensational at the coroner's office, the hospital or the police station (Hertford is, after all, a "peaceful" town), Gibbs finds a 'human interest' story at Hertford North Station, where the steam engine to Finsbury Park is being replaced with an all-diesel service.
Sponsored by the Central Office of Information, the film features beautiful shots of the county's administrative centres: Hertford Castle, County Hall and Parliament Square, as well as more parochial sites: the mobile library, football club, and the workshop of 72 year-old Vernon Hale, last of the county's wood-carvers. The highlight is probably the fundraiser at Hertfordshire and Essex General Hospital, where a judo exhibition is performed among traditional village-fete attractions.
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