The East Anglian Film Archive, the first and largest Regional Film Archive in England, was established in 1976. Since 1984, EAFA has been owned and operated by the University of East Anglia, Norwich (UEA), to support research and work to preserve our moving image heritage. More than 250 hours are freely available online as examples of the wide range of film which attracts interest the world over.
This film is part of Free
Skating in Oulton Broad
The once popular sport of Fen Skating, gracefully demonstrated on the frozen expanse of Oulton Broad near Lowestoft.
From the collection of:
Overview
The second half of the nineteenth century was the golden age of Fen Skating – the sport of speed skating on frozen flooded fens and broads. Competitive races were popular and drew large audiences. The course was 660 yards, marked by a barrel and flag at each end, and skaters raced in pairs, either side of the line between the barrels, and back to the start. Matches for women were also staged, but they drew a smaller audience and offered lower value prizes.
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