The film completes the detailed account of the construction of Rivelin Valley Paddling Pool in Sheffield and ends with the official opening ceremony Intertitle: The tubular steel handrails over the footbridges and the metal grids over the 12" dia inlets into the silt chamber were constructed in Olive Grove Depot Intertitle: Olive Grove Depot - the Blacksmiths' Shop Construction of the steel grid Working next to a forge, the blacksmith is shaping the steel before the pieces are...

The film completes the detailed account of the construction of Rivelin Valley Paddling Pool in Sheffield and ends with the official opening ceremony Intertitle: The tubular steel handrails over the footbridges and the metal grids over the 12" dia inlets into the silt chamber were constructed in Olive Grove Depot Intertitle: Olive Grove Depot - the Blacksmiths' Shop Construction of the steel grid Working next to a forge, the blacksmith is shaping the steel before the pieces are welded in place to form the grid Intertitle: Construction of the tubular handrails Bending Checking Welding Grinding A pipe bender is used to shape the rails, which are then measured before being welded Intertitle: Painting and fixing the steel grids The grid is painted and shown in its final position on the wall, covering the pipe outlet. Intertitle: Handrail in position on a completed footbridge Rails are shown being fixed in position across the pool. Intertitle: Stanking in progress Men are shown working in the water. Intertitle: To provide a flow of water through the silt chamber into the pool a weir had to be constructed across the river, such that the water level there was lifted to a height 2.0 above the pool bed The river weir. The first half completed up to original steel piling Men are working by the newly constructed masonry wall and weir. Intertitle: Constructing an apron to the rear of the river training wall to take part of the river water behind the weir during the construction of the 2nd half of the weir, the remainder being passed through the pool Work is in progress. Intertitle: Work proceeding on the 2nd half of the weir whilst the river flows through the wall Men are engaged in construction work. Intertitle: Water pouring over the new weir within 24 hours of its completion Water is flowing over the weir. Intertitle: The same view after completion of the pool - normal summer river level A view of the river. Intertitle: The river in flood The river. Intertitle: Painting the pool bed The almost completed pool is being swept and painted. Intertitle: Water flowing through the pool A view of the finished pool. Intertitle: Official opening [Film in colour] The official party is touring the site. A speech is then made before the seated guests. This is followed by a speech by the Lord Mayor and the presentation of bouquets. The public have been allowed in the pool and a group of 5 children is shown in the water. Smaller children are being held at the water's edge by their mothers. The pool now becomes crowded with children in the pool and spectators fill surrounding paths. Intertitle: "The foundations of a city are not in stone, nor its greatness in power and possessions, but its glory is the happiness of its children and its foundation the spirit pf them that build it" Title: The end Background This film appears to have originally formed the concluding section of Rivelin Valley Paddling Pool. The paddling pool was one of the schemes undertaken by Sheffield City Council to celebrate the Festival of Britain in 1951. The opening ceremony on Friday, 27 July 1951 was attended by the Lord and Lady Mayoress, Alderman and Mrs T. W. Bridgland, the Master and Mistress Cutler, Mr and Mrs Wilton Lee, the Chairman of the Town Planning Committee, Coun. J. W. Sterland, and the Chairman of the Parks Committee, Ald. Mrs Grace Tebbutt. Provenance Transferred to Sheffield Libraries from the City Council's Publicity Department in 1985