The East Anglian Film Archive, the first and largest Regional Film Archive in England, was established in 1976. Since 1984, EAFA has been owned and operated by the University of East Anglia, Norwich (UEA), to support research and work to preserve our moving image heritage. More than 250 hours are freely available online as examples of the wide range of film which attracts interest the world over.
This film is part of Free
The Traditions of a Surgeon at Christmas
The filmic memoirs in Cambridgeshire of heart surgeon Christopher Parish and his family, beginning with Christmas traditions, and including a royal visit. The year is 1962.
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Overview
Scenes captured by heart surgeon Christopher Parish of family occasions, also events at Papworth and Addenbrooke’s Hospitals. Opening with the nurses at Papworth on Christmas Day – it was customary for the surgeon to carve the turkey! A parade of guests at the filmmaker’s home. Winter weather allows for skating at Bury Fen. There’s also a royal visit by Her Majesty the Queen. Despite the wobbly filming, we are assured Christopher had a stable hand when wielding a scalpel!
Heart surgeon Christopher Parish was a keen home movie maker capturing key events in the family calendar every year. He also recorded some of his innovative work in theatre, including of open heart surgery. Here we see, Papworth Hospital - Christopher would often visit on Christmas Day. Ice skating takes place at Bury Fen. The windmill is Cattell’s at Willingham. The pheasant shoot is at Glatton. The horse riding is at Highfield Farm, Swavesey. Cyril Young is the farmer with the carrots. Christopher in fact performed surgery on Cyril, removing one of his lungs, which sealed their lifelong friendship! The Queen visits both Addenbrooke’s and Papworth Hospitals. The Parish family picnic at Glyndebourne.
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