The East Anglian Film Archive, the first and largest Regional Film Archive in England, was established in 1976. Since 1984, EAFA has been owned and operated by the University of East Anglia, Norwich (UEA), to support research and work to preserve our moving image heritage. More than 250 hours are freely available online as examples of the wide range of film which attracts interest the world over.
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Aldeburgh Women's Institute Sports
Light-hearted sports on a breezy day for Women's Institute members at Aldeburgh, Suffolk.
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Overview
A relaxed atmosphere for absurd and friendly sporting competitions between members of the Women's Institute at Aldeburgh, Suffolk, filmed by Miss Basham. A large female crowd applauds the backwards egg and spoon race, sack race, slow bicycling, three-legged race and shambolic dressing up - it's all about the taking part.
Several 9.5mm films of 1930s Aldeburgh events survive which were filmed by Miss Mabel Lilian Basham and another woman amateur film maker. Miss Basham and her brother Captain Kenneth Basham were active members of Aldeburgh's music and dramatic groups. The Women's Institute movement originated in Canada in 1897 and the first W.I. meeting in Great Britain took place at Llanfairpwll on Anglesey in Wales in 1915. During World War I, its aims were to revitalise rural communities and encourage women to become more involved in food production. A century on, the W.I. continues enabling women to engage with new skills and activities and campaign on issues affecting themselves and their communities.
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