Screen Archive South East is a public sector moving image archive serving the South East of England. The archive's collections of magic lantern slides, films, videos and associated materials capture the many varied aspects of life, work and creativity from the early days of screen history to the present day and serve as a rich and invaluable historical resource.
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With the Gypsies in Kent
Join a Roma family as they journey through Kent in this unsentimental look at life on and off the road - superbly captured by the Barnes Brothers
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Overview
This excellent Barnes Brothers film shows a Roma family’s tough life on the road - journeying through Kent during the crop-picking season. We visit them at their camp, see their carts passing by a farrier, and witness the family caravan driving through Canterbury. Following scenes show the family at work picking crops like peas, beans and potatoes while their children play nearby. We continue with more scenes on the road and end with a glimpse of the film makers themselves.
Twin brothers John and William Barnes, who appear at the very end of 'With the Gypsies in Kent', devoted their lives to film, making many important documentaries in and about the county in the 1930s. The remarkably sympathetic, though unsentimental portrayal of the hard life of the road as endured by the Roma families portrayed in this film, show a remarkable degree of sophistication for what were amateur films. The patriarch of the Roma family, who can be seen throughout the film, was called Bill Lee.
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