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
Sweet Life
A reminder of the days of loafing out of school and into the sweet shop to buy a quarter of Pear Shapes, as a local Elland family firm makes traditional hand-made boiled sweets.
From the collection of:
Overview
After showing us some of Elland’s places of special interest, including the home of one of The Bachelors, we are taken on a tour of local sweet manufacturers Joseph Dobson & Sons. From boiling up the syrup, to stretching the resultant goo and cutting out the individual shapes, each stage of the process of making boiled sweets is demonstrated and explained. The end product is rows of jars of Rainbow Crystals, Yorkshire Mixtures and Voice Tablets selling at 16 pence a Qtr.
A typical film of Ernest Hardy of Halifax Cine and Video Club, who loved to make local documentaries like this. Here we have the home of the famous Yorkshire Mixture, Joseph Dobson's. Started by Joseph Dobson back in 1850, it is a typical family firm of the period that has managed to stay just that. Joseph Dobson was orphaned at 10, but growing up in York, something of a confectionary hot spot at that time, he was able to take advantage of the growing sweet tooth market. With the development of food science, and technology to match, many of our well known sweets were created: toffees, fudge, candy floss, liquorice allsorts, jelly babies, wine gums and marshmallows, as well as boiled sweets.
Related
New Plant New Plant
Industry sponsored film 1950 30 mins Silent Location: Elland
A bright future seems to be looming as the mule spun woollen yarns are warped and wefted on the shuttle, while the women mill workers scuttle between machines with baskets of cones.
Joe Kagan: Just Another Bump in the Road Joe Kagan: Just Another Bump in the Road
Current affairs 1980 38 mins Location: Elland
An intriguing insight into the extraordinary life of Lord Kagan, Jewish escapee from the Nazis, clothier to the Royals, and close friend of Harold Wilson and KGB spy Vaygauskas.
Opening of the Electric Tramway into Elland Opening of the Electric Tramway into Elland
Non-Fiction 1914 5 mins Silent Location: Elland
A cheer goes up from Elland locals as their first electric tram arrives, with a rousing speech, and the children, dressed as mini adults, get to see the event in their local cinema.
Getting it Back: The Story of Cymande - Q&A Getting it Back: The Story of Cymande - Q&A
Inside Film 2024 22 mins
The director of a documentary about British funk pioneers Cymande joins the band at BFI Southbank to talk about the film.
The West Case The West Case
Action and Adventure 1923 28 mins Silent Location: Tilbury
Plotting world domination, Devil Doctor Fu-Manchu steals plans for a new aero-torpedo in this earliest surviving thrill-a-minute serial instalment.
Enter the Scala!!! Enter the Scala!!!
Inside Film 2024 16 mins
Filmmakers Jane Giles and Ali Catterall discuss their documentary Scala!!!, revisiting the legendary and inspirational cinema venue and some of the most notorious films that screened there.
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.