Amateur film by members of the Newcastle and Gateshead Water Company Club of the annual flower and vegetable show and barbecue in Byker, Newcastle on 24th August 1963.  Visitors enjoy various sideshow games and stalls including a football game, bowling, children's athletics, and a judged cookery competition. Title: The Newcastle and Gateshead water company club presents A short, stop-motion animation sequence of paper images of flowers being cut away reveals the next title card,...

Amateur film by members of the Newcastle and Gateshead Water Company Club of the annual flower and vegetable show and barbecue in Byker, Newcastle on 24th August 1963.  Visitors enjoy various sideshow games and stalls including a football game, bowling, children's athletics, and a judged cookery competition. Title: The Newcastle and Gateshead water company club presents A short, stop-motion animation sequence of paper images of flowers being cut away reveals the next title card, Title: The Story of the Annual Flower Show and Barbecue Title: Byker 24th August 1963 The paper flowers then cover the title cards. Byker terraced houses stretch down the hill towards Newcastle city centre. The view shifts to a bowling green and pavilion where two marquees have been pitched. Inside a marquee preparations are under way. Men carry cardboard boxes. Outside, people are arriving. A visitor has a go at Dave’s Ball and Bucket Show, a sideshow game; then attempts to kick a football through one of several different sized holes cut into a wooden board. Two other games featured involve coin flipping or rolling. The first is a sort of Tiddly Winks coin-toss, in the second a coin is rolled over a board of red and blue coloured squares. The hoarding for the sideshow hosting these games is shown briefly later in the film, "roll a penny win a fortune". A bowls match is being played. A woman holds two children by the hand and walks them across the grass. The trees are bending in the windy weather. A young girl rides a pony, led by a man. Children compete in a sack race. Adult men compete in a sack race. Girls compete in a relay race. A punter has a go at the game at Dave’s Hoopla Stall, and manages to hook a ring on to the 20 peg. Children have a go at an air rifle sideshow. Another girl has a pony ride. Older folk sit on the pavilion benches. A bowls match is being scored. Other matches continue. The football sideshow game is featured again, its hoarding reads, “Laing Gallery”. Some children have a go at the game at Robert’s Pointed Missile Emporium, attempting to pin darts on playing cards fixed to the back wall of the sideshow. A small crowd is gathered around the Corral Shooting Gallery. The action moves back to the bowls. There are more attempts at the football sideshow. A customer tries to knock cans off a shelf. A child has a go at the hoopla, biting on his tongue in concentration. Men try their skills at the ‘Pointed Missile’ darts game. Back to the bowls once again. Two boys in white woollen jumpers play on a seesaw. Close-up of a miniature water wheel next to some pot plants. Close-up of a silver trophy, surrounded by red and pink flowers. Views of all the flowers laid out inside the marquee. Vegetables are on display for the judges: leeks, onions, beans. Close-ups of jams, curds, and marmalades, next to the respective prize cards. A salad has been awarded a prize. Scones, also, have been awarded various prizes. Woollen children’s clothing and embroidery is displayed. A man is awarded a silver trophy and receives a handshake. Women prepare tables at the tea and coffee stall in the marquee. Soon the whole tent is filled with diners. The marquee walls are shaken violently by the wind. Wooden crates of bottles are piled up outside the pavilion. One of the boxes is labelled “Babycham”. The crates are carried to a brick building. Sideshows are dismantled. Close-ups of pink, white, and yellow flowers. Pot plants sit on a shelf in a greenhouse. The film ends with an animated candle character snuffing out a flame with his fingers. Title: The end