This film is part of Free
Macclesfield Hails Britain's Silk Queen
The annual ceremony around the coronation of Macclesfield's silk queen will worm its way into your heart.
Overview
Some industries are so woven in to the life of the towns that house them that they come to dominate the social fabric. Macclesfield's claim to the title of 'Silk Town' stands not just on its particular contribution to Britain's textile industry, but also on events such as this one: the coronation of a local mill worker as 'Britain's Silk Queen'. Commissioned from a newsreel company, the film is all the more charming for the absence of the usual voiceover, leaving just the unmediated mutterings of the crowd.
Related
Caefelin Laundry, Llangollen Caefelin Laundry, Llangollen
Home movie 1937 20 mins Silent Location: Llangollen
Nellie Boote's laundry in Market Street in operation, the women dashing away with all manner of smoothing irons as clothes are sorted, mended, washed, ironed and sorted again.
For Sheer Perfection For Sheer Perfection
Documentary 1965 24 mins Location: Langley Mill
A mile of yarn and a million loops to make one stocking: the culmination of a four hundred year old craft.
Paper Fashion Paper Fashion
News 1967 6 mins Location: Newcastle upon Tyne
Fashion doesnt grow on treesor does it! Tyne Tees TV was bang on-trend with this brilliant news feature on the hip 1960s cult for a disposable age - paper fashion.
Fancy Yarn Production Fancy Yarn Production
Industry sponsored film 1971 23 mins Location: Greengates
Twisted yarns and empty spindles, everything from Bouclé to Slub yarn, from beginning to end, and all, in the end, displayed on a ‘normal’ model in typical 1970s fashion.
Working to a Pattern Working to a Pattern
Documentary 1980 32 mins
Rag trade revival or sweatshops? In the back streets of Brick Lane, Bangladeshi machinists sew 70s fashions
Winter Fashions have been Modelled in a Park in Exmouth Winter Fashions have been Modelled in a Park in Exmouth
News 1977 2 mins Silent Location: Exmouth
Wearing Fur gets Hairy
Heaven Opens Heaven Opens
Promotional 1968 29 mins Location: Manchester
Faith in the inner city - the mission of the Sharon Full Gospel Church in Manchester.
Rose Queen Carnival 7th June 1913 Rose Queen Carnival 7th June 1913
Non-Fiction 1913 5 mins Silent Location: Macclesfield
A carnival procession and Rose Queen crowning ceremony, possibly in Birmingham
Woven by Hand Woven by Hand
Documentary 1970 11 mins Location: Macclesfield
Handloom weaving, and its place in the history of textile production.
Colour in Silk Colour in Silk
Promotional 1954 14 mins Location: Macclesfield
Come to Cheshire to visit "the most famous silk firm in the greatest silk town in both hemispheres".
Silk Silk
Industry sponsored film 1940 18 mins Location: Macclesfield
Silk production in Cheshire, using time-tested methods to produce a perfect product.
Visit to her Old School - Buxton Carnival Queen Visit to her Old School - Buxton Carnival Queen
Non-Fiction 1934 8 mins Silent Location: Macclesfield
Buxton Carnival Queen goes back to school, and local people watch the carnival festivities.
Getting it Back: The Story of Cymande - Q&A Getting it Back: The Story of Cymande - Q&A
Inside Film 2024 22 mins
The director of a documentary about British funk pioneers Cymande joins the band at BFI Southbank to talk about the film.
The West Case The West Case
Action and Adventure 1923 28 mins Silent Location: Tilbury
Plotting world domination, Devil Doctor Fu-Manchu steals plans for a new aero-torpedo in this earliest surviving thrill-a-minute serial instalment.
Enter the Scala!!! Enter the Scala!!!
Inside Film 2024 16 mins
Filmmakers Jane Giles and Ali Catterall discuss their documentary Scala!!!, revisiting the legendary and inspirational cinema venue and some of the most notorious films that screened there.
Blades Blades
Drama 2023 2 mins
A group of young Black boys run into a building. One of them is about to do the unimaginable.
We Collide We Collide
Romance 2023 2 mins
A queercore romance - a visceral and immersive exploration of the power of the mosh pit and finding love in the most unlikely of places.
Smith Smith
Charity appeal 1939 10 mins
Long thought lost, this Powell-directed promotional short for a veteran’s charity was only rediscovered in 2003.