The first of possibly two amateur films on the construction of a new Catholic church built in the grounds of St Joseph's Primary School on Low Grange Avenue in Billingham. In this film pupils from the school take part in the ground-breaking ceremony featuring the priest and two women cutting the first sod of turf. The remainder of the film shows the foundations and early stages of construction for this prefabricated polygon designed church. Sadly, the archive does not hold any additional...

The first of possibly two amateur films on the construction of a new Catholic church built in the grounds of St Joseph's Primary School on Low Grange Avenue in Billingham. In this film pupils from the school take part in the ground-breaking ceremony featuring the priest and two women cutting the first sod of turf. The remainder of the film shows the foundations and early stages of construction for this prefabricated polygon designed church. Sadly, the archive does not hold any additional reels. A view of the sign for St Joseph’s Primary School changes to a field nearby surrounded by houses. A boy comes over pushing a measuring wheel and proceeds to walk around the field. As he goes around for a second time other children rush over standing at certain points marking out the location of the new church. A circle is formed around the field by pupils from the school all sitting on the grass. They all get up and, facing outwards, join hands. All but seven of them sit back down on the ground, they all wave. A man makes a speech, and a priest cuts the first sod of turf with a spade. Around him a large group of children from both primary and secondary schools along with their teachers watch, a man takes a photograph of the event. Two women come over; one cuts another sod of earth while the other takes a photograph. The crowd applaud and a second woman cuts a square of turf assisted by a man and the priest. An area of ground has been cleared and a foundation begun with brick, piles of which stand nearby. The priest and a second man look at the church now under construction with four large concrete roof struts in place. Walls are also partly completed, and a scaffold tower supports the struts central point. The two men walk about the building site chatting. Two girls come out of St Joseph's walking past the construction site and the film ends on more of the partly completed church.