This film is part of Free
Prince Ranjitsinhji Practising Batting at the Nets
Probably the first ever cricket film: Indian cricketing royalty prepares for the first test between England and Australia at Sydney.
Sport 1897 2 mins Silent
Overview
A film fit for cricketing royalty! This is the oldest surviving cricketing film, and probably the first ever made. It features Indian Prince Ranjitsinhji trying out a selection of strokes while on the 1897-98 winter tour with the England team to Australia. Captured from a camera positioned in the silly-mid-off area by the netting, it was one of four films shot during the tour by Henry Walter Barnett (the other three are lost).
Kumar Shri Ranjitsinhji, known as 'Ranji', was an Indian prince who played first class cricket for Sussex and made his test debut for England against Australia in July 1896. He became Maharaja Jam Sahed of Nawangagar in 1907.
Related
Commonwealth Tales
Victory Parade
Documentary 1946 21 mins
Soldiers from the far reaches of the British Empire arrive in London to take part in the official commemoration of the end of war in Europe.
Entertaining Soldiers After the Raid
Non-Fiction 1917 0 mins Silent
Keep calm and carry on - these East End schoolkids dance to lift the spirits of Kiwi troops
Khalapur Carpets
Promotional 1932 12 mins Silent
Indian carpets make their way to Montreal in this promotional film
Canada at War
Documentary 1940 18 mins
In 1940 the war still seemed distant to US citizens. But what it was like for the 11 million ‘other Americans’ who were already at war? The March of Time cameras go north of the border to Canada to find out.
Tours in Southern Bengal - In the Sunderbans
Amateur film 1935 12 mins Silent
Everyday life and places of interest around the areas of Midnapore and Chittagong, including steamers and Indian boats along the Damodar river.
British News No. 53
Non-Fiction 1941 15 mins
Indian soldiers in Singapore, while their compatriots are trained in the manufacture of war munitions
New
Windsor Safari Park and a visit to Blackpool
Amateur film 1971 5 mins Silent Location: Windsor
Join the Lee family as they tour Windsor Safari Park and its famous Dolphinarium in this film from 1971. Then follow them to Blackpool Beach for pony trekking and donkey rides.
Building the new library in Hythe
Amateur film 1962 2 mins Silent Location: Hythe
Hythe is the location for this short film which features a new library under construction as well as other views of this attractive Kent coast town
St Barbara's Royal Garrison Church and Hilsea Barracks
Amateur film 1963 6 mins Silent Location: Hilsea
Witness that last years of Hilsea Barracks in this short and wintry film from F Howard - featuring a community of buildings that have vanished from the map
Netley Marsh Steam Engine Rally 1976
Amateur film 1976 4 mins Silent Location: Netley Marsh
The hot summer of '76 is made even hotter by a line-up of working steam traction engines in this nostalgic film from R H Collins
Building Chichester's new County Library
Amateur film 1965 15 mins Silent Location: Chichester
The ancient city of Chichester's new and very modern public library rises from its concrete foundations in this fascinating film from the mid 1960s
Brickmaking at Pycroft Brickworks
Amateur film 1974 11 mins Location: Hayling Island
You'll be up to your knees in clay when you meet the Pyecrofts in this delightful film about a family brick making business on Hayling Island -