Israel & Jordan

Amateur film footage from 1953 showing landscapes, architecture and people of Jerusalem and Jordan (including Petra), by Sir Clarmont Skrine.

Amateur colour footage showing Israel and Jordan in 1953 by Sir Clarmont Skrine. The film opens in Jerusalem, showing the cityscape, walls, people and street scenes. Scenes in Jordan include landscapes (urban and rural), street scenes, crowds and dignitaries at a religious procession, mountain and valley views, architecture / ruined buildings, an encampment and ends with views of Petra.

Oxford educated, Sir Clarmont Percival Skrine (1888-1974), was a civil servant and colonial administrator. He entered the Indian Civil Service in 1912 and later was transferred to their Political Service. From 1946 to 1948 he served as Counsellor for Indian Affairs in Tehran. After retirement in 1948 he was appointed resident director of the Jerusalem Electric Corporation. He was a respected authority on East Persia and Chinese Central Asia.