This film is part of Free
Seaham Harbour 1899
Victorian County Durham celebrates the construction of Seaham Pier in a formal ceremony.
Overview
This film of the laying of the foundation stone of Seaham Pier perfectly captures the formality and ceremony of Victorian Britain. Top-hatted dignitaries, including Chancellor of the Exchequer Sir Michael Hicks Beach, contrast with the flat-capped men doing the donkey work; elegantly-dressed ladies observe from a safe distance. The film was shot by showman and cinema pioneer George Henderson.
Seaham Harbour's original foundation stone had been laid 71 years earlier, when the town and port were constructed as a means for Lord Londonderry, owner of the Seaham estate, to better manage his coal industry.
Related
The Derby 1896 The Derby 1896
Non-Fiction 1896 0 mins Silent
A pioneering example of filmed news: from Epsom to the screen in record time
Feeding the Tigers Feeding the Tigers
Interest film 1899 1 mins Silent
A big cat has to perform for its supper in this early actuality film
H.M.S. Powerful Moored at Portsmouth H.M.S. Powerful Moored at Portsmouth
Non-Fiction 1900 0 mins Silent Location: Portsmouth
Take a good look at one of the era's largest warships - the hefty H.M.S. Powerful, back from the Boer War
Belfast Street Scenes 1890's Belfast Street Scenes 1890's
Non-Fiction 1898 2 mins Silent Location: Belfast
A view down the High Street featuring the Albert Clock, a shot of Queen's Bridge and the docks
Beach Scene Beach Scene
Non-Fiction 1897 1 mins Silent
A charming image of children paddling on a pebbly beach on a hot summer's day
Beagles Beagles
Amateur film 1898 2 mins Silent
A pack of beagles are assembled for a hunt by their trainers and a huntsman
Seaham Bathing Belles Seaham Bathing Belles
Amateur film 1963 4 mins Silent Location: Seaham
Making a splash with the breakfast club regulars of the Seaham Harbour Amateur Swimming Club.
Costa del Coal Costa del Coal
Documentary 1971 27 mins Location: Seaham
Mad, bad' poet Lord Byron and a lobster thermidor feature in a melancholy tour of Seaham with popular TV presenter Johnny Morris.
Chloé Zhao Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025 Chloé Zhao Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 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 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.
Jon M. Chu: The Wizard of Wicked Jon M. Chu: The Wizard of Wicked
Inside Film 2025 49 mins
Director Jon M. Chu discusses his ground-breaking vision of Oz.
Yorgos Lanthimos Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025 Yorgos Lanthimos Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025
Inside Film 2025 66 mins
Yorgos Lanthimos sits down with Succession creator Jesse Armstrong to reveal the secret ingredients that underpin his uniquely weird brand of satire.