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
Video Player is loading.
The Children of Eskdale
Five siblings run free over fields, feed the farm animals, pine for a pony or spotty dog, and a school dance exactly illustrates the difference between girls and boys.
From the collection of:
Overview
This lovely documentary on a farming family in Eskdale, was part of the acclaimed Yorkshire Television series Once In A Lifetime. It shows the daily life of the Raw family – John and his wife Dot, and their three daughters and two sons – on their fifty acre farm in Fryup Dale, North Yorkshire. The main story is of the children’s wish to have a pony, but centre stage is the tension between mum and eldest daughter, emerging from adolescence, over make-up, bras and boyfriend.
The producer and director of this film, Barry Cockcroft, and his team, made many highly regarded documentaries – three others in the same year as this, including his acclaimed film of Hannah Hauxwell, Too Long a Winter. Two years later he wrote a book about the difficulties of farming in the Dales. The film shows that even those in remote rural areas were being influenced by the fast changing times. The early 1970s, with glam rock and the beginning of disco, were a time of great upheaval for the average teenager – with girls feeling more confident, and boys not knowing how to be when confronted with Noddy Holder and the Spiders from Mars.
Related
Watch for free
The Pioneers of Nudism The Pioneers of Nudism
Amateur film 1938 27 mins Silent Location: Bricket Wood
If you go down to the woods today, you're sure of a big surprise...
Watch for free
Future Uncertain Future Uncertain
Amateur film 1968 8 mins Location: King's Lynn
A whistle-stop venture from Kings Lynn to Hunstanton via rail, in the company of Chib Thorp, amateur filmmaker and rail enthusiast from Leigh on Sea.
Watch for free
Watch for free
A Romany Summer A Romany Summer
Documentary 1977 43 mins Location: Yorkshire and the Humber
With their battered vardo, scruffy kids and assorted horses in tow, Cocker and Ellie are on an “endless odyssey”, visiting Appleby Fair, trying to eke out their own chosen life.
Watch for free
Apaches Apaches
Documentary 1977 27 mins
One of the most disturbing public safety films depicts six children being picked off one-by-one by deadly farming machinery.
Watch for free
Wires over the Border Wires over the Border
Industry sponsored film 1974 18 mins
An account, in human and non-technical terms, of the electrification of the West Coast main line railway from Crewe to Glasgow
Watch for free
Cook's Tour Cook's Tour
Amateur film 1968 7 mins Location: Whitby
The bicentenary of Captain James Cook’s first epic naval voyage is celebrated by Whitby townspeople in this jubilant short film.
Watch for free
Whitby June-July 1945 Whitby June-July 1945
Non-Fiction 1945 10 mins Silent Location: Whitby
Despite being shot during the closing stages of the Second World War, Whitby appears full of tranquillity and peace.
Watch for free
Yorkshire Riviera Yorkshire Riviera
Amateur film 1958 19 mins Silent Location: Redcar
A nostalgic dip and drive around the North Yorkshire coast in the sun-kissed 50s.
Watch for free
By Gosh It's Hot/A Day Out at Whitby By Gosh It's Hot/A Day Out at Whitby
Home movie 1964 31 mins Silent Location: Leeds
Eating, dancing in the front room, playing football in the garden, walking around Whitby, a birthday party, a wedding – just being common people, only with a Jewish twist.
Watch for free
Prospect of Whitby Prospect of Whitby
Documentary 1965 23 mins Silent Location: Whitby
Whitby seen through the work of Frank Meadows Sutcliffe.
Watch for free
Stranger on the Shore: Hounds of Whitby Stranger on the Shore: Hounds of Whitby
Short documentary 2016 11 mins Location: Whitby
The second in Michael Smith and Maxy Bianco's trilogy of films on Britain's coastal edgelands, in which they explore the spooky enchantment of Whitby.
Watch for free
New Perspectives: Pusher New Perspectives: Pusher
Short documentary 2025 5 mins
Noah Bell of Northumbria University explains why you should seize the chance to watch Nicolas Winding Refn's debut.
Watch for free
Twin Peaks star Kyle MacLachlan on working with David Lynch - Q&A Twin Peaks star Kyle MacLachlan on working with David Lynch - Q&A
Inside Film 2025 38 mins
Kyle MacLachlan talks to BFI CEO Ben Roberts about working with David Lynch on the legendary series Twin Peaks.
Watch for free
On Falling - Exclusive Q&A On Falling - Exclusive Q&A
Inside Film 2025 30 mins
Writer-director Laura Carreira talks to Nia Childs about her debut feature, On Falling.
Watch for free
Layla - Exclusive Q&A Layla - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2025 27 mins
Writer, director and performer Amrou Al-Kadhi talks to Rico Johnson-Sinclair about their debut feature.
Watch for free
All We Imagine As Light - Exclusive Q&A All We Imagine As Light - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2025 28 mins
Payal Kapadia discusses her Cannes prize-winning and Bafta-nominated drama with Ashanti Omkar.
Watch for free
Khichdi Khichdi
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2023 16 mins
The interwoven stories of four best friends who reunite in the UK, thirty-five years after training together as nurses during their teens in Ferozepur, Punjab.