A participatory film believed made by several different camerapersons over several weeks during the summer of 1987 and during the annual Saltburn Victorian Weekend. The film begins with local people preparing ‘A Victorian Wonderland’ inside Saltburn Valley Gardens followed by the arrival of Queen Victoria herself played by Alice De Mellet De Bonas. As well as activities taking place around town as part of the Victorian Weekend, including a visit by the Flying Scotsman steam locomotive, the...

A participatory film believed made by several different camerapersons over several weeks during the summer of 1987 and during the annual Saltburn Victorian Weekend. The film begins with local people preparing ‘A Victorian Wonderland’ inside Saltburn Valley Gardens followed by the arrival of Queen Victoria herself played by Alice De Mellet De Bonas. As well as activities taking place around town as part of the Victorian Weekend, including a visit by the Flying Scotsman steam locomotive, the film also features local adults and children working together to prepare for a night-time procession. Sadly, due to the limits of video at that time very little is seen, although a fireworks display seen from Saltburn Pier is visible. A phantom ride aboard the Saltburn Miniature Railway through Saltburn Valley Gardens. Local people work to put together ‘A Victorian Wonderland’ in Valley Garden by installing various sculptures many in the shape of various flying machines into the trees. A sign for the ‘Victorian Wonderland’ attached to a decorated fence with people walking past. Larger items are brought into a clearing, and several people walk past in various Victorian costumes. Standing under a tree two girls play recorder while a third dances. A crowd gathers on the miniature railway platform as a train pulls in. A woman, Alice De Mellet De Bonas, dressed as Queen Victoria speaks with some of those on the platform changing to her now standing in the clearing seen previous standing beside a seated puppet of Queen Victoria. A large crowd gathers around. At night the dark sky occasionally lit up by streetlights in the distance. The cameraman walks through Skelton-in-Cleveland passing neon signs in windows as well as a telephone boxes and road bollards. As he makes his way through Carlin How he passes the Skinningrove Steelworks with dawn begins to break in the distance. As the sun continues the man continues to make his way along a road eventually arriving in Loftus. In the church hall of Saltburn Methodist Church on Milton Street a group of local people working on a series of artistic installation. [Blank] From a window a steam traction engine on the road below changes to Saltburn railway station where crowds gather around the Flying Scotsman steam locomotive. [Blank] Back in the church hall work continues in the various artistic pieces with participants also working on larger items build around bamboo frames. At the far end of the hall a reproduction of a steam train. In the Victorian courtyard besides the railway station a man plays the banjo for the crowds passing by including a group of older women sitting in a bench who clap along. He also plays for a man sitting on a wall and a woman running a stall outside a shop. Crowds of visitors wonder around Station Square. [Out of focus] Inside a local shop a man dressed in a Victorian outfit doffs his hat at some of the customers changes to a small girl sitting at a table. Returning to the railway station crowds continue to look over the Flying Scotsman with several gathers around the cab talking to the driver as he blows the whistle. A traction engine steams past along Milton Street with those onboard looking over Flying Scotsman. A horse-drawn buggy followed by horse-drawn bus riding past along Marine Parade. Looking down the cliffside crowds making their way to the beach and the horse-drawn bus passes again in the opposite direction with those onboard waving. As a large crowd gathers along Marine Parade a young man holds in his arms a young smiling woman who pulls faces at the camera before kissing the man holding her. The feet of the cameraperson as well as the young couple changes to a crowd gathered around a steel drum band performing along Marine Parade. A man dressed in a Victorian woman’s costume walks past leading a donkey that is carrying flowers. The front cover of the Saltburn Victorian Celebrations brochure marking the ‘150th Anniversary of Queen Victoria’s Ascension’ changes Saltburn Methodist Church and inside people still working on the various puppets and lanterns. A group of them work to carry the puppet of Queen Victoria seen previously out of the church and down a set of steep metal steps. Other installations are taken from the hall onto the street. [Blank] At night a procession of flaming torches makes their way down onto the beach. Some of the puppets and lanterns seen previously being made also feature now lit up, the camera doesn’t capture much more than small lights in darkness. [Blank] Costumes, puppets and lanterns are brought inside following the procession. [Blank] Back outside on Saltburn Pier a firework display taking place in the sky and a young man working a stall in the doorway Pier Amusements. At the other end of the pier another firework that causes what appear to be sparks or flames to pour over the side into the sea. The display continues. [Blank] In a room a woman is given instruction on how to operate the video camera. [Blank] Working in his outdoor studio artist Bill Buckley works on a piece of art changes to two women chatting in a living room while watching television. BBC Look North with Mike Neville is playing on screen and a report on the Saltburn Victorian Weekend after which the television is turned off. A series of short pen-and-ink drawing or posters relating to the Victorian Weekend changes to man sitting on a sofa playing the guitar with a small girl playing around him. Following a series of additional posters or artworks relating to the Victorian Weekend, in the final section of the film a group of people in a large room chatting. They are joined by small child and a baby who play around the room.