Three amateur film made between 1995 and 1996 by Albert Austin, former Newcastle City Council’s Chief Building Surveyor. The first film looks at the Town Moor School, a temporary school built on the Town Moor in Newcastle for children of those working at the fair. The second film is of the Newbury Show in Berkshire featuring the Kennet Morris Men performing. The third and final film records Beaver Scouts celebrations taking place inside St George’s Church Hall in Jesmond, Newcastle as part of...

Three amateur film made between 1995 and 1996 by Albert Austin, former Newcastle City Council’s Chief Building Surveyor. The first film looks at the Town Moor School, a temporary school built on the Town Moor in Newcastle for children of those working at the fair. The second film is of the Newbury Show in Berkshire featuring the Kennet Morris Men performing. The third and final film records Beaver Scouts celebrations taking place inside St George’s Church Hall in Jesmond, Newcastle as part of their 100th anniversary. The film begins on a view showing number of soft-toys in a basket sitting on a small table. Filmmaker Albert Austin comes to sit in a chair beside the table and makes two attempts to introduce his film about the Town Moor School; ‘a remarkable school, and some remarkable people’. The film fades to the Newcastle Town Moor and the Hopping’s fair at 7.45am on the 29th June 1995. There are views of many of the rides and attractions, including a big wheel, empty and silent. The film cuts to show traffic moving along the Great North Road past the Town Moor and a number of administrative cabins on site beside the road. A sign attached to one of the cabins reads ‘Lost Children’. Another sign on a different cabin reads ‘Police’ followed by a sign on a third door reading ‘Canteen’. The school’s teacher Maureen Bowman, arrives on site and there are views of her and a man setting up school equipment including tables, an easel and sandpit outside the cabins. General views follow of various classrooms set up inside the cabins. On the wall hangs a number of children’s artworks. From the doorway of one of the classrooms a view shows the helter-skelter and big wheel on the Hopping’s field.  The first pupils begin to arrive and there are various views both outside and inside the cabins showing pupils at work watched over by a number of classroom assistants. A council drain-cleaning vehicle is parked up doing it’s job beside the school. Another van comes along the track beside the cabins in the opposite direction past the drain-cleaning vehicle. Sitting in the shade outside one of the cabins is an Alsatian dog. The animal is panting quite hard in the heat. Sitting nearby in the doorway of a cabin a young girl draws a picture. Nearby an older man helps an older girl with her work. Traffic continues to move along the Great North Road creating a lot of distracting noise for the school nearby. The film cuts to show a number of adults standing near to the cabins while on a table nearby a girl paints. General views showing the younger children working or playing outside the cabins. A Policeman plays with a number of children beside a large water toy set. A number of the girls along with a teacher stand, hold hands and begins to sing and dance to an old nursery rhyme. As they continue to sing, views around the cabins showing pupils either watching, playing or painting. The Alsatian drinks from the water toy set. Inside one of the cabins children’s art works hang from the wall, nearby a woman helps a small girl with her reading. At 12-noon views around the Hopping’s site as it prepares to open to the public. A family arrives on site. Back at the school, it is 1pm when the school closes and views of the children coming out of one of the cabins to be collected by parents. Beside one of the cabins, a group of children continue to play with the toy water set, while nearby an older boy stands over a table painting. With the pupils now gone, the outdoor classroom is tidied away as the remaining children make their way home. One final boy touches up a painting on the steps of one of the cabins. A woman pushing a pram leaves the school with a young girl. A view of the now empty site is followed by Maureen Bowman retrieving her car keys from her bag on her way home. General views of the now open Hopping’s fair show the various rides and stalls. A number of boys walk past a police van parked beside one of the school cabins that have been re-purposed for other activities. Inside the ‘Canteen’ a number of police officers sit relaxing, some looking at the children’s art work hanging on the walls. In the ‘Lost Children’ cabin a lost young girl talks with a woman about finding her father. A woman in a red apron carries a tray of food and drinks into the police canteen cabin. A police officer follows behind her. The man and his lost daughter comes out of the ‘Lost Children’ cabin thanking the woman for