The North East Film Archive is one of a network of regional film archives established to collect, preserve and show film made in, or about the North East of England. Our collections are non-fiction, and date from the early 1900s to the present day, providing a rich record of life in the region over the 20th century. Many of our films are available to watch, free of charge, on our website.
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WACAR Sports
Families from the heavy metal world of Gateshead’s great engineering firms bond at the annual sports day in Eslington Park.
From the collection of:
Overview
The generations of families from Gateshead’s great engineering firms are in high spirits as they bowl, race and cycle their way to the finish line at an annual workers’ sports day at Eslington Park in the optimistic (and very fit) 1950s. An audience of children giggle through a Punch and Judy show and the marching band of Durham Light Infantry cadets entertain the crowds with drums and kazoos.
This inter-works event was organised for employees of the three great engineering firms in Gateshead, Wright Anderson, Armstrong Whitworth, Clarke Chapman and Redheugh Iron & Steel (WACAR). The companies generated a vibrant amateur sporting culture on Tyneside in the 1950s and 60s.
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