National Screen and Sound Archive of Wales preserves and celebrates the sound and moving image heritage of Wales, making it accessible to a wide range of users for enjoyment and learning. Its film collection reflects every aspect of the nation’s social, cultural and working life across the 20th century, giving a fascinating insight into Welsh filmmaking, both amateur and professional.
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Scenes at the Enthronement of the First Archbishop of Wales, at St.Asaph, June 1st 1920
It's a huge day for the second smallest city in Britain as locals, laity and leaders gather for a milestone event.
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Overview
Despite this being a very significant event for the newly disestablished Church in Wales, there's an air of informality to this procession to St Asaph cathedral. It's a warm day, and as the ranks of clergy, members of the judiciary and choristers parade through the tiny city flanked by onlookers and union jack flags, we see programmes used as makeshift fans, headgear removed and parasols erected.
The post of Archbishop of Wales was created in 1920 when the Church in Wales was separated from the Church of England and disestablished following a long campaign by the nonconformist churches and the Liberals. Alfred George Edwards, born in Llanymawddwy in 1848, was elected Wales's first archbishop, serving from 1920 until 1934. The Shannon Film Company produced local topicals in the Rhyl area, and would have hoped that their footage of this auspicious event would fill seats in the Rhyl cinema they had taken over from Arthur Cheetham in May 1919.
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