The Media Archive for Central England is the public screen archive for the East and West Midlands. An independent charity and company based at the University of Lincoln, MACE acquires, catalogues, preserves and makes widely available moving image materials that inform our understanding of the diverse cultures and histories of communities between the Lincolnshire coast and the Welsh border.
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Our Coronation Day
The 'New Elizabethans': children of King's Heath in Birmingham take to the streets to celebrate a new era with flags and fancy dress.
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Overview
Shot on 9.5mm film by Ewart Smallwood, this reel provides us with a snapshot of one of the countless local Coronation Day celebrations in 1953. From chimney sweeps to Beefeaters and John Bull to a great opportunity for some men to don a frock; a familiar sight in carnivals of the period. The depiction of non-white cultures is also of its time, but the pride and common purpose is something that shines through the years.
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