Screen Archive South East is a public sector moving image archive serving the South East of England. The archive's collections of magic lantern slides, films, videos and associated materials capture the many varied aspects of life, work and creativity from the early days of screen history to the present day and serve as a rich and invaluable historical resource.
This film is part of Free
Portrait of Penge
This colour film about the town of Penge is a visual treat for fans of the 1960s - featuring local personalities, housing, shopping, traffic and the Penge formation dancers.
From the collection of:
Overview
This ambitious film about Penge, made by Gilbert Tomes and sponsored by the local Rotary Club, reflects the high degree of local pride in the town and its community. We get numerous vistas of Penge; from it's shops and markets to its housing stock, including its remaining slums, as well as its many amenities like schools and the newly opened National Sports Centre at Crystal Palace. The Penge Formation Dancers also appear, in a flurry of bee-hives and sequins, at the Lyceum.
Gilbert Tomes, who made this film, was interested in film from an early age. He worked with the television pioneer, John Logie Baird, before becoming a cameraman at the BBC and later a businessman. His son, Richard, also a keen filmmaker, assisted Gilbert on a number of film projects including Portrait of Penge. As the film mentions, Penge, as an urban district of Kent, with its own council and distinct boundaries, disappeared in 1965 to be merged, along with neighbouring districts, into the London Borough of Bromley. The ballroom where the Penge Formation Dancers appear, was located at the Lyceum Theatre in London and many editions of the BBC TV programme Come Dancing were recorded there from 1950 onwards.
Related
Southgate Celebrates The Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, Southgate (1953) Southgate Celebrates The Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, Southgate (1953)
Non-Fiction 1953 24 mins Location: Southgate
Cowboys, chess and carnival queens in this wonderful colour film made to mark the “new Elizabethan age” in Southgate’s Coronation celebrations in 1953.
Coal on the Doorstep Coal on the Doorstep
Documentary 1974 8 mins Location: Cowdenbeath
Locals have strong feelings about the pros and cons of the new open cast mine in Cowdenbeath, Fife.
Tram Rides through Nottingham Tram Rides through Nottingham
Non-Fiction 1902 6 mins Silent Location: Nottingham
Filmmakers Mitchell and Kenyon conduct an evocative ride through Edwardian Nottingham.
Jemima + Johnny Jemima + Johnny
1966 29 mins Location: Notting Hill
Touching short about the friendship between a white boy and a black girl in 1960s Notting Hill.
Kiss of the Rabbit God Kiss of the Rabbit God
Fantasy 2019 15 mins
A Chinese-American restaurant worker falls in love with an 18th century Qing dynasty god, who visits him at night and leads him on a journey of sexual awakening and self-discovery.
StoryTrails: The People's Map Dundee StoryTrails: The People's Map Dundee
Documentary 2022 14 mins Location: Dundee
This map showcases a curated selection of audio stories and digitally animated 3D scans of the people and places in and around Dundee.
Greater Beckenham - 1935 Greater Beckenham - 1935
Amateur film 1935 56 mins Silent Location: Beckenham
Captivating scenes of the 1930s good life, filmed around the prosperous streets and public amenities of Beckenham, West Wickham and Penge.
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.