PRE-WAR AND POST-WAR SCENES [Allocated Title]

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  • Title: PRE-WAR AND POST-WAR SCENES [Allocated Title]
  • Film Number: MGH 6772
  • Other titles: AMATEUR FILM BY ALBERT BARNARD [Alternative Title] LEGACY ACQUISITION DATABASE - PRE-26 MARCH 2010 [Allocated Series Title]
  • Summary: Amateur film shot by Albert Barnard, an Australian architect who practised in England, records his voyage to Britain pre-war, a wartime German spy drama ("Foiled by Phil") acted out by colleagues at his architectural practice at Tadworth (Surrey) and VJ scenes on the beach at Minehead (Somerset).
  • Description: (Reel 1) Scenes in New York including boat journey along the Hudson. Man with glasses and side parting in booklined office. Views of Manhattan and across the Hudson. Two men look out (one is the man with glasses) and nod. Wall Street and surrounding area; pan up to show skyscrapers. Various street scenes, including Chinatown, roadworks, street traders and views from moving elevated train. Scenes at Times Square: Paramount Theatre is showing "I Take This Woman" with Gary Cooper, dating this after 27/6/1931). Further shots included 1 Beekman Place where Albert was staying. New York views continue, including (amongst others) Grand Central Station, large gathering of people outside the Library of Columbia University, Central Park. Scenes in the suburb of Bronxville, a speedboat trip on the river and various social gatherings. (14 mins 12 secs) (Reel 2) Sydney, Australia: St Mary's Cathedral ; crowds gather on the streets, outside King's Head Hotel (Lower George Street), aircraft flies overhead, scenes from ferry in Sydney Harbour, passing Fort Denison en route to Taronga Park Zoo. Family walking at Vaucluse House. Fun fair. Fire being tackled at Merrett’s hat company. Sydney at night. Beach scenes with the family, followed by another river trip. Rail journey, with tracking shot through Waterfall station in the Royal National Park (south of Sydney). Views of the coast, and a family picnic. Further general scenes in Sydney, including Central Railway station. Hiking trip in the Hawkesbury River area. Scenes around Swansea (north of Sydney). Camping in the country. Gathering in a small town: party in the open air, including meal and cake decorated by Union Jack on top, games and boating on a lake. Scenes in Audley: picnic, motorcycling, walking in park and surrounding countryside, camping, boating. Relaxing on Avalon Beach. Coastal views. Group of people embark on a large steamship and are waved farewell. (Early 1930s) (12 mins 42 secs) (Reel 3) (B&W, ca 1938) Cine projector is set up at home for the family to watch a film. Film title "AB Presents Sydney to London Travelogue No 5". Animated map is followed by scenes from the voyage, from setting off via the passenger liner Ormonde ("Au Revoir Sydney") accompanied by pilot boats. Activities on deck, and views of the ship. "Melbourne": miscellaneous views of the city and its sights. The ship sets off again. "Adelaide", next port of call: general views of the city. Scenes on deck during the next stage of the voyage, including children’s games, adult exercises and sports, crew at work. "Perth": views of the town, including the University of Western Australia and a historical gunnery display. Back on board: frolics in an open air swimming pool on deck and comic activities of men in fancy dress, and deck games. "Colombo": tradesmen in small boats come alongside. Various scenes in the city and surrounding area showing local life in Ceylon (Sri Lanka). The voyage resumes: further scenes of life on board. "Aden": more small traders alongside. Views of the city and places nearby. Fancy dress parade and children’s meal on board the ship. (18 mins 39 secs) (Reel 4) (B&W, ca 1938) "Sydney to London Reel 2". "Suez". Views from on board of the approach to the Suez Canal, with various small craft with more traditional tradesmen alongside. Transit through the canal, with views of the canal banks. The vessel "Moordrecht" passes. "Naples". Arrival and street scenes, visit to Roman ruins at Pompeii and hot springs. The Amalfi coast. Back at sea, passing Vesuvius. "Toulon". Arrival, disembarkation, and exploration of the town. Boat trip. "Gibraltar". Approach to the rock. Scenes on shore, around the area, and views down to the port. Street scenes and local people. Back on board the ship. Approach to England; tugs come alongside. Docking at Southampton, and transfer to train. "London!" Horseguard’s Parade, River Thames, model boats on the Round Pond in Kensington Gardens, Buckingham Palace, Coronation Parade Royal Parade with members of the British and Commonwealth