Metadata
WORK ID: YFA 783 (Master Record)
Title | Year | Date |
HOLME VALLEY IN THE 40S | 1940s | 1940-01-01 |
Details
Original Format: Super 8 Colour: Black & White / Colour Sound: Sound Duration: 16 mins 40 secs Subject: AGRICULTURE CELEBRATIONS / CEREMONIES COUNTRYSIDE / LANDSCAPES MONARCHY / ROYALTY RELIGION |
Summary This film, from the Kathleen Lockwood collection, contains a variety of footage from religious school processions, May Day Queen Processions, a visit by Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip to Huddersfield, and shots of some firemen testing water hoses. |
Description
This film, from the Kathleen Lockwood collection, contains a variety of footage from religious school processions, May Day Queen Processions, a visit by Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip to Huddersfield, and shots of some firemen testing water hoses.
The film opens in a field with a farmer trying to drive his plough along a field. The next scene takes place on a country road where fire engine has parked in the middle of the road and a crowd of people stand around watching. Several firemen...
This film, from the Kathleen Lockwood collection, contains a variety of footage from religious school processions, May Day Queen Processions, a visit by Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip to Huddersfield, and shots of some firemen testing water hoses.
The film opens in a field with a farmer trying to drive his plough along a field. The next scene takes place on a country road where fire engine has parked in the middle of the road and a crowd of people stand around watching. Several firemen are standing in front of their fire engine and spraying water from the hose pipes into the air to test them. The firemen get back into the engine and drive off.
A large procession makes its way along a country road; one of the banner men at the front holds onto a banner which reads `Holy Trinity Choppards Church Schools'. A marching-band walks along behind the men and is followed by a large group of young women and girls in dresses and hats.
The next section is in black and white.
A priest walks at the very head of the procession and bringing up the rear of the procession are young men and boys walking along with the adults.
Back to colour again.
A group of teenagers stand in front of a building decorated with bunting; beside them are two little girls and one little boy. They are all dressed in white dresses, red cloaks and flower garlands in their hair. The little boy carries a cushion for the May Queen. In the next shot the May Queen, her hand maidens and the boy with the cushion sit on the back of a truck which has a flower-covered throne; the truck is driven down the road.
Crowds of people line a street in Holmfirth and watch as adults and children with painted faces and costumes, make their way along the road past them. There are other shots of children in costumes and they are dressed as trades people, while the members of a small marching band, marching behind them, are dressed like pirates.
A little toddler sits in her pram and waves to the camera. Then the shot cuts to the children in costume gathered in a group. They are dressed as clowns, drummers, pirates and Little Bo Peep.
The next shots are taken from the top of a hill looking down onto a gravel tennis court that has been built in the middle of the countryside; a tall wall cut out of rock surrounds it. Four people sit on chairs beside a shed and then get up and begin to play tennis.
The following section opens with shots of several buildings in Huddersfield town centre; the buildings are covered in bunting. There is a shot of a large flower arrangement in a park; it reads `Welcome to Our Elizabeth and Philip, July 26th 1949'. Then there are views from one end of the busy street looking down to the traffic and the people walking up and down the street. There is a sign for `Whitefields Pianos Radio'. A couple of older women, a younger woman and three young boys sit on the grass at the side of the road waving Union Jack flags as Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip drive by in a large car.
There are more shots of the decorated town, mounted police and the crowds gathering on the tops of buildings and on the street. From the crowd, over a shoulder, the Royal car can be seen driving past.
A man dressed as a town crier walks along a road ringing a bell and reading from a scroll; he stops and smiles at the camera. There is a shot of a leaflet which reads `Holmfirth Amateur Dramatic Society present `Th'Owd Days' by J.H.G. Barber. A chronicle of the Holme Valley in Five Scenes'. There is a long sequence of footage from the play which is being performed on a small stage.
Elaborate bunting has been strung from a high glass ceiling that covers a market lane; lots of people walk along. A train station has also been decorated and there are long shots showing the extent of the decoration. The camera pans around to take in the rest of the town which has also been elaborately decorated.
A bonfire rages in the night sky and then the shot cuts to the daytime where a large, heavy convoy of machinery makes its way along a road beside a forest.
There is a shot of a certificate which reads `The National Savings Committee requests the pleasure of the company of J. Lockwood, ESQ. At the fortieth anniversary ceremony at Guildhall, London in her presence of Her Majesty the Queen...' A couple of men get out of a car carrying holdalls and smile at the camera. They get on a train and smile at the camera from out of the window, while pointing to the 1 on the door, possibly indicating first class. There is a shot of a still photograph with the Princess and Princes and Mr Lockwood.
There are shots from the top of a field looking all the way around. A large tractor with caterpillar wheels pulls a heavy piece of machinery along a field. Following this are shots of a crowd of local women walking along one of the country roads in the village. Then there are shots of lots of men and women dressed in Victorian clothing. They stand in a group and smile at the camera. The men and women in costume walk through the village with the locals watching and smiling.
Title-The End.
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