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Dry facts meet aesthetic beauty in this industrial film showcasing Hull’s status as a thriving international port.
Documentary 1963 29 mins Silent
Dry facts meet aesthetic beauty in this industrial film showcasing Hull’s status as a thriving international port. Produced by British Transport Films, best known for their whimsical travelogues promoting the joys of train travel, its pedigree is shown off in gorgeous colour photography by Patrick Carey, which finds beauty in the ebb and flow of maritime monsters on the River Humber. Goods range from Scandinavian timber at Victoria Dock to chemicals and petroleum syphoned off at Salt End and new cars nonchalantly piloted into mammoth holds at King George Dock. Hovering above it all, giant Martian-like cranes.
Hull is perhaps more commonly known as a centre of Britain’s fishing industry, but this was already in decline by 1963 and the film situates the port as Hull’s industrial jewel. Despite challenging economic times, the Port of Hull has continued to grow into the 21st century, with developments including the expansion of cargo and passenger ferry services on North Sea routes.
Non-Fiction 1902 4 mins Silent Location: Kingston upon Hull
Rugby arch rivals lock horns in Hull.
1965 20 mins Location: Kingston upon Hull
This is a fascinating tour of a major manufacturer in Hull, before its disappearance, showing the quality of design and workmanship in the production of their cranes.
Non-Fiction 1904 7 mins Silent Location: East Park
A grand day out in Edwardian Hull.
School programme and Educational film 1955 25 mins Location: Kingston upon Hull
The Wild West arrives in Hull in 1955 in the figure of the legendary Davy Crockett , on horse-back and clad in coonskin cap and buckskins, to learn some twentieth century road sense.
Non-Fiction 1957 22 mins Silent Location: Hessle
This is a fascinating, and somewhat puzzling, film of railway workers assembling a large section of crossover track, apparently not in situ.
Non-Fiction 1900 1 mins Silent Location: Kingston upon Hull
Bicycles and broomsticks at the ready as workers finish shift at a marine engineering works in Victorian Hull.
Promotional 1970 16 mins Location: Newcastle upon Tyne
Tuning into the biggest consumer market for television advertising in Britain with Trident TV.
Amateur film 1982 3 mins Silent Location: Kingston upon Hull
Fans celebrate as Hull FC take home the Rugby Challenge Cup trophy after the rematch declares their victory.
Amateur film 1945 11 mins Silent Location: Preston
Playing the beautiful game - the ladies from Lancashire demonstrate their skills.
Amateur film 1972 6 mins Location: Kingston upon Hull
A whole posse of jovial amateur filmmakers descend upon Hull to film many of the features now gone, such as the ferry and St Andrew’s fish docks.
Documentary 1983 26 mins Location: Kingston upon Hull
So much to see of Hull, with its great port, fishing history, historic showdown with Charles I, and two highly impressive public loos.
Promotional 1980 13 mins Location: Kingston upon Hull
Everything from Marmite jars to vinegar bottles, they all need to be cleaned, and here is how it’s done, without a rubber glove in sight.
Industry sponsored film 1960 24 mins
A new luxury express is put through its paces. This film looks over the shoulders of the select band of craftsmen, engineers and operators, whose combined skills try to ensure that a train journey is a delightful experience.
Documentary 1973 15 mins
British Transport Films record the varied daily lives of their neighbours as seen from the high roof of their building in London’s Marylebone.
Travelogue 1953 21 mins Location: York
The Stationmaster at York guides us through a typical day, from dawn to dusk.
Industry sponsored film 1957 20 mins
Illustrating the efficiency of express freight trains, and how they link manufacturers with their customers at the other end of Britain.
Documentary 1952 30 mins
Examining a day in the life of what was then the busiest railway system in the world – British Railways.
Industry sponsored film 1957 9 mins
A 1957 film examining the future for British Railways, and some of the opportunities provided by a new modernisation plan.
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