This film is part of Free
Warrington v St. Helens (1901)
Match action and scenes of an Edwardian rugby crowd at Warrington's Wilderspool stadium.
Overview
Lancashire's St Helens, in hooped shirts, visited Cheshire rivals Warrington for this early Edwardian game. As in other Mitchell and Kenyon rugby films, we can see here an early phase of the evolution of Northern Union rules: note the quickly-formed scrum after each tackle. Shots along the touchline show officials and spectators transfixed by the play, while others are distracted by the camera.
The Northern Rugby Football Union, better known as Northern Union, was formed in 1895, when prominent Yorkshire and Lancashire clubs resigned from the Rugby Football Union in a dispute over compensation for players taking time off work. All the major differences between the two codes would be established by 1907.
Related
Factory Chimney Fire Factory Chimney Fire
Non-Fiction 1900 2 mins Silent
A veritable Victorian Towering Inferno.
Arrival of Train-load of Visitors at Henley Station Arrival of Train-load of Visitors at Henley Station
Non-Fiction 1899 1 mins Silent Location: Henley-on-Thames
Jolly boating weather as the hordes descend on Henley for the Regatta.
Bumping Race (Cambridge May Races) Bumping Race (Cambridge May Races)
Non-Fiction 1900 0 mins Silent Location: Cambridge
University teams navigate a bend on the river Cam in no ordinary rowing race.
Blackburn Rovers V. West Bromwich 1898 Blackburn Rovers V. West Bromwich 1898
Non-Fiction 1898 1 mins Silent Location: Ewood Park, Blackburn
A little piece of football history from the people's game: possibly the earliest surviving game on film
Launch of H.M.S. Albion Launch of H.M.S. Albion
Non-Fiction 1898 2 mins Silent Location: Blackwall
The launch of H.M.S Albion, which was marred by the collapse of a gangway which resulted in many spectators drowning.
Solar Eclipse Solar Eclipse
Non-Fiction 1900 1 mins
The magic of a real solar eclipse filmed by a famous magician
Spirit of Warrington Spirit of Warrington
Documentary 1981 15 mins Location: Warrington
Cheers! A toast to Greenall Whitley - today known as G&J Distillers - a North West company with a long history of distilling excellence.
Night Mail Night Mail
Documentary 1936 24 mins Location: Euston Sta
The flagship of the GPO Film Unit's output and a cornerstone of British documentary, featuring music by Benjamin Britten and the verse of W.H. Auden.
Warrington Walking Day Procession (1902) Warrington Walking Day Procession (1902)
Non-Fiction 1902 12 mins Silent Location: Warrington
Fine outfits on display in a Christian procession through Warrington's Bank Park.
Employees of Rylands Bros. Ltd. Wireworks, Warrington (1902) Employees of Rylands Bros. Ltd. Wireworks, Warrington (1902)
Non-Fiction 1902 2 mins Silent Location: Warrington
A jovial crowd of Edwardian workers head home at dinner time in the Cheshire town.
Employees at White Cross & Co. Ltd Wire Works, Warrington (1900) Employees at White Cross & Co. Ltd Wire Works, Warrington (1900)
Non-Fiction 1900 1 mins Silent Location: Warrington
Home time for grateful workers in a Cheshire factory.
Scenes Outside St Elphin's Church, Warrington (c.1901) Scenes Outside St Elphin's Church, Warrington (c.1901)
Non-Fiction 1901 2 mins Silent Location: Warrington
An eager crowd competes for camera time outside a Lancashire church.
China O'Brien: The Reunion China O'Brien: The Reunion
Documentary 2024 60 mins
Cynthia Rothrock, Richard Norton and Keith Cooke reunite three decades on from the groundbreaking martial arts classic.
Women in Action Panel Discussion Women in Action Panel Discussion
Inside Film 2024 28 mins
Action Xtreme - the UK's leading action film studio - hosts this panel discussion with four leading women in action cinema - Soo Cole, Jo Rolison, Jadey Duffield and Ioanna Karavela.
Starve Acre - Exclusive Q&A Starve Acre - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2024 24 mins
Daniel Kokotajlo talks to Nia Childs about Starve Acre, his folk horror about a couple digging deep into grief in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales.
Sky Peals - Exclusive Q&A Sky Peals - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2024 30 mins
Sky Peals director Moin Hussain and lead actor Faraz Ayub talk to Tomisin Adepeju about their magic realist drama.
Inside the Archive: The Early Films of Michael Powell Inside the Archive: The Early Films of Michael Powell
Documentary 2024 42 mins
Documentary exploring the BFI National Archive’s role in rediscovering and remastering the early films of Michael Powell.
Inside the Archive: The Riviera Revels Inside the Archive: The Riviera Revels
Short documentary 2024 12 mins
Bryony Dixon, curator of silent film at the BFI national archive, explores the origins of a series of comic travelogues, and Michael Powell's involvement in making them.