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Not a politician in sight in this clever Conservative election campaign film.
Party political broadcast 1935 8 mins
This Conservative Party election campaign film is a surprisingly politician-free zone. Instead, it cunningly stages a debate between a pair of no-nonsense mill workers on the merits of 'safeguarding' (or trade tariffs) to ward off cheap imports. Whether the film changed any minds we'll probably never know, but the Conservatives did slightly increase their majority in the National Government.
The Conservative and Unionist Party, as it was then, was the first to really embrace political advertising. By the 1930s its approach was already quite sophisticated, as demonstrated in the decision here to use not industrialists or economists to make its case but ordinary cotton workers - natural Labour sympathisers, most viewers would assume. In 1935 the Depression remained a burning issue, but despite a coalition uniting the Conservatives with members of both Liberal and Labour parties, consensus proved flimsy. Tory support for trade tariffs was at odds with the Liberals' free trade instincts, let alone Labour's demands for public control of industry.
Home movie 1937 20 mins Silent Location: Llangollen
Nellie Boote's laundry in Market Street in operation, the women dashing away with all manner of smoothing irons as clothes are sorted, mended, washed, ironed and sorted again.
Promotional 1923 37 mins Silent Location: Manchester
From woolly sheep to satisfied customer - come and see how to produce a Co-operative coat.
Promotional 1951 13 mins Location: Oldham
Forget the carding machine - you need a lap convertor. Puzzled? Find out more here.
News 1975 1 mins Silent Location: Redruth
Redruth Cottage Industry
Promotional 1961 35 mins Location: Whitby
The NEEB sells an electrical future for modern homes and industries in the 1960s.
Amateur film 1956 33 mins Location: Oldham
Disabled people working in the community in Oldham.
Documentary 1969 22 mins Location: Oldham
A last look at the mighty steam engines that once powered Lancashire's mills.
1948 21 mins Silent Location: Oldham
"Britain's bread hangs by Lancashire's thread" – cotton, Britain's great post-war hope.
Documentary 1966 7 mins Location: Chadderton
See how steam powered the textile industry of Lancashire.
Promotional 1951 13 mins Location: Oldham
Forget the carding machine - you need a lap convertor. Puzzled? Find out more here.
Home movie 1950 15 mins Silent Location: Blackpool
The Collin family of Chadderton, Oldham, enjoy life to the full.
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.
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.
Travelogue 1953 21 mins Location: York
The Stationmaster at York guides us through a typical day, from dawn to dusk.
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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