Metadata
WORK ID: YFA 4849 (Master Record)
Title | Year | Date |
WHITSUNTIDE IN THE LAKES | 1934-1935 | 1934-01-01 |
Details
Original Format: 16mm Colour: Black & White Sound: Silent Duration: 13 mins 46 secs Subject: Travel Transport |
Summary Made by club member Frank Charman, this film shows members of the Yorkshire District Association at their various camping weekends in 1934 and 1935. The film captures the lively and fun atmosphere of the trips as well as the scenic landscapes surrounding the campsites including locations such as Bridlington and Fulwith Mill, near Harrogate. |
Description
Made by club member Frank Charman, this film shows members of the Yorkshire District Association at their various camping weekends in 1934 and 1935. The film captures the lively and fun atmosphere of the trips as well as the scenic landscapes surrounding the campsites including locations such as Bridlington and Fulwith Mill, near Harrogate.
(Whitsun Newby Bridge, Lake Windermere 1934)
Title – YDA Weekends -B-
Title – Whitsuntide in the Lakes -B-
Title – Lake Windermere -B-
The film opens...
Made by club member Frank Charman, this film shows members of the Yorkshire District Association at their various camping weekends in 1934 and 1935. The film captures the lively and fun atmosphere of the trips as well as the scenic landscapes surrounding the campsites including locations such as Bridlington and Fulwith Mill, near Harrogate.
(Whitsun Newby Bridge, Lake Windermere 1934)
Title – YDA Weekends -B-
Title – Whitsuntide in the Lakes -B-
Title – Lake Windermere -B-
The film opens with a shot of Lake Windermere. There are people in a rowboat on the lake, and following this is a brief view of the camp. There are very short shots of the camping tents and individual club members.
Title – Mr. Saville The First Bather. -B-
More of the camp can be seen, and some of the men are walking around while some of the women are doing laundry. A car pulls up with a caravan, and two men work to fix a cart which was attached to the back of the car. One of the club members pulls a few silly poses for the camera before there is more footage of the tents pitched at camp. A car is parked next to each tent. Fathers and sons play a game of cricket in a nearby field, and there is more footage of the camp and its campers relaxing.
Tents and caravans are decorated with floral decorations and bunting. Next, there is a fancy dress parade in which children and adults take part. Spectators are seated around the camp in folding chairs, and there are close-ups of many of the contestants. One of the men holds up a cake and plays around for the camera.
The next day, two women emerge from a haystack, smiling for the camera. The campers relax on the grass around camp, and there is also footage of the interiors of some of the caravans. Along table has been set up for dinner, and members of the camp are seated at the table. The filmmaker focuses on the individuals, many of whom make silly faces for the camera. Some of them are eating sandwiches, laughing, and smiling. After the meal, a man and woman are pulled in a cart attached to the back of a car. They throw hay from the cart, and the man plays with his hat made of newspaper.
Following brief footage of a bonfire, there is more footage of the camp. The caravans and tents are lined up near a stone wall, and the campers walk by the camera. Some of them are gathered together in a tent, and they all pose for the camera.
(Sports Weekend Patrick Brompton Near Bedale 1935)
A car with a caravan in tow drives down a long road. Following this is footage of the various races which take place during the sports weekend. The first is a children’s foot race. The women are next, and they are followed by the men. The man overseeing the events walks up and down the side-line during the races. He is wearing a top hat and smoking a pipe. There are more races to follow including one which contestants have to put on additional clothing at a halfway point, as well as a traditional egg and spoon race. Tents and caravans can be seen along the side-lines.
(Whitsun Bridlington 1935)
Families are in their tents and caravans, and some are making tea. They all smile for the camera as the filmmaker moves past, and the flat landscape of the caravan site can be seen.
Some of the campers go swimming down at the beach. One of the women runs towards the camera, carrying something in her hand. The beach appears to be empty except for the club members.
Back up tat the camp, it appears to be a windy day. A woman dances for the camera, and other campers make silly faces or dance about having fun with the filmmaker. Some of the women link arms and walk past the camera.
Inside one of the tents, a group including a man and his dog pose for the camera. The same man is later seen walking on the beach, and he is dressed in hat and overcoat.
(Ladies Weekend Fulwith Mill 1935)
There is footage of the campsite, and inside one of the caravans, a woman powders her nose. This is followed by more footage of the site which is made up of more caravans than tents. The campers gather around a table and all help to wash and dry the dishes. The Crimple Viaduct can be seen in the background. The campers laugh and joke around, playing with a puppy, and many playing up for the camera. A man bows to one of the women while holding a tray of tea.
(Carnival Weekend - Darrington 1935)
The caravans have been decorated with streamers, bunting, a white rose, a YDA banner and Union Jacks for this Carnival Weekend. Two small statues have been placed by one of the caravan wheels. The campers relax around camp, some seated on folding chairs and others seated on the grass. The filmmaker shows more of the decorated tents, and following this is a fancy dress parade. Many of the contestants are laughing and having fun.
Context
A wonderful film showing just how much fun could be had camping in the mid-1930s, with no concessions of dress or to specialised camping kit, and none to any campsite etiquette.
For those who could afford a car, camping in the mid-1930s must have been tremendously exhilarating. Members of the Yorkshire District Association (YDA) of the Camping Club of Great Britain and Ireland, out in the wilds of Lake Windermere and various places in Yorkshire, visibly have a huge amount of fun –...
A wonderful film showing just how much fun could be had camping in the mid-1930s, with no concessions of dress or to specialised camping kit, and none to any campsite etiquette.
For those who could afford a car, camping in the mid-1930s must have been tremendously exhilarating. Members of the Yorkshire District Association (YDA) of the Camping Club of Great Britain and Ireland, out in the wilds of Lake Windermere and various places in Yorkshire, visibly have a huge amount of fun – displaying typical middle class eccentricities of the time, with games and a fancy dress competition revealing much about the culture of the period. The film is among several made by Frank Charman, a member of the Yorkshire District Association (YDA) part of the Camping Club of Great Britain and Ireland, originally formed in 1901. Nothing else is known of Frank, other than that he had a son, who donated the films to the Camping and Caravanning Club, and who also made camping films in the 1960s. The YDA had an annual ‘Ladies weekend’ at Fulwith Mill during the 1930s, and here we have one of those. Later in 1938 they visited East Farm in Ulrome, on the East Yorkshire coast, where the first club site in Yorkshire was set up in that same year. |