Set up in 1977, the North West Film Archive preserves moving images made in or about Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Cheshire, Merseyside and Cumbria and offers a variety of access services to users in the public, academic and commercial sectors.
This film is part of Free
Test Match England v Australia at Manchester July 1930
Scenes from the Ashes 4th Test at Old Trafford, before rain stops play.
From the collection of:
Overview
Two popular subjects make up this short amateur film - cricket and aircraft. After scenes of bi-planes, we visit the Ashes 4th Test at Old Trafford in July 1930. After the toss between captains Bill Woodfull and Percy Chapman, the crowd applauds cricketers onto and off the field. This test match fell foul of the Lancashire weather and had to be left drawn, rain stopping all play on the last day.
George Higginson (1895 - 1966) was a highly skilled amateur filmmaker whose work includes travelogues and award-winning scientific documentaries. Originally trained as a cotton engineer, he served in the army in World War One, before enrolling in his early thirties at Manchester School of Art; he later went on to teach drawing and painting at Bolton School for Boys.
Related
Watch for free
West Indies Cricketers in Norwich, 1939 West Indies Cricketers in Norwich, 1939
Home movie 1939 1 mins Silent Location: Lakenham
Vintage amateur film of the West Indies cricket team in Norwich; part of their 1939 tour of England.
Watch for free
New Zealand Cricket Team New Zealand Cricket Team
News 1965 4 mins Location: Worcester
Worcester, riding high as England's cricket county champions, prepare to face the 'unfashionable' Kiwis.
Watch for free
Australian Women’s Cricket Team at Exmouth Australian Women’s Cricket Team at Exmouth
News 1976 4 mins Location: Exmouth
The Australian Women’s Team tour England in the hot summer of 1976
Watch for free
Alec Bedser Cricket Home Movies: MCC Tour of Australia 1954 Alec Bedser Cricket Home Movies: MCC Tour of Australia 1954
Amateur film 1954 52 mins Silent
The voyage, the camaraderie, the matches, the sights: the whole experience of a 1950s tour down under is here.
Watch for free
Second Test at Lord's Second Test at Lord's
Non-Fiction 1926 1 mins Silent
England battered by Bardsley in the second Test against Australia at Lord's
Watch for free
MCC in West Indies 1948 MCC in West Indies 1948
Amateur film 1948 25 mins Silent
The England cricket team enjoy the best of the West Indies on their 1948 tour.
Watch for free
Welcome to 'King Willow'! Welcome to 'King Willow'!
Non-Fiction 1925 1 mins Silent Location: Old Trafford
The opening match of the 1925 county championship season and Warwickshire's batting is undone by Dick Tyldesley.
Watch for free
Laura Mulvey in Conversation Laura Mulvey in Conversation
Inside Film 2025 76 mins
Laura Mulvey in conversation, following her BFI Fellowship Award.
Watch for free
George Clooney in Conversation George Clooney in Conversation
Inside Film 2025 74 mins
George Clooney visited BFI Southbank to look back on his life and career.
Watch for free
Chloé Zhao Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025 Chloé Zhao Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025
Inside Film 2025 65 mins
The Oscar®- winning director of Nomadland discusses her unique approach to filmmaking and the inspiration behind the adaptation of Hamnet.
Watch for free
Edgar Wright on The Running Man Edgar Wright on The Running Man
Inside Film 2025 28 mins
The director talks to Mark Kermode about putting Stephen King's dystopian life-or-death gameshow thriller through its paces.
Watch for free
Richard Linklater Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025 Richard Linklater Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025
Inside Film 2025 69 mins
Richard Linklater discusses his remarkable and wide-ranging body of work, including Blue Moon and Nouvelle Vague.
Watch for free
Daniel Day-Lewis Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025 Daniel Day-Lewis Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025
Inside Film 2025 73 mins
Daniel Day-Lewis, the ultimate actor’s actor discusses his career in conversation with Mark Kermode.