The Yorkshire Film Archive collects, preserves, and shows film made in, or about Yorkshire. Our collections are non-fiction, dating from the 1890s to the present day, and providing a rich and visually compelling record of all aspects of lives, cultures, landscape, industries, major events and everyday activities, many of which are available to watch, free of charge, on our website.
This film is part of Free
Spare Time
The traditional pastimes of a council estate, revealing the lack of money and the underlining tensions between genders and generations.
From the collection of:
Overview
A Yorkshire Television documentary that focuses on what some typical residents do in their spare time on the Manor Estate of council housing in Sheffield in 1987. Among the leisure activities pursued by some of the colourful characters are racing pigeons, fishing and gardening; while youth play on slot machines, an elderly woman combats loneliness by CB radio, boys go boxing and many have a good singalong down the Springwood pub on a Friday night.
This is the third of a series of four themed programmes that were aired in August 1987, and were later re-edited to a shorter length and broadcast on Channel 4, this time naming those residents who are interviewed. Although the Manor has had many houses demolished since the film was made, and new houses built, it remains quite neglected: with the Springwood pub having been closed and boarded up for several years. However, the Manor Boxing club (now Academy) remains, there is still a Sheffield Amateur Radio Club, and the Manor now has a youth club – although it isn’t certain how many pigeon fanciers are left.
Related
Watch for free
Fighting Back Fighting Back
Documentary 1987 27 mins Location: Manor Estate
Residents of a poor council estate display initiative and growing confidence as they create a local theatre group and tenants’ association.
Watch for free
Manor People Manor People
Documentary 1987 27 mins Location: Manor Estate
A rare chance to see people at the sharp end of the Thatcher revolution speaking about their lives without leading questions or commentary.
Watch for free
Made in Sheffield Made in Sheffield
Documentary 1987 27 mins Location: Manor Estate
A revelation of the resourcefulness of those thrown onto the jobless scrapheap using whatever is on hand to scrape, often literally, a living.
Watch for free
Women in Action Panel Discussion Women in Action Panel Discussion
Inside Film 2024 28 mins
Action Xtreme - the UK's leading action film studio - hosts this panel discussion with four leading women in action cinema - Soo Cole, Jo Rolison, Jadey Duffield and Ioanna Karavela.
Watch for free
Starve Acre - Exclusive Q&A Starve Acre - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2024 24 mins
Daniel Kokotajlo talks to Nia Childs about Starve Acre, his folk horror about a couple digging deep into grief in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales.
Watch for free
Sky Peals - Exclusive Q&A Sky Peals - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2024 30 mins
Sky Peals director Moin Hussain and lead actor Faraz Ayub talk to Tomisin Adepeju about their magic realist drama.
Watch for free
Inside the Archive: The Early Films of Michael Powell Inside the Archive: The Early Films of Michael Powell
Documentary 2024 42 mins
Documentary exploring the BFI National Archive’s role in rediscovering and remastering the early films of Michael Powell.
Watch for free
Inside the Archive: The Riviera Revels Inside the Archive: The Riviera Revels
Short documentary 2024 12 mins
Bryony Dixon, curator of silent film at the BFI national archive, explores the origins of a series of comic travelogues, and Michael Powell's involvement in making them.
Watch for free
New Perspectives: Oldboy New Perspectives: Oldboy
Short documentary 2024 4 mins
Discover why Dan George of Northumbria University believes everyone should experience Oldboy at least once.