National Screen and Sound Archive of Wales preserves and celebrates the sound and moving image heritage of Wales, making it accessible to a wide range of users for enjoyment and learning. Its film collection reflects every aspect of the nation’s social, cultural and working life across the 20th century, giving a fascinating insight into Welsh filmmaking, both amateur and professional.
This film is part of Free
The Morgan Family at Abersoch
When the sun shines, Abersoch beach has everything – all you need is a bucket, a bat, a bathing suit and your sea legs!
From the collection of:
Overview
Abersoch today, with its wakeboard and music festivals, seems aeons away from this painterly glimpse of beach life. We see that when the Morgan family holidayed here most cars were black, beach huts were basic and boats were pulled by shire horse, not tractor. But some things never change - then as now there were boat trips to enjoy, views to admire over to St Tudwal’s Islands and fish to catch.
The Morgan family travelled from south Wales to Abersoch for several summer holidays from 1944. Bernard Morgan, the filmmaker, ran the family-owned David Morgan independent department store in Cardiff (established in 1879 and closed in 2005 - by then Wales’s largest store of its kind). Here we see Bernard (1899-1955), his wife Mary, daughter Eleanor and sons Richard and John. John still remembers the numbers of the beach huts they rented – constructions which today have become a symbol of the inflated local property market, fetching eyewateringly high prices when they come up for sale.
Related
Watch for free
Aberdaron and Borth-y-gest - Whit Week 1951 Aberdaron and Borth-y-gest - Whit Week 1951
Home movie 1951 12 mins Silent Location: Abersoch
Holiday highlight: a beautiful horse named 'Battleship' carries Miss Healey round and round on Pat Collins' Colwyn Bay carousel.
Watch for free
Abersoch and Portmeirion - Whit Week 1951 Abersoch and Portmeirion - Whit Week 1951
Home movie 1951 15 mins Silent Location: Abersoch
A sign in the woods of Portmeirion reading ‘Please No Picking’ causes the 3 young Healey girls some amusement whilst on their hols in Abersoch.
Watch for free
Abersoch - The Anchorage Abersoch - The Anchorage
Home movie 1927 14 mins Silent Location: Abersoch
Where better to bring 3 boys on a holiday than this house on the Benar Headland, Abersoch? Sea, sand, boats and fishing keep them well occupied.
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.