Moving History - a guide to UK film and television archives in the public sector

North West Film Archive - The Collection

The North West Film Archive holds over 30,000 reels of film and videotape in its collection. It reflects the region's position at the forefront of industrialisation in the twentieth century and is a powerful record in moving pictures of the experiences and interests of the North West people and its modern urban society. The NWFA collection includes the work of both professional and the amateur film-makers including cinema newsreels, documentaries, educational and training films, travelogues, advertising and promotional material, corporate videos, and regional television programmes, alongside hundreds of films shot by local families and enthusiasts.

Places

The North West Film Archive acquires film and video footage featuring people, places, events and activities in Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Cheshire. Much of the focus of the archive's collection is on the urban and industrial character of the region. Cities such as Manchester feature strongly in the archive's collection as it has the largest population in the North West region. The archive holds film and video material featuring other cities and towns in the region such as Bury, Bolton, Salford, Rochdale, Stockport, Wigan, the county towns of Chester and Lancaster, as well as Blackburn, Burnley, Macclesfield, Preston and Wilmslow amongst many other places. The archive also contains some moving images of other regions in the UK and around the world reflecting the travel and professional interests of the people of the North West. Some Merseyside footage is also held.

Subjects and Periods

The Archive holds material from the pioneer days of film in the mid 1890s to video production of the present day. The archive's collection features material on a vast range of subjects and themes that touch on every sphere of life in the North West region. These include subjects such as industry and working life, transport, local communities and events, family life, leisure activities, and the home front during the two world wars. The archive also holds films produced by individuals for their own enjoyment, by organisations such as local councils and health authorities for public screening and by commercial concerns for promotional purposes.

Early cinema - The earliest moving image material held in the collection dates from 1897 and shows street scenes in Liverpool filmed by the LumiÏre Company. The archive holds many films from the pre-First World War era, including scenes of factory workers leaving work filmed by local cinemas and the 'faked' Boer War battles in 1900 made by the Mitchell and Kenyon Company [http://www.bfi.org.uk/collections/mk/] on the moors above Blackburn. The archive holds many 'local topicals' showing events such as Whit Walks and carnival processions. For example films from a cinema in Milnrow, near Rochdale, feature special events such as 'Hollywood Comes to Milnrow' which invited the audience to see themselves on screen.

'Liverpool Scenes' (1897)
a LumiÏre film showing street scenes and activity in Liverpool including St George's Hall as well as the Albert Docks filmed from a moving train
'Stockport Market' (1910)
the busy stalls, traders and shoppers of Stockport market
'Manchester United V Newcastle United' (1910)
a match played at the newly constructed Old Trafford Ground

War-time - The archive holds several films recording life in the region during the First World War, such as films made by local cinemas of soldiers training, returning from the war and military funerals. The archive holds many fascinating films from the Second World War including several from the 'Calling Blighty' series of film messages from soldiers serving abroad to their families. The archive also holds material such as local ARP training films in colour, amateur films of life on the home front, and information films made to encourage the local population to take their 'holidays at home'.

'Morecambe Volunteers In Training' (c1914)
the Morecambe Volunteers preparing to go to war and the soldiers departing by train leaning out of the carriages, waving handkerchiefs at their family and friends
'The 4/5th Battalions Lancs Fusiliers On The March' (1915)
soldiers being drilled with rifles, and training for trench warfare in mock trenches
'Manchester Took It Too' (1940/41)
produced by the Co-operative Wholesale Society's publicity department, this film shows scenes of the Blitz damage to Manchester and the clearing up operations
'Calling Blighty' (1944-46)
a series of films where messages were recorded on film by soldiers stationed abroad and sent back to be screened to their families and friends in cinemas in their home town

Industry and working life - The North West region stood at the heart of the industrial revolution and Lancashire in particular has a strong association with the textiles industry. The growth in manufacturing and textile industries have left the region with a legacy rich in industrial history and the North West Film Archive holds a large collection of films which reflect this heritage. Industrial features of the region on film in the collection include the Trafford Park industrial centre, the Manchester Ship Canal, engineering firms such as the Carborundum company, Mather and Platt industrial machinery manufacturers, silk and weaving industries in Macclesfield, and remarkable early film of the workings of a cotton mill in Bolton.

