At Wessex Film and Sound Archive you can see and hear history, from late Victorian times to the present day, through moving images and sound recordings. The Archive contains over 36,000 film and sound recordings relating to Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire, including film and tapes of local TV and radio.
This film is part of Free
Video Player is loading.
The Woolston Ferry
Fans of floating bridges will enjoy this nostalgic film about a long gone piece of Southampton history - the Woolston Ferry across the River Itchen
From the collection of:
Overview
This fascinating short film starts with a wide view of the Woolston Chain Ferry, a floating bridge, about to dock after making its short passage across the River Itchen. We see foot passengers waiting on the slipway prior to boarding. The chains which propel the ferry are also seen. After some onboard views, we end with a shot looking from the slipway which shows the ferry halfway across the river as well as a second ferry on the opposite shore.
The Woolston Ferry, as it was locally known, was first inaugurated in November 1836 and remained in operation until 1977, when a fixed bridge across the River Itchen was finally opened. There had been a plan beforehand to build a swing bridge over the Itchen but local fishermen and the Northam Bridge Company, which charged high tolls for the use of its own bridge, strongly objected. Even the Admiralty raised concerns though also suggesting that a floating bridge be constructed instead. The ferry was very popular with workers commuting between Woolston and Southampton and has since been immortalised in a folk song sung by 'Gutta Percha and the Balladeers.'
Related
Watch for free
Turn-Up for Tony Turn-Up for Tony
Comedy 1968 29 mins Location: Newcastle upon Tyne
A Tyne Tees Television comedy romance is a forgotten gem from a 1960s decade of radical urban change in Newcastle.
Watch for free
The Body Beautiful The Body Beautiful
Animation & Artists Moving Image 1990 24 mins
Autobiographical account of a mother-daughter relationship, exploring beauty standards and female sexuality.
Watch for free
The Finishing Line The Finishing Line
Instructional film/TV programme 1977 21 mins
In this surrealist short, John Krish and Michael Gilmour tell a perilous tale at the railway station. Mind the gap - this is going to get scary.
Watch for free
Walsall Market Walsall Market
News 1973 6 mins Location: Walsall
The sights and sounds of Walsall Market
Watch for free
Llanddwyn Island Llanddwyn Island
Home movie 1955 8 mins Silent Location: Llanddwyn Island/Ynys Llanddwyn
Sea pinks and samphire, lighthouses and church ruins – Llanddwyn’s charms are many and varied.
Watch for free
A Dog Called Discord A Dog Called Discord
Documentary 2023 23 mins
BAFTA-winning director Mark Jenkin (BAIT, Enys Men) explores his fascination with the magic of film.
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.
Watch for free
Dr XYZ: A Medical Drag Transthology Dr XYZ: A Medical Drag Transthology
Documentary 2023 15 mins
A satirical take on the healthcare service announcements of the 1960s and 70s.
Watch for free
Every Moment Counts Every Moment Counts
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2023 9 mins
A short animation that offers a window into the world of children’s palliative care.