National Screen and Sound Archive of Wales preserves and celebrates the sound and moving image heritage of Wales, making it accessible to a wide range of users for enjoyment and learning. Its film collection reflects every aspect of the nation’s social, cultural and working life across the 20th century, giving a fascinating insight into Welsh filmmaking, both amateur and professional.
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Pwllheli May Day Celebrations 1929
Pwllheli basks in the sun and enjoys a community event that includes 2 Queens, 4 horses, a bride & groom, a bunch of bananas and the fire brigade.
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Overview
There can be almost no-one left at home in Pwllheli today as the streets are filled with people enjoying the carnival atmosphere, the costumes, the scarecrow and the crazily decorated motorbikes and bicycles. As today, everyone is urged to 'Eat More Fruit', the greengrocer having hung the sign on his van and adorned the bonnet with a bunch of bananas! Slight tension is provided by the horse-drawn transport, which illustrates the perils posed by live horse power.
The Pwllheli May Queen for 1929 was Lydia Humphreys, the retiring queen from 1928 being Gwen Williams. They are both seen after shots of a bridal party on a float complete with minister. Gwen is seen first, wearing a heavily floral crown/headdress and seated in a car driven by Hugh Hughes, chauffeur and barman at the Mitre Hotel in Y Maes, the town square. Lydia, in the second car, wears a lighter floral headdress, awaiting her crown. The procession started at Y Maes and would have proceeded through New Street into the High Street. The overhead shots are taken from a window in the Whitehall Hotel which faced the High Street.
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