'Messrs. Barlow & Jones Ltd. Manchester and Bolton' (1919)
the making of cotton goods showing the various processes from opening bales, cleaning and straightening, to spinning and weaving, and a display of finished products
'Goyt Valley Scenes Which Will Be Submerged By The Stockport Corporation's Water Scheme' (1928/31-33)
amateur film of Stockport Corporation's water work scheme in the Goyt Valley depicting the construction work as well as the inauguration ceremony on 25 February 1932
'Grinding' (1933)
scenes of the production of parts for locomotives and motor cars, using Carborundum and Aloxite grinding wheels including explanatory titles
'A Glimpse Of Metrovick' (1956)
the Metrovick Trafford Park industrial complex with its roads, train system and access to the Manchester Ship Canal as well as various factory processes

Community and leisure - leisure and holidays form a strong theme within the archive's collection. The archive holdsfilms of community outings organised for local children, church members or workplaces, as well as fairs, carnivals and parades, sporting activities and entertainment. Sporting events include amateur films of school sports days, community football and cricket matches. Travelogue films in the archive promote leisure destinations around the region and neighbouring areas in places such as North Wales, Chester, and Southport. The archive also holds many amateur films made during Wakes Weeks, when all the factories in a town would close down for maintenance and workers went on holiday, descending in their thousands on resorts such as Blackpool. Holidays abroad also feature in amateur film and promotional material.

'Bury Carnival, Saturday September 6th 1924' (1924)
a carnival including bands, floats and Morris dancers as well as the carnival King and Queen who are crowned by the Mayor
'A Nurses' Outing In 1929' (1929)
the Mayor of Stockport and amateur film-maker, Mr Joshua Preston, entertains a group of nurses at his family home at Glengarry who participate in various races and have lunch on the lawn
'Blackpool: A Nation's Playground' (1939-40)
a Blackpool Corporation film promoting Blackpool's amenities and attractions for residents as well as holiday makers, including the Winter Gardens, and Pleasure Beach
'Go Gay with Gay Tours' (c 1963/64)
a promotional film for Gay Tours Ltd. of Manchester, highlighting the delights and ease of travel abroad, featuring a woman and her Grandfather travelling to Spain
'Croal At Christmas, Santa's Grotto And Bonfire At Ordsall' (1968-69)
an amateur film by Ralph Brookes featuring Croal House elderly people's flats in north Manchester, as well as various street scenes and family scenes at Christmas

Town and city life - Urban living, inner-city redevelopment, and the construction of 'New Towns' in the region are well represented in the archive's collection. Archive material includes film of slum clearance in Preston in the 1930s, documentaries on slums in 1960s Salford, construction of the New Town at Skelmersdale in the 1960s, urban redevelopment at Moss Side in the 1970s and 80s, plans for airport developments at Manchester in the 1970s, items on inner-city traffic management, youth crime in urban Salford, city centre shopping facilities in Stockport and seaside amenities in Blackpool. Many of the archive's holdings on these subjects originate from public bodies such as city councils and housing associations.

'A City Speaks' (1946)
a promotional film by documentary film-maker Paul Rotha for Manchester City Council in 1946, featuring local government plans for the redevelopment of post-war Manchester
'Scenes From Blackpool And Salford' (1966)
made by keen amateur film-maker Ralph Brookes, this film includes tourists sights in Blackpool as well as footage of Salford University and Art Gallery.
'The Changing Face Of Salford. Part 1, Life In The Slums' (1968/9)
produced by Mike Goodger of the University of Salford, this documentary film includes shots of the streets, factories, houses, amenities, and people of Ordsall slums around the time of redevelopment
'Salford - The Other Side' (1971)
also produced by Michael Goodger, this time focusing on a different side to Salford, including parks, gardens, moor land and stately homes, as well as new housing developments built to replace the city slums

Transport - The archive has a large collection of films made by the Manchester Ship Canal Company dating from 1912 to the present day. These films show the port of Manchester, daily work at the docks, the workings of the canal, its bridges and locks, warehouses and cranes as well as footage of ships from around the world unloading their cargo. Other films in the archive's collection on the theme of transport in the region include films on the railway works in Crewe and the railway network throughout the region, bus building at the Leyland Motor works, Vulcan car manufacturing, the Lancaster City Transport bus depot, Avro aeroplane manufacturing, the modern tram system in central Manchester as well as general scenes of street transport over time.

