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Billingham Film Unit cine magazine edition featuring two short documentary items. The first is a visit to the Teesside Engineering Club at Hartburn to meet some of the “failed engine drivers” who turn their hands to model making, and model railways. In the second part of the film, a group of Billingham boys participate in outward bound activities on Commondale Moor in the autumn.
Colour home movie compilation made by Middlesbrough dental surgeon Tom H. Brown recording family travel in England, Italy, Spain and Sweden between 1949 and 1951. The film features scenes and events from a family holiday in the seaside resort of Redcar, North Yorkshire; visits to London; a garden fete in the grounds of the Bowes Museum at Barnard Castle in County Durham; Easby Abbey and Farndale in North Yorkshire. Lord Barnard and Lord Londonderry appear in footage of the Bowes Museum event. There are various short scenes of the Browns on holiday in Rome, Venice, San Sebastian and at one Swedish location. Tom Brown demonstrates his Bolex camera at an Italian airport in one scene.
Home movie compilation by Tom H. Brown, with comic intertitles throughout. The film captures leisure time fun and games with Tom and Kate Brown, family and friends in the countryside and coastline around North Yorkshire and County Durham, including Kilton Woods, Hutton Rudby and Blackhall Rocks on the North Sea coast. The film includes a brief trick film sequence entitled 'Levitation By Professor Shampooski,' and dancing with the filmmaker's great grandmother, Mary Ann Corby. A record of the 1930 Mayor’s Sunday procession through Middlesbrough concludes the compilation.
Amateur home movie of family holidays spent in a cottage in Weardale, County Durham, with trips to Northumberland locations. The film features footage of a cattle market, dog racing, men’s gymnastics, a gymkhana, and a children’s parade of marching juvenile jazz bands in Allendale.
An account of the life and work of the steel community at Consett Iron Company, County Durham. Filmmaker Tom Stobart presents this documentary on the history of the Consett area, the changes at Consett Iron Company since the Second World War, the importance of iron ore, the manufacture of steel and the working lives of the steelworkers. Footage includes steelworkers talking about their working and social lives in the Smelters Arms public house before starting the night shift.
This is an ICI Billingham Film Unit travelogue with an unusual premise and title. The film promotes the North East as a marvellous place to live and work and includes footage of engineers, scientists and draftsmen at the ICI Billingham chemical works and the many social pursuits available for workers: sports at Billingham Synthonia and Wilton Hall Clubs, rowing and sailing on the Wear,Yorkshire Gliding Club at Sutton Bank and rock climbing. The film also tours around local Teesside villages and towns such as picturesque Norton and Stockton-on-Tees on a busy market day. The coastal towns of Saltburn, Staithes (including women in traditional Staithes bonnets) and Whitby are explored as well as the iconic cities of Durham, York and Newcastle (including night time Hoppings scenes on the Town Moor). The final scenes capture the remote landscapes of Weardale and the world of the hill farmers.
Promotional film for The North East Industrial and Development Association that looks at North East England. Deals mainly with industry but also looks at the landscapes of rural areas and the coast..
An amateur film of the 1968 Durham County Show taking place at Lampton Park in Chester-le-Street on the 8 June 1968, made by Betty Cook. The film captures many of the day's attractions including a display of falconry, a police dog obstacle course and a bear cub being fed milk from a bottle. The film features British show jumping champion Harvey Smith performing at the showground. There are also views of a whippet race and a drive past of historic horse-drawn carriages and wagons.
An overview of the North East Electricity Board's (NEEB) area of operation covering all regions in the North East, with music and commentary. Includes footage of NEEB electricity showrooms at Carliol House in Newcastle and retail activities, NEEB displays at the Yorkshire Show in Harrogate and the Durham County Show, workers leaving Rowntrees factory in York. Industries documented include open cast mining at Ashington and Monkwearmouth Colliery, Swan Hunters ship yard, manufacture of television cathode ray tubes in Sunderland, Patons and Baldwins wool factory in Darlington, and sequences on NEEB working practices.
A film made by amateur filmmaker Betty Cook of the annual medieval fair taking place in Sedgefield on the 22 May 1976. The film shows festivities taking place on the town green with many people in costume. There are views of various activists and stalls including a medieval barbecue, craft stalls and a man being dunked into a pool of water. The film also includes a juvenile jazz band performing as well a race between three pantomime horses.
An amateur film made by Edward Robert, a Durham County Inspector of Schools and pitman's son, recording the river Tees from its rural source through to industrial areas on the banks of the river around Middlesbrough, and the estuary as it flows into the North Sea.
The final of a three part Tyne Tees Television documentary presented by Mike Neville, in which he journeys down the Tees. The journey takes in the source of the river and follows the it's progress through wild countryside, small villages and towns, showing how the river Tees has contributed to peoples lives and industry. The film finally reaches the mouth of the river on the east coast where towns such as Yarm, Stockton and Middlesbrough have over the years been historic ports and the site of major heavy industries on both the north and south sides of the Tees. This edition was originally transmitted on the 11 October 1962.
This amateur travelogue focuses on rural and picturesque (non-industrial) locations along the River Wear, from source in the Upper Weardale hills to the industrial river mouth at the North Sea, and the coastline from Tynemouth to the Roker lighthouse. Footage includes sequences on farming in Upper Weardale, fluorspar mining, quarrying for ganister stone, quilting in the dales, church architecture, Durham Cathedral, Raby and Brancepeth castles, Durham Regatta and the famous Durham Miners' Gala at its most popular. This film was a Newcastle & District Amateur Cinematographers Association (ACA) production, probably led by George Cummin.
This 1977 compilation was made to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Newcastle & District Amateur Cinematographers Association (ACA). It consists of extracts from the cine club’s films, documentary footage of film shoots and studio work, and presentations at the club, from the club’s first decade through to the 1960s.
This short narrative holiday film is by amateur filmmaker and member of the Newcastle & District Amateur Cinematographers Association (ACA), George Cummin, and his wife Norah Cummin. George and Norah take a week’s holiday at a cottage in Weardale, County Durham. George decides to make a film of the holiday and settles down to write the script, but is not inspired. Whilst his wife rambles, gardens and does the housework, George repeatedly falls asleep in a deckchair and fails to script the film. On the last day he finally decides on the title and rewards himself with a nap.
A home movie of a family believed to from the Spennymoor area of County Durham begins with a woman and small girl walking through sand dunes looking at a colony of Terns. This is followed by a school sports day in which boys take part in various sporting and gymnastic events on the lawn of a large house. The final part of the film made after the 18th February 1941 following the worst blizzard conditions since 1888 shows the effects of heavy snow around the Spennymoor area including people walking past huge banks of snow and men working to clear the streets.
An industrial film that shows the construction, opening and extended use of the Derwent Reservoir in County Durham. The film includes the opening of the reservoir by Princess Alexandra in July 1967 and then goes on to examine the reasons for building it and some of the technical innovations and difficulties that had to be developed or overcome. The film ends showing how the reservoir, as well as providing water for the region has also developed into a leisure facility with fishing and sailing now well established.
A 30 second television advertisement for Vaux Breweries filmed at the Shepherd and Shepherdess Inn at Beamish, Co. Durham. The film begins with a horse drawn Vaux delivery wagon arriving at the inn and various patrons at the establishments enjoying pints of Vaux beers. The advertisement features ITV sports commentator Kent Walton.