Amateur film of a holiday cruise to Madeira in the 1930s. This film is part of the Newcastle & District Amateur Cinematographers Association (ACA) collection. Before setting off on a cruise holiday, the filmmaker’s wife poses with her teenage daughter as they board the train on their journey. A travelling shot from a train follows of a paddle steamer. A ship is moored at a quayside. People wave off travellers from the quayside. The ship boarding ramp is wheeled away. Travelling shot from...

Amateur film of a holiday cruise to Madeira in the 1930s. This film is part of the Newcastle & District Amateur Cinematographers Association (ACA) collection. Before setting off on a cruise holiday, the filmmaker’s wife poses with her teenage daughter as they board the train on their journey. A travelling shot from a train follows of a paddle steamer. A ship is moored at a quayside. People wave off travellers from the quayside. The ship boarding ramp is wheeled away. Travelling shot from the ship, people on the quayside waving hankies to relatives on board as the ship leaves dock.  The pilot returns to his boat. Crew on deck include cooks. Two horses in containers are fed by the crew. The sun deck pool is filled with water. Men and women in swimsuits or beach pyjamas watch as it is readied. Passengers swim, splash and sunbathe by the pool. Shots of passengers on deck are intercut with shots of waves. The filmmaker’s wife and daughter relax in deck chairs on deck. Some of the crew are in the rigging. As the cruise liner reaches Madeira, some crew or traders are in rowing boats beside the ship. General view of the cruise ship moored at Funchal. Boats filled with goods such as basket chairs float beside the ship. Travelling shot from small boat leaving the ship. Local men unload luggage and carry them into the hotel. Women in swimwear walk along a balcony at the hotel. General views of a fishing boat with sails at sea, and a restaurant with outdoor veranda overlooking the sea. Portrait shot of filmmaker’s wife in sunglasses. The family go sightseeing in town and various shots record a market, a fountain in a square, street sellers, horse-pulled sleds carrying goods down cobbled streets, a man with giant Bonitos (like tuna fish) on a street, a man racing past carrying a dead calf on his shoulders, fish sellers, cattle on a quayside. A boat is landing wooden branches (?). A child is asleep on a street. Then, it’s back to the square at the beginning of the sequence. Swans preen in a sheltered pool. An ice cream seller waits for customers. General views follow of the hillside, harbour and boats. The next shots are of the family taking hammock rides up a mountain on a jaunt from Funchal, with portrait shots of the carriers, all men, and exciting shots from one of the hammocks. General view from the mountain. Probably part of the tourist itinerary, there is a gathering of local Portuguese people on the mountain. Meat is barbecued. A festival (or Fado session?) takes place amongst the shade of trees, with dancing, singing and music, including male musicians with a tuba, accordion, mandolin, and triangle. One of the men dances with a child. More travelling shots follow from the hammock ride back down the mountainside. Group portrait of the wife and daughter posing with the hammock bearers, followed by individual portraits of the men. Three women in headscarves walk up a path. More group portraits of the local men follow. A girl plays on a swing slung from trees. General views of Funchal harbour at dusk, then the surrounding landscape and town. The filmmaker’s wife and daughter check a map. There’s a shot of a small church and then a tall monument. A man looks down from a mountain viewing balcony. Various shots follow of local people. The wife and daughter wait in a car. There are shots of local women sewing, or embroidering, shawls (incredibly quickly) outdoors, a local craft. Mist appears on a mountainside, probably the Pico Grande. The wife and daughter share the car with two young men. The wife walks down a mountain for a view. Two women are sewing as a child between them looks steadily at the camera.