'Great London To Manchester Aerial Race' (1910)
the competitors - Graham White and Mr Paulhan and their aircraft - at their respective starting points, and the winner, Mr. Paulhan, arriving at Manchester greeted by large crowds
'The Port Of Manchester' (1949/56/58/64)
a compilation film showing the Manchester Ship Canal, depicting cargo handling equipment and storage facilities along the canal, and the road and rail connections
'Railway Scenes - Wilmslow' (1954-56)
an amateur film from the Preston Family collection showing a train journey from Wilmslow to Manchester Piccadilly, as well as various shots of steam trains, diesel locomotives and goods trains, and construction work on a the railway
'Metrolink: Interiors and behind the scenes' (1993)
a film of the workings of the Metrolink tram system in Greater Manchester with the trams in action, the drivers, passengers and the control centre

Regional events - The archive holds a large collection of films, dating from 1911 onwards, featuring the annual Whit Walks - a major annual event in the region's towns and villages, involving religious processions where thousands of people turn out carrying banners from their churches. The archive also holds amateur films and some professional newsreel films of a huge variety of local events of significance such as royal visits, official openings, awards ceremonies, VE day and Jubilee celebrations, and contemporary music and cultural events.

'The Royal Visit To Middleton' (1913)
the arrival of King George V and Queen Mary in Middleton along with the processions, dignitaries and crowds there to greet them
'Gracie Fields Made Honorary Freeman Of The Borough' (1937)
Gracie Fields arriving at Rochdale Town Hall, being presented with a scroll and attending a civic luncheon; she then travels to the Theatre Royal on a fire engine
'St Marks Whit Walks And Cheetham Hill Scenes' (1969)
a colour amateur film by prolific amateur film-maker from the region, Ralph Brookes, of the St Mark's Church Cheetham Hill's Whit Walk in 1969

Recent material - The archive is proactive in seeking out and collecting newly produced and recent moving images of relevance to the region, including contemporary material on a wide variety of subjects such as animal testing, homelessness, airport runway protests amongst others.

'Not Exactly Linford' (1996)
a drama produced by Black Issues in Community Arts (BICA) about an Asian teenager who wants to be taken seriously as an athlete. Although his friends and family are sceptical, he finds a trainer and decides to make a video recording his fastest run
'Drive It, Crash It, Paint It' (2002)
a documentary about Kelzo, a graffiti artist from Hulme, Manchester by a student from the Granada Centre for Visual Anthropology

Production Types

Amateur films - Many films in the collection have been donated by members of amateur cine societies around the region from towns such as Altrincham, Blackburn, Leigh, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, and others. Amateur cine societies often filmed local events as well as creating short amateur fiction films. Individual amateur film-makers often filmed domestic scenes, family experiences, holidays and events such as weddings and birthdays, recorded local events such as carnivals and jubilee celebrations and made short fiction films for their own entertainment. Keen amateurs whose material features in the collection include the twin sons of Joshua Preston from Stockport in the 1930s to the 1950s, Ralph Brookes of Salford in the 1950s to 1970s and Ernest Hardman of Bury in the 1930s to 1950s.

'Derek Walter Rigby F H Aged 5 1/2 Weeks' (c 1925-28)
amateur family footage of the Higginson family from Bolton, including scenes of the children with their nanny, a picnic, and games in the family garden
'Easy Come' (1933)
an amateur short fiction film made by Salford Cine Society where a woman dreams that her family wins a competition and go on a trip to Blackpool where various disasters occur. When she wakes, she is relieved to discover they didn't win the competition after all.
'Hindley Family Scenes and Blackpool' (1936-44)
a variety of family scenes including an outing to the river Ribble at Hatton West and a trip to Blackpool including donkey rides on the beach, a man with a Charlie Chaplin string puppet and a picnic by a river
'Christmas At Marlene's' (1966)
family scenes at Christmas filmed by Ralph Brookes; the group are seen opening their presents in the living room and there are various scenes of parents and children together

