FESTIVAL OF BRITAIN [Main Title]
Log in to create clips, download free screeners and save clips/films in Collections.
Click here to find out more.
- Title: FESTIVAL OF BRITAIN [Main Title]
- Film Number: MGH 5111
- Other titles: AMATEUR FILM BY ARTHUR GREEN [Alternative Title]
- Summary: Amateur colour film shot by Arthur Green, a Greater London Council Assistant Scientific Officer, recording his visit to the Festival of Britain, South Bank Exhibition, London and the Festival Pleasure Gardens, Battersea Park, London, sometime between 4/5/1951 and 30/9/1951.
- Description: The film opens with a shot of the outside cover of the South Bank Exhibition, Festival of Britain guide book (featuring Abram Games' Festival of Britain logo), followed by a shot of the guide book's South Bank Exhibition site plan. The film continues with shots of St Paul's Cathedral, a good view of the Cathedral with a passing red London bus, ecclesiastical (?) flags in St Paul's Churchyard and a view of the dome of the Cathedral. There then follow various establishing shots of the Festival of Britain South Bank Exhibition site from the River Thames including exterior views of the Dome of Discovery, the Royal Festival Hall, the Skylon, the Shot Tower with radio telescope aerial and reflector, shots along the river of Waterloo Bridge looking towards St Paul's Cathedral, the Sport Pavilion area of the South Bank Exhibition, a sustained shot of the Festival of Britain symbol on the side of one of the exhibitions buildings, views of the abstract "Abacus" sculpture designed by Edward Mills on the edge of the exhibition site with a passing red Routemaster London bus. Shots of the lion statue from the Red Lion Brewery, Festival of Britain flags, the Embankment Gate entrance to the South Bank Exhibition, the "Sun and Moon" weather vane designed by F H K Henrion and the entrance to The People of Britain Pavilion. A view of the Royal Festival Hall. View of one side of the Transport Pavilion (with a lifeboat suspended on the side by davits) and a shot of large red lorry (part of the Transport exhibition?). Sign post for the Unicorn Restaurant and views of the open air restaurant with the Home and Gardens Pavilion in the background, view of the Shot Tower, followed by shots of a group of young girls seated eating, people walking and eating, a shot of a newspaper seller and another view of the Shot Tower with radio telescope aerial and reflector. Women buying refreshments from a stall outside the Royal Festival Hall. A woman seated in a wooden wheelchair, carrying a small dog, being pushed by another women and accompanied by two friends, all of whom are smiling for the camera. Visitors to the Exhibition walking across the Bailey Bridge to the South Bank Exhibition site, close-up view of wind spinners designed by Richard Huws. View of the Shot Tower with radio telescope aerial and reflector with an Union Jack flag flying on a nearby flagpole. View from the Regatta Restaurant looking toward the Dome of Discovery. Fountains outside the Dome of Discovery. View of the Bailey Bridge. View of the side of the Transport Pavilion with the curved entrance to The People of Britain Pavilion in the distance. More shots of the fountains outside the Dome of Discovery. View of the mobile water sculpture designed by Richard Huws with the monumental sculpture "The Islanders" designed by Siegfried Charoux in the background. Another view of the mobile water sculpture with the Bailey Bridge in the background. Entrance to the Sea and Ships Pavilion with the statue of Neptune designed by Keith Godwin on the exterior wall. Floating dock area of the Sea and Ships Pavilion with the vessel Orcades in the foreground. Visitors on board the ships in the floating dock area. Another view of "The Islanders" sculpture with the base of the Skylon visible in the background. A small group of men seated eating. Ornate miniature carousel and miniature houses inside the Seaside Pavilion (?). Exterior view of the Dome of Discovery. Electricity generator outside the Power and Production Pavilion. High angle view of the Dome of Discovery. View across the Sport Pavilion area to Rodney Pier with a pleasure boat on the River Thames. High angle view of the South Bank Exhibition site with the Unicorn Restaurant and the Lion and the Unicorn Pavilion in the foreground. Waterfowl and water lilies on a pond. Close-up of an unidentified man eating an ice cream wafer. View from the River Thames of the Royal Festival Hall, the Dome of Discovery, "The Islanders" sculpture and the Skylon. Scenes at the Festival Pleasure Garden, Battersea Park. Shots of an ornate building in the Piazza. Various shots of the Boating Pool with a statue of "Popeye". Shots of the Big Dipper rollercoaster, various rides and a "Nell Gwynne" fruit seller talking with an unidentified man. Brief shot of a childrens' carousel ride, followed by a view of the Dance Pavilion. Shots of the "Far Tottering and Oyster Creek Railway" with locomotive "Nellie".View of the Main Vista. Multi-coloured Forte's Festival Food van followed by shots of Puritan maid and of Nell Gwynne food sellers. Shots of the Fountain Lake, the Piazza, two women asleep in a wicker beach chair, the Funfair, the entrance to "Max Myers' Rotor" and shots of various funfair rides. Detail of the roof of the Funfair entrance. A child riding a pony in the Children's Zoo. Brief shot of the Peter Pan Railway. Detail of the top of some of the buildings in the Piazza. Scenes at the Festival Pleasure Garden, Battersea Park at night. Shot of the illuminated Funfair including "Billy Mannings Rocket". Tightrope walkers. Chandeliers in the Main Vista. The Fountain Lake. Entrance to the "Bubble Bouncer" (?). Shots of the "Monte Carlo Derby" at the Funfair. Fireworks at the Fountain Lake. Fireworks in the night sky. Cascade of Fireworks at the Fountain Lake. The End caption superimposed over the back cover of the South Bank Exhibition, Festival of Britain guide book.
- Alternative Title: AMATEUR FILM BY ARTHUR GREEN [Alternative Title]
- Colour: Colour
- Digitised:
- Object_Number: MGH 5111
- Sound: Silent
- Access Conditions: NON-IWM
- Featured Period:
- Production Date: 1951
- Production Country: GB
- Production Details: Green, Arthur F2001 (Production individual)
- Personalities, Units and Organisations:
- Keywords:
- Physical Characteristics: Colour format: Colour Sound format: Silent Soundtrack language: English
- Technical Details: Format: 16mm Number of items/reels/tapes: 1 Footage: 311 ft; Running time: 13 mins (at 16 fps)
- HD Media:
- Link to IWM Collections page:
-
Related IWM Collections Objects:
Documents.14985 (System.Xml.XmlElement)