This film documents some of the events which took place in Walkington from 1973-1974.  Events include a fancy dress competition, sports events, and the Walkington Victorian Hayride.  The Hayride was an annual fundraising event taking place in East Yorkshire, and it was one of the largest processions of horse-drawn wheels in England.  “Farndale, Ernie and Bird, Tug of War, Fancy Dress, Sports, Hayride, Barbecue from Tower.” The film opens with a shot of daffodils.  Country sign – North York...

This film documents some of the events which took place in Walkington from 1973-1974.  Events include a fancy dress competition, sports events, and the Walkington Victorian Hayride.  The Hayride was an annual fundraising event taking place in East Yorkshire, and it was one of the largest processions of horse-drawn wheels in England.  “Farndale, Ernie and Bird, Tug of War, Fancy Dress, Sports, Hayride, Barbecue from Tower.” The film opens with a shot of daffodils.  Country sign – North York Moors National Park, Public Path to Low Mill, To the Daffodils. A large group of people dressed in walking clothes are gathered in the car park.  The group is led up the public footpath by a leader.  Along the grass slopes wild daffodils are growing.  The group walk past a wall and sit on the grass together.  Children sit by the stream as the adults lay on the grass. In the garden a woman stands in the flowerbeds with a shovel as a bird hops around the soil.  The woman picks up leaves and twigs. A man sits by the side of a headstone in a graveyard.  He is smoking a cigarette and drinking a cup of tea from a cup and saucer.  The man and two women walk across the churchyard towards the church.  A bird walks around in the graveyard, and the man calls it to him. The man holds seeds of some kind in between his teeth, and the bird flies up and takes them from his mouth.  This is repeated several times.  The bird eats food from a stone block, and the man continues on his walk through the graveyard.  There is a man wearing a white t-shirt with the words “Walkington Tug of War.”  Men wearing white t-shirts and shorts are gathered in a field.  A box is laid on the ground with a “W” painted on the top with two jars resting on the lid.  The men drink from large plastic containers.  There is a rope which is laid on the grass.  The men on both teams pull the rope to try to get the other team to cross the line. Crowds of people stand by watching the tug of war match.  A judge resets the rope of the tug of war. The camera man films the cameraman lying on the grass facing him. The judge tells the teams to get ready for the next tug of war match and tells them to go, and at which time, the two teams try to knock the other over.  Two boys and a man watch the tug of war match from a stable door while other spectators sit on chairs and on the grass closer to the match.  The judge sets off another match, and the team members dig their heels into the grass to stand their ground but fall over.  Children sit near a barn holding the trophy.  The crowds watch another tug of war match.  A sports bag with ropes is laid on the ground next to two jars, and a Union Jack flag sails next to the field. The children take part in a fancy dress competition.  One of the boys is dressed as a professor, and there is a Womble, soldier, traveller, ghost, Spanish dancer, St George, lion, nurse, and two children are dressed as a bridge.  The judges seated at a table in front of the contestants discuss who should be the winner.  The two children dressed as the bridge are given a prize and helped out of their costume.  A boy and girl are dressed elegantly and hold a sign (The Gatsby’s).  The boys dressed as a bridge are given a trophy and a necklace.  Banner:  Champion 1974 The two boys give the judges flowers.  A man rides a tractor with a trailer load of children in fancy dress out of the field. The judges stand in the field eating ice creams. The children run in a race on a track surrounded by spectators, and the adults take part in a wheelbarrow race. Title – Meanwhile … The Hornets … A team compete in tug of war match. Title – Lose their strings. The men in the tug of war match roll of the floor after the match. Poster – Sunday June 23rd Walkington Hayride. Children dressed in Victorian costumes run from the side of the carriage.  Two girls dressed in Victorian clothes walk towards a carriage (Defiance).  In a field horses are gathered outside a horsebox.  Two men and a boy are preparing the carriage, and a lamp is attached to its side.  Women stand by as a horsebox is driven out of the stable yard.  A horse is unloaded from a horsebox (Joshua Tatley and Son Ltd – Shire Horses).  People are gathered in the stable yard and dressed in various Victorian costumes which reflect the different social classes from the time period.  The horses are decorated and attached to the carriages.  A man in a white soldier’s uniform gets onto a horse, and another man helps a woman in a dress and sunhat onto the back of the carriage.  The horse pulls the carriage load of people out of the stable yard and through the streets.  It is followed by other carriages.  A group of people in costume walk in the country.  Men help the women out of the carriages.  The women stand together on stage and sing as a man in a top hat with a moustache plays the piano.  The crowds join in with the singing.  People in costumes are taken on another carriage ride, and a man walks through the crowds with a parrot on his shoulder.  The women stand on the back of trailers and sing to the crowds.  Families sit eating picnics while others look at the traction engines, and women walk through the crowds with charity boxes.  People walk around in their various Victorian costumes.  The horses pull the carriages full of people followed by a man riding a penny-farthing and more carriages.  The procession travels through the country, roads and back to the stable yard where the men help the women out of the carriages.  Men and women dressed in Victorian costumes stand in a large circle and hold hands singing together and dancing. Title – Barbecue, Hot Dogs, Fried Chicken, Prizes. Three girls throw balls at the moving targets, which are people wearing top hats behind a screen.  A man speaks on a mega phone to draw in the crowds.  There is another man who stands painting a picture (Beverley Road Art Circle Exhibition of Paintings.)  He paints a picture of a snow- covered landscape with two houses.  A woman stands at the flower stall, and there are two women a little girl who work on another stall.  A man is served a beer at the drinks tent.  A woman serves up strawberries from a large bowl.  A girl with a sandwich board (How many spots has ‘Duke’ got?) holds a Dalmatian dog on a lead.  People take goal kicks in order to win prizes, and six people link arms and try to walk backwards in a line.  Someone puts on a pantomime horse costume.  Men dressed in Scottish soldiers uniforms march and play the bagpipes (City of Hull Pipe Band).  Trees surround the village church.  The film closes with views of the village houses and countryside which can be seen from the top of the church tower.