Corporate and organisational films - The archive holds a large collection of material made by companies and organisations based in the North West region. The archive has a strong collection of material from the Co-operative Wholesale Society, including many publicity films made for the organisation. These include advertisements for biscuits, underwear, soap, and men's wear amongst many others. Other Co-op material includes publicity films promoting the dividend scheme, training films, films documenting the opening of new stores and films of important events around their premises. The archive also holds many films made by the Carborundum Company who made imaginative story-based advertising films to sell their knife sharpening and valve grinding products. Other companies and organisations strongly represented in the collection include the Manchester Ship Canal, Unilever's 'Port Sunlight' soap factory, the Police Force, City and County Councils, pre-NHS hospitals and homes and schools.

'Our Friends The Police' (1914)
various aspects of policework in Manchester, including ambulance duties, traffic control, training of recruits, patrolling and mounted police work
'The Magic Basket' (1928)
a publicity film for Co-operative Wholesale Society products and dividend benefits - the film shows the production of jam, biscuits and soap in various CWS factories, and a member is very pleased to receive her cash dividend
'Hearts And Diamonds' (1932-34)
an advertising film for Carborundum products where a young man wins his future father-in-law's approval by recommending Carborundum knife sharpening products
The Royal Infirmary, Preston (1936-9)
scenes of the day-to-day running of Preston Royal Infirmary, concentrating on casualties, wards and departments such as operating theatres, the sunlight department, the x-ray department, massage and electrical department and convalescent homes

Local topicals and newsreels - Local topical news films and national newsreels in the collection feature a huge variety of local events and scenes from around the region mainly dating from the 1910s to 1930s. These include events such as the Church Lads' Brigade processions, Home Defence corps parades, a cricket club gala for wounded soldiers, the crowning of carnival Queens, maypole dancing, and crowds gathered outside cinemas or in street scenes.

'Milnrow and Newhey Gazette' (1913)
a compilation of early newsreel material produced by the Empire Cinema, Milnrow, including scenes of staff of the Empire Cinema lined up outside, Whitsuntide procession, work inside local mills and children queuing outside the cinema

Television - The archive has responsibility for the preservation of over 12,600 items of BBC North West regional television material dating from the 1970s to the 1980s. These include series such as 'Home Ground' and 'Race Relations', and the news magazine programme 'Look North West' dating from 1973 to 1985. The archive also preserves production material from some of the earliest Channel 4 broadcast documentaries in the early 1980s. There is currently restricted access to the television collections, but it is hoped that the resources will become available in the future to facilitate wider accessibility for users from Higher Education with an interest in the material.

Key Film-makers

Michael Goodger, was a University of Salford lecturer who produced documentaries in the late 1960s and 70s such as 'The Changing Face of Salford' (1968/96) about life in the slums, and films on the city landscape, issues of work, travel, and old age.
Ralph Brookes was a keen amateur film-maker in Salford from the 1950s to 1970s. He made films of local scenes such as in 'Scenes From Blackpool And Salford' (1966) and family events such as 'Christmas At Marlene's' (1966).
Joshua Preston's twin son's, Sydney and Harold, made a large number of films on 16mm which are now held in the archive. These include events in a local newsreel entitled 'Glengarry Topical News' as well as recording their own family's activities and holidays to places such as Bournemouth and abroad to Italy. The Preston twins had a particular interest in transport and filmed all forms of trains, trams, and trolley buses, around the region. These family and local interest films represent a remarkable record of the region and its people spanning the decades from the late 1920s into the late 1950s. Joshua Preston was Mayor of Stockport from 1927 to 1929.

Other related collections

The archive holds a collection of over two thousand photographs related to the history of the region's film and cinema industries. These include photographs of interiors and exteriors of cinemas, cinema staff and film publicity stunts. The archive also holds tape recorded oral history interviews with families who have donated film material, as well as other related documentation such as cinema leaflets, posters, tickets, badges and other ephemera. The archive also holds a small collection of film-making and projecting equipment from various eras.

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