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This film is part of Free

Old Northchurch Part 1

Step off the high street, into the back lanes of a Hertfordshire village and witness a forgotten travelling trade

Amateur film 1966 23 mins Silent

Overview

Stretched between the Grand Union canal and the steeper side of a Hertfordshire valley, Northchurch is a fairly common English village. You get the sense that the faces captured by the amateur filmmaker behind the lens are all fairly familiar, everyone at least a passing acquaintance. A highlight of the rural day is the arrival of a travelling knife grinder and scissor sharpener - or, for the little girl waiting for the grown-up business to be finished, it's the packet of crisps bought to keep her quiet.