The Yorkshire Film Archive collects, preserves, and shows film made in, or about Yorkshire. Our collections are non-fiction, dating from the 1890s to the present day, and providing a rich and visually compelling record of all aspects of lives, cultures, landscape, industries, major events and everyday activities, many of which are available to watch, free of charge, on our website.
This film is part of Free
Joe Kagan: Just Another Bump in the Road
An intriguing insight into the extraordinary life of Lord Kagan, Jewish escapee from the Nazis, clothier to the Royals, and close friend of Harold Wilson and KGB spy Vaygauskas.
From the collection of:
Overview
This is a fascinating documentary on the remarkable life of the Jewish textile entrepreneur Joe Kagan, made just after his conviction of theft and false accounting in 1980. Kagan achieved his wealth from his waterproof Gannex coats, as famously worn by Harold Wilson, whom he befriended. The documentary has interviews with many of those close to him, recounting his time under Nazi rule in Lithuania, his amazing story of escape, and his rise to the House of Lords.
Joe Kagan was the most notorious of the many Jews from Eastern Europe who made their fortune in the West Yorkshire textile industry. He pleaded guilty to the charges made against him, in order to save his son and wife from being charged, although he maintained that the whole case was “set up” as part of a campaign to discredit Wilson (although Wilson had resigned as Prime Minister 4 years earlier). The documentary went out on the 12th December, while Kagan was sentenced on the 15th, receiving 10 months in jail and a hefty fine. Although the Queen removed his knighthood, he retained his peerage, and so on his release he could continue to attend the House of Lords as Lord Kagan, where he spoke on prison reform.
Related
Simcha Simcha
Documentary 2000 12 mins
Extremely rare insight in the role of a Hasidic woman, featuring a mother-daughter team who live in North London.
Some of My Best Friends Some of My Best Friends
Documentary 1969 30 mins Location: Westminster
Jewish people - and a few Gentiles - muse on what it means to be Jewish in 1960s Britain
Chief Rabbi's Emergency Council Chief Rabbi's Emergency Council
1947 19 mins Silent
Poignant postwar appeal for Britain’s Jewry to support orphaned Jewish children rescued from Europe
Jewish Pensioners' Controversial Pools Win Jewish Pensioners' Controversial Pools Win
News 1975 5 mins Location: Southend-on-Sea
All good pals and jolly good company! A syndicate of Jewish pensioners from Southend celebrate their big win on the football pools.
Just One Kid Just One Kid
Factual TV 1974 54 mins Silent
A Jewish Eastender recalls growing up in poverty in the 1930s and being part of a community now long gone
Mr. Emmanuel Mr. Emmanuel
Drama 1944 97 mins
An elderly Jewish man journeys to Nazi Germany to track down a refugee’s mother in this extraordinary drama
New Plant New Plant
Industry sponsored film 1950 30 mins Silent Location: Elland
A bright future seems to be looming as the mule spun woollen yarns are warped and wefted on the shuttle, while the women mill workers scuttle between machines with baskets of cones.
Sweet Life Sweet Life
Non-Fiction 1981 10 mins Location: Elland
A reminder of the days of loafing out of school and into the sweet shop to buy a quarter of Pear Shapes, as a local Elland family firm makes traditional hand-made boiled sweets.
Opening of the Electric Tramway into Elland Opening of the Electric Tramway into Elland
Non-Fiction 1914 5 mins Silent Location: Elland
A cheer goes up from Elland locals as their first electric tram arrives, with a rousing speech, and the children, dressed as mini adults, get to see the event in their local cinema.
Women in Action Panel Discussion Women in Action Panel Discussion
Inside Film 2024 28 mins
Action Xtreme - the UK's leading action film studio - hosts this panel discussion with four leading women in action cinema - Soo Cole, Jo Rolison, Jadey Duffield and Ioanna Karavela.
Starve Acre - Exclusive Q&A Starve Acre - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2024 24 mins
Daniel Kokotajlo talks to Nia Childs about Starve Acre, his folk horror about a couple digging deep into grief in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales.
Sky Peals - Exclusive Q&A Sky Peals - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2024 30 mins
Sky Peals director Moin Hussain and lead actor Faraz Ayub talk to Tomisin Adepeju about their magic realist drama.
Inside the Archive: The Early Films of Michael Powell Inside the Archive: The Early Films of Michael Powell
Documentary 2024 42 mins
Documentary exploring the BFI National Archive’s role in rediscovering and remastering the early films of Michael Powell.
Inside the Archive: The Riviera Revels Inside the Archive: The Riviera Revels
Short documentary 2024 12 mins
Bryony Dixon, curator of silent film at the BFI national archive, explores the origins of a series of comic travelogues, and Michael Powell's involvement in making them.
New Perspectives: Oldboy New Perspectives: Oldboy
Short documentary 2024 4 mins
Discover why Dan George of Northumbria University believes everyone should experience Oldboy at least once.