We use cookies on this website. By continuing to use this site without changing your cookie settings, you agree that you are happy to accept our privacy policy and for us to access our cookies on your device.

Accept
Skip to content
Avatar for...
Welcome Guest

Follow us:

Site logo image
  • Shop
  • Rent films
  • Donate
  • News
  • About
  • Access
  • Nature Matters
  • Memory Bank
  • Register
  • Log in
  • Specialisms

THE VISIT OF THEIR MAJESTIES KING GEORGE VI AND QUEEN ELIZABETH TO THE TEAM VALLEY TRADING ESTATE

MetadataFramesRelated records
Metadata

WORK ID: NEFA 19877 (Master Record)

TitleYearDate
THE VISIT OF THEIR MAJESTIES KING GEORGE VI AND QUEEN ELIZABETH TO THE TEAM VALLEY TRADING ESTATE1939 1939-01-01
Details Original Format: 16mm
Colour: Black & White
Sound: Silent
Duration: 16 min 29 sec
Genre: Promotional

Subject: Working Life
Industry



Summary
This is a film of a visit by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth to open the Team Valley Trading Estate in Gateshead on Wednesday 22nd February 1939. The royal couple also visit the Labour Training Centre and unveil a commemorative plaque.
Description
This is a film of a visit by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth to open the Team Valley Trading Estate in Gateshead on Wednesday 22nd February 1939. The royal couple also visit the Labour Training Centre and unveil a commemorative plaque. Title: The Visit of Their Majesties King George VI and Queen Elizabeth to the Team Valley Trading Estate. Wednesday, February 22, 1939. Title: The crowd gather in the early morning in spite of bad weather. The film opens with views of a large crowd...
This is a film of a visit by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth to open the Team Valley Trading Estate in Gateshead on Wednesday 22nd February 1939. The royal couple also visit the Labour Training Centre and unveil a commemorative plaque. Title: The Visit of Their Majesties King George VI and Queen Elizabeth to the Team Valley Trading Estate. Wednesday, February 22, 1939. Title: The crowd gather in the early morning in spite of bad weather. The film opens with views of a large crowd walking along Kingsway. A female dignitary walks past followed by a procession of police officers. A man with a film camera stands next to a raised platform. Title: Their Majesties inspect the Guard of Honour and officially open the estate. King George VI followed by Queen Elizabeth inspects a group of soldiers who are standing to attention. On the platform they pull on a large silk bow. Title: The bow fails to slip and a pair of scissors is borrowed to cut the ribbon. The King cuts the bow. The royal couple stand on the steps of the podium steps before leaving by car. As the procession of cars drives along Kingsway flanked by police on horseback crowds rush at the royal car and are held back by police. Title: Their Majesties proceed to inspect the Labour Training Centre. The royal party enters a large workshop where young men and women are working with wood on a number of benches. They walk around the workshop talking to a number of the men. They come outside and watch another group of men building a brick wall. The royal party walks between various factory units via a covered carpet. They then leave by car followed by a procession of men in bowler hats. A group of dignities waits for the arrival of the royal couple outside the entrance of a large building. The King and Queen arrive and walk inside. Title: Now for a well-earned lunch. More dignitaries walk into the building. A woman carrying a bouquet comes out of the building and stands next to a policeman. Title: After lunch a bouquet is presented. Their Majesties say goodbye and leave via the south entrance. The King and Queen leave the building and the Queen is presented with the bouquet. They both shake hands with a number of dignitaries before getting into their car. From a window, the catering staff watches the proceedings. Title: A plaque is now unveiled by Sir Malcolm Stewart to commemorate the commencement of the site. The excitement (or lunch!) has had an enervating effect. A man gives a speech to a crowd inside the reception area of a building. A plaque is unveiled by a second man who also gives a speech to the crowd while outside a large crowd looks in through the glass doors. The film ends with people talking and chatting.
Context
Royals open Team Valley Estate in Gateshead Crowds clamour for a glimpse of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth despite a damp and murky day for the royal opening of Team Valley Trading Estate in Gateshead. “Not only has the North East been put on the map, but we made a new map to put it on!” Filmed on 22 February 1939, an excited crowd surge forward to catch a glimpse of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth on a grim day for an official opening ceremony at the modern Team Valley Trading...
Royals open Team Valley Estate in Gateshead

Crowds clamour for a glimpse of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth despite a damp and murky day for the royal opening of Team Valley Trading Estate in Gateshead.

“Not only has the North East been put on the map, but we made a new map to put it on!” Filmed on 22 February 1939, an excited crowd surge forward to catch a glimpse of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth on a grim day for an official opening ceremony at the modern Team Valley Trading Estate in Gateshead. The royals tour some of the 110 factories and a Ministry of Labour Training Centre, admiring decorative brickwork built by unemployed trainees.

In June 1937 the new king was one of the visitors to the British Industrial Fair at Earl’s Court in London who gazed at the industrial city of tomorrow contained in a 50ft square model of miniature factories, roads, railways, and gardens that made up the future Team Valley – billed as the finest trading estate in Europe and built to alleviate Depression era unemployment (67.8 per cent on Tyneside in 1934). It is believed that this film for Gateshead Council was produced by the gifted amateurs of Montagu Pictures including Arthur Greaves FRPS, a member of Newcastle & District ACA, whose The Day Thou Gavest won the Victor Saville Cup for the most outstanding film at the Scottish Amateur Film Festival (SAFF) in 1936.
Frames
Related records
Footer logo

  • info@yfanefa.com
  • Subscribe to our quarterly newsletter

Follow us:

  • Contact us
  • Yorkshire Film Archive is a charity registered in England and Wales (1093468) and a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales (04480153)

Copyright © 2025 Imagen Ltd.