Screen Archive South East is a public sector moving image archive serving the South East of England. The archive's collections of magic lantern slides, films, videos and associated materials capture the many varied aspects of life, work and creativity from the early days of screen history to the present day and serve as a rich and invaluable historical resource.
This film is part of Free
The Big Board at Newquay
This historic masterpiece, from Lewis Rosenberg, records one of the earliest Cornish surfing holidays ever captured on film
From the collection of:
Overview
This amazing film from Lewis Rosenberg begins with him and his friends travelling by train to Newquay before later arriving at a campsite in Holywell. After setting up the tents and enjoying an outdoor Cornish cream tea, the group, carrying homemade surfboards, head off to the beach where the surfing action begins. With his camera in a waterproof housing, Lewis manages to create shots from the surfer's perspective. The action-packed day ends with picnics on the beach.
Lewis Rosenberg was born in London in 1906 to immigrant working class Polish Jewish parents. He was in his twenties when he bought his first cine camera and, despite a lack of formal training, took it with him when he went on camping holidays with his friends, mostly to Cornwall and Guernsey. Inspired after seeing Australian surfers in cinema newsreels, Lewis and his mates made their own surf-boards. Lewis also made a waterproof housing for his camera, enabling him to capture some unique surfer’s viewpoint shots, which are seen in this film.
Related
Simcha Simcha
Documentary 2000 12 mins
Extremely rare insight in the role of a Hasidic woman, featuring a mother-daughter team who live in North London.
Some of My Best Friends Some of My Best Friends
Documentary 1969 30 mins Location: Westminster
Jewish people - and a few Gentiles - muse on what it means to be Jewish in 1960s Britain
Chief Rabbi's Emergency Council Chief Rabbi's Emergency Council
1947 19 mins Silent
Poignant postwar appeal for Britain’s Jewry to support orphaned Jewish children rescued from Europe
Jewish Pensioners' Controversial Pools Win Jewish Pensioners' Controversial Pools Win
News 1975 5 mins Location: Southend-on-Sea
All good pals and jolly good company! A syndicate of Jewish pensioners from Southend celebrate their big win on the football pools.
Just One Kid Just One Kid
Factual TV 1974 54 mins Silent
A Jewish Eastender recalls growing up in poverty in the 1930s and being part of a community now long gone
Mr. Emmanuel Mr. Emmanuel
Drama 1944 97 mins
An elderly Jewish man journeys to Nazi Germany to track down a refugee’s mother in this extraordinary drama
Jubilee Jubilee
Current affairs 1977 13 mins Location: Bath
A special report looks into the preparations for the Queen’s Silver Jubilee and her subsequent tour of the South West.
Jeremy Thorpe and Peter Bessell 1964-1967 Jeremy Thorpe and Peter Bessell 1964-1967
Current affairs 1964 15 mins Location: Devon
The 1964 election of Liberal MPs in the South West is celebrated but beneath there is another side to the high level affairs of the Liberal Party.
Just the Job Just the Job
Current affairs 1980 29 mins Location: Devon
If you weren’t a yuppy you were a yoppy on the government Youth Opportunities Programme aimed at placing sixteen to eighteen year-olds in the workplace.
Friday the Thirteenth Friday the Thirteenth
Current affairs 1963 2 mins Location: Cornwall
On the eve of Friday the 13th the camera captures Cornish thoughts about superstitions.
Holiday in Catalonia and Beach Scenes Holiday in Catalonia and Beach Scenes
Home movie 1950 12 mins Silent Location: Cornwall
Catalonia is one of the destinations in Lewis Rosenberg's original home-movie which features beaches, bullfights and Barcelona
Cornwall Cornwall
Home movie 1930 10 mins Silent Location: Cornwall
1930s Newquay is the setting for Lewis Rosenberg's film - with horse riding, tennis, girlfriends, much tickling and glorious Cornish beaches
China O'Brien: The Reunion China O'Brien: The Reunion
Documentary 2024 60 mins
Cynthia Rothrock, Richard Norton and Keith Cooke reunite three decades on from the groundbreaking martial arts classic.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.