Description

Can you remember steam trains, school caps, or even trams’ Everyday sights like these shaped the lives of ordinary people in a way which has rarely been captured on film. Now, this unique and remarkable compilation, made entirely of home-made cinefilm footage captures these everyday scenes.

As Britain began to emerge from the austerity of the post war years many ordinary people, for the first time ever, had enough spare cash to buy a cine camera. This was still somewhat of a luxury though, as cine film throughout the 1950s and 1960s was, by today’s home video standards, very expensive. Thousands of families began to film their holidays, outings, and those more memorable family occasions. While others also took the opportunity to film more commonplace everyday activities including children playing in the street, local fetes or a visit to town. Television was not the dominant force it is today, and after the ritual of setting up the projector and screen many happy evenings would be spent watching the results in a darkened room at home. Carefully and sensitively crafted together by North West Video Productions this first volume, in a unique series, forms a fascinating and lively look back at the 1950s and 60s. This is definitely not the official Britain of the newsreels or commercial cinema, but a warm and poignant account of everyday events filmed by ordinary people, showing what life was really like during the post war years.

This unique programme, made entirely from original cine films complete with discreet sound effects and music, is complemented by a thought provoking script written and introduced by Neil Patrick, Editor of Yours magazine. You’ll find the memories come flooding back as we focus on a huge variety of topics including:

Children, at school and at play, long before the days of leisure wear and trainers. With so few cars and lorries around children were safe to play in the street, where the only distractions were the milkman and his horse, or the chimes from a distinctive ice cream van. Street Scenes, lots of contrasting views, from small villages to large towns, highlighting shops, passing traffic and fashions.

Everyday life, including wine making, summer fetes and Christmas, always the main family event in any year but just look at those fashions and the presents. Transport, lots of everyday scenes including a steam train journey from Leamington Spa to Birmingham, trolley buses at Walsall, and Glasgow’s distinctive trams.

Royal Visits, a memorable day with Royal visits to Rugeley & Barmouth. Holidays, when overseas package holidays were virtually unknown! Lots of nostalgic scenes in the West Country, including camping and caravan holidays, picnics and visits to St Ives, Lands End, and Lynton & Lynmouth.

Also holidays on the Isle of Wight featuring the famous pier, and the first road round-a-bout on the Island. Farming, before giant machines took over most duties there were still some horses and early tractors at work, while the farmyards provided a haven for children to play in.

Family motoring, for the lucky few a new car meant extra freedom, although many early roads were already starting to jam up. Never mind though, there was still plenty of room on the newly opened M6 & M1 motorways! If you are old enough to remember the 1950s and 60s this unique video will rekindle many pleasant memories.

If you’re too young to remember those exciting years, this programme will give you an excellent impression of just what you missed !