This film is part of Free
Steamship
Take a trip downriver side-by-side with a magnificent Victorian steamship, which dwarfs everything else on the water
Overview
No better way to look at a ship this large than getting on to the water - or watching this short film, which is the next best thing. Shot from a boat moving down what looks like the River Thames at Greenwich, it gives us the perfect view of this two-funnelled Victorian steamship. The sailors on board and the other boats on the river, including rowboats and a tug, provide a scale for its vast size. The wind ruffling the water and the ship's flags adds to the film's picturesque quality.
This film was made by the Warwick Trading Company, an early American film production outfit run from a London office. Warwick specialised in actuality and travel films, which were shot all over the world, as well as closer to home in the British capital.
Related
Unidentified Chinese Men (c.1900) Unidentified Chinese Men (c.1900)
Non-Fiction 1900 2 mins Silent
How did these Chinese gentlemen end up in a Blackburn basement?
Breakers Breakers
Non-Fiction 1896 0 mins Silent
A handful of passers-by watch waves breaking gently onto a shore
Wedding Ceremony in a Church Wedding Ceremony in a Church
1900 2 mins Silent
Who doesn't love a wedding? This breezy film squeezes the whole service into two minutes flat
Crude Set Drama Crude Set Drama
Comedy 1896 1 mins Silent
A basic bit of early comic storytelling on film
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.
An Airman's Letter to His Mother An Airman's Letter to His Mother
Documentary 1941 6 mins
A poignant, stirring letter from a recently deceased pilot to his mother is read by John Gielgud.
Hen Do Hen Do
Comedy 2023 2 mins
En-route to her hen weekend, bride-to-be Faye kills the vibe with a bombshell confession.
Daytimers Daytimers
Documentary 2023 2 mins
An insight into Daytimers, the South Asian DJ collective that are breaking new ground in Britain.