her help. The film ends with views of people riding a carousel, the big wheel turning and the rides now in operation. The film cuts back to show the soft-toys seen previously now holding a title card. Title: The End. Until next Year! The second film begins with a large sign attached to a fence which reads ‘Welcome to Newbury Show’. The date code on the video is the 21st September 1996. The film cuts to show an otter swimming in a pool behind a wire fence. A large sign beside a marquee reads ‘Otter Pool’. Crowds of people walk past. A group of Morris dancers stand beside a small wooden fence chatting. On a show field a man holds the reins of a horse attached to a trap. Standing nearby two other men chat. The Morris men seen previously now stand near the show ground chatting with a number of other people. The film cuts to show views of a steam powered threshing machine and traction engine in operation behind a small white picket fence. On the showground in front of the British Field Sports Society marquee, members of the Kennet Morris Men perform for the crowd. One man is dressed as a hobby horse and approaches the crowd. The performance comes to an end and the crowd applaud. Across the showground comes a traditional horse-drawn delivery wagon. It turns and comes to a stop beside a line of other horse-drawn wagons. Another horse drawn wagon trots past. A kite in the shape of caterpillar flies high in the sky followed by another traditional triangular shaped one. Inside a large marquee crowds walk past looking at various sheep on display inside pens. Outside a view shows a Victorian Swinging Chair ride in action as part of a fair. On a smaller showground the camera focuses on one young girl on horseback as they trot in a circle along with a number of other riders. On a large showground, a crowd watches as a ride completes an obstacle course and jumps a number of fences. The film cuts to show a man helping someone inside a costume in the shape of a mobile phone. A woman helps the other man get inside his costume, a small crowd watches on. Back on the showground a marching bagpipe band performs for the crowds. The film changes to show a number of children coming down a short dry-ski slope. A young girl and boy ride past in a horse drawn carriage followed by views of ornate checkers boards on display inside a marquee. In another tent, a crowd stands watching two men work to make wooden baskets. A large crowd stands around a stall selling novelty gifts including facemasks and ‘invisible dog leads’. Another stall sells local wines. Back out on the showground two women walk past holding a large dog on a lead. The film cuts to show the Kennet Morris Men sitting at a bench and then perform with accordions ‘The Ring of Bells’ for the crowd. A man dressed as the hobby-horse walks around the dancers, coming over and speaking with a couple of small children who are fascinated. He then comes over and joins the other dancers in the final part of the performance. The crowd applaud. The film ends on a view of a sign about then entrance of the showground that reads ‘Have a Safe Journey Home’ as people make their way home. The third film, dated 12th October 1996, begins with a female Scout leader standing beside a large banner that reads ‘100th Beavers’. Sitting in a rectangle on the floor of a St George’s Church Hall in Jesmond, Newcastle are a group of young Beaver Scouts. Standing behind them are a number of other female Scout leaders. The film cuts to show the boys playing games in the hall. Standing in two lines, they compete against each other by passing a balloon between their legs and then over their heads. Each group points at the other and shout ‘cheater, cheater!”. Sitting on the floor in front of one of the leaders, the boys sit listening. There are a number of views of the boy’s faces. Around the hall comes a number of decorated banners for some of the Beaver groups in Newcastle. As they pass, the boys sitting on the floor clap. In front of the stage the banners are held in the air as photographs are taken.   The female leader hands out cups of juice to the boys sitting on the floor. One of the women then leads the boys in a special Beaver rendition of ‘10 Green Bottles’, “Row, Row, Row Your Boat and ‘Frere Jacque’. Now standing, they all lock arms together and sing another song. Following the singing comes the presentation of a number of ceremonial plaques to the leaders of the respective groups. The boy’s clap as the women come over to collect their prize. The leaders then lead the children in a prayer of thanks. With events now ending, views of the Beavers, their parents and the leaders pack in readiness to leave. Some of the boys run around the hall hitting each other over the heads with balloons.  Outside general views of the exterior of the church hall. With their balloons the boys come out of the building in pairs and begin to walk down the road where the film ends.