This film is part of Free
Watford Street Scenes
A wintry Watford High Street buzzes with busy shoppers.
Overview
The years fall away in these lovely images of a wintry Watford High Street, given a nostalgic glow by the application of sepia toning. Shot from three different camera positions by an unknown cameraman, the film captures the buzz of busy shoppers and traders on market day. The film was originally dated to the 1930s, but is almost certainly several years earlier: a poster on a wall advertises Isobel Elsom in The Awakening, a French film released in the UK in February 1926.
Typically for the time, the shops are mostly long-gone family businesses, most visibly hardware store J Salmon & Son - but next door to that is a branch of Freeman Hardy and Willis, the shoe shop chain that finally closed its doors in 1996. Thanks to redevelopment (and the Luftwaffe?), few of the buildings seen here still stand today, but the striking home of the National Provincial and Union Bank is now the Que Pasa bar and club.
Related
"Oh to Be in England" "Oh to Be in England"
Amateur film 1947 13 mins Silent Location: Harrow
Bluebells, wisteria and snowdrops feature in this lovely colour film showing the effect of nature on the London suburb of Harrow after the war.
Grand Union Canal Grand Union Canal
Documentary 1937 34 mins Silent Location: Houses of Parliament
Follow working narrow boats as they make their 60-hour trip from London to Birmingham along Britain's longest industrial waterway.
Laura Mulvey in Conversation Laura Mulvey in Conversation
Inside Film 2025 76 mins
Laura Mulvey in conversation, following her BFI Fellowship Award.
George Clooney in Conversation George Clooney in Conversation
Inside Film 2025 74 mins
George Clooney visited BFI Southbank to look back on his life and career.
Chloé Zhao Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025 Chloé Zhao Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025
Inside Film 2025 65 mins
The Oscar®- winning director of Nomadland discusses her unique approach to filmmaking and the inspiration behind the adaptation of Hamnet.
Edgar Wright on The Running Man Edgar Wright on The Running Man
Inside Film 2025 28 mins
The director talks to Mark Kermode about putting Stephen King's dystopian life-or-death gameshow thriller through its paces.
Richard Linklater Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025 Richard Linklater Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025
Inside Film 2025 69 mins
Richard Linklater discusses his remarkable and wide-ranging body of work, including Blue Moon and Nouvelle Vague.
Daniel Day-Lewis Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025 Daniel Day-Lewis Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025
Inside Film 2025 73 mins
Daniel Day-Lewis, the ultimate actor’s actor discusses his career in conversation with Mark Kermode.