This amateur film, produced by Alan Quinn begins with a horse trotting event taking place at Rowlands Gill near Gateshead. A wedding at the Church of St Joseph’s in Blaydon is followed by a visit to Durham City and what is believed to be a wedding event taking place at Newcastle Racecourse. The remainder of the film records events, activities as well as many decorative gardens at the National Garden Festival at Gateshead, including a strongman competition featuring Geoff Capes. The film...

This amateur film, produced by Alan Quinn begins with a horse trotting event taking place at Rowlands Gill near Gateshead. A wedding at the Church of St Joseph’s in Blaydon is followed by a visit to Durham City and what is believed to be a wedding event taking place at Newcastle Racecourse. The remainder of the film records events, activities as well as many decorative gardens at the National Garden Festival at Gateshead, including a strongman competition featuring Geoff Capes. The film opens on crowds of people watching a number horses and buggies taking part in a horse trotting event along a road at Rowlands Gill. A man, woman and small child drive onto a busy road in a horse drawn buggy. A series of buggies speed past along the road watched by crowds lining the route. Three boys playing a game of crazy golf is followed by a view of wedding guests arriving at the Church of St Joseph’s in Blaydon. Inside the happy couple sign the register watched over by the priest and their guests. They pose for photographs beside the registry table before going outside. A large crowd of wedding guests stand outside the church chatting as the couple pose for more photographs alongside three other couples, one of the men is wearing army dress uniform. On the steps of the church a large family group pose for the photographer. Taken from the banks of the river Wear is a view of Durham Cathedral through trees. A family crosses Prebends Bridge away from the city. Another view shows the cathedral again and Durham Castle from a river path near Framwellgate Bridge. A couple walk past, the man with his arms across the woman’s shoulders. A view follows of an effigy of Jesus on the cross outside a Catholic church. In a garden a family group sit on fold-up chairs and a swing-set chatting over cups of tea and cake laid out on a table in front on them. Two small children stand nearby. From the stands at Newcastle Racecourse a photographer organises a number of women in wedding dresses to have their photograph taken. Behind them a large marquee. A juggler on a unicycle performs for a crowd of children at the National Garden Festival at Gateshead. A child sings a song from a small stage, and people walk along the Gateshead quayside near to the Dunstan Staithes. A trackless train with carriages drives slowly around the site. A sign reads ‘Stockton on Tees’ behind which is the Dunston Staithes. A replica of Locomotion No1 travelling backwards along a track is followed by a man cycling past on a fanciful and strange contraption. Three young girls perform a tap-dance routine on the stage and from the top of a ferris wheel views follow across the whole of the festival site. Inside a marquee a band performs briefly, with the view changing to show a lake or pond and various gardens and their displays including one which includes an inflatable cow flying from a pole. A plaque beside one colourful display reads ‘Roxburgh Award Winning Garden sponsored by Roxburgh Borough Council’. On a stage a number of musical and dance acts perform followed by more views of decorative and colourful gardens. A view of the ferris wheel is followed by views of children enjoying a number of rides at a fairground. More views show gardens and people walking around the festival with a monorail passing overhead. At a showground a number of strongmen including former olympian Geoff Capes take part in series of heavy lifting events. Two other competitors take part in a log chopping competition using axes, another two drag a large log across the course. A steam locomotive with carriages travels through the site as other views show a number of metal art pieces. One is of a dragon, with its head bobbing up and down. Another show garden is identified as Catherine Cookson’s Country Garden. More views follow of the various gardens and attractions seen from the trackless train and monorail as they travel across the site. The films ends on a double-decker tram coming to a stop at a terminal, a second waits to leave from the other track.