forces followed by the Royal Coach. Piccadilly: News Theatre, Apollo Theatre showing "Idiot’s Delight" with Raymond Massey (dating this as 1938), Piccadilly Circus and neon advertisements. Reel ends with Lord Mayor’s Parade in London with floats. (17 mins 24 secs) (Reel 5) (Colour) "AB Presents Scrapbook". "This is all about....... BYRON and DOUGLAS growing up." "Introducing...BYRON" Shots of Byron Barnard as a young baby, in his cradle, playing with family in the garden, and various other scenes, taken over a period of time as he grows up (later shots also feature younger brother Douglas). In one scene he is shown wearing his gas mask. "Summer 1939 Holidays at Weston-Super-Mare". Colour footage. Scenes on the beach including playing toss-the-ring. Scenes on a farm and in a garden. "Enter... Douglas!" (Colour & B&W) Baby shots of Douglas Barnard with his parents and older brother. Playing in the garden (Byron and a young girl also featured). The garden has a wartime vegetable patch. Riding on a tricycle and going through the gate of "Long Barn". More baby shots of Douglas. (10 mins 6 secs) (Reel 6) (Colour) "AB Presents Scrapbook". Colour footage of baby Douglas and his older brother Byron, mainly in the garden. Byron in his school uniform. Sign "Our War Weapons Week May 24-31" (ca 1941). Byron going to school on his tricycle. Band marching in the street, watched by crowd: parade also includes Imperial and Free French soldiers, a lorry carrying the remains of a crashed German aircraft, nurses, WVS, soldiers, scouts and others. "Byron’s 5th Birthday 24th June '41". Colour footage of the birthday party, with cake. Byron in the garden in pyjamas with family; one family member is in uniform. "Byron’s Birthday Party – The Treasure Hunt". Byron receives a letter telling him that there is a present hidden in the house; he and a friend follow the clues and the present - a Meccano set – is found. "Summer 1941 Holidays at Bangor North Wales." (Colour) House on the Menai Straits: playing in the garden, on the sands, and in woodland. Harvest at local farm. Scenes at Swanage, Dorset: these are taken some years later, as the two boys are much older. Scenes in the town, on the cliffs, by the waterside and on the beach. Family group taking coffee in a garden. (14 mins 34 secs) (Reel 7) (B&W) Street scenes in London, with a group of adults. They take a trip on the River Thames past the Houses of Parliament and onwards to Tower Bridge and the Tower of London and back again to Westminster. (2 mins 53 secs) (Reel 8) (Colour caption) "AB Presents Scrapbook". (Rest is B&W) Byron, Douglas and others help their father to build a shed in the garden of their house. Tea party in the garden. Trip to the countryside; the two boys and their mother walk in the woods. Train journey. Scenes on an English beach, with the boys playing. Funfair rides. In a children’s pool at the edge of a lake; a large slide is nearby. Further beach scenes: al fresco snack. Winter scenes: the boys throw snowballs. Byron’s ninth birthday party (?) Australian relative in uniform in garden, with the two boys. The family in the park and at a lido. August 1945: newspaper headline announcing Japanese surrender: the boys (on holiday in Minehead) play on the beach with Union flags. Bunting in streets. Bonfire is prepared on beach (note anti-invasion sticks near water): boys help to add wood. Gathering in the street; they throw firecrackers around (one of them sets fire to a car). Night: bonfire on beach is lit. Fireworks. Later beach scenes, in daylight: family play on beach and in the sea (including young girl). The girl is buried in the sand. Sixth birthday party for Douglas: he blows out the candles on his cake. (18 mins 22 secs) (Reel 9) (Colour) 1953: Admiralty Arch adorned with the Royal Crest to celebrate the Coronation of HM Queen Elizabeth II. Lengthy shots of coronation parade as it passes through Trafalgar Square and enters the Mall on its way towards Buckingham Palace: it is watched by large crowds (shots from high angle, presumably from a window or roof from one of the buildings in Trafalgar Square). Royal coach visible in one scene. Views of the square and fountains showing crowds. Ground views of Trafalgar Square and surrounding area, showing the multitude of flags, banners and other decorations throughout Central London (including Whitehall) and of the now-empty stands. Family scenes: Byron and Douglas (now teenagers) play with a propeller-driven model boat (powered by a small electric motor) in the pond on Barnes Common, London. Byron also gets into a large, waterproof wooden box, and "punts" across the pond. Holiday in Salcombe and surrounding area, Devon: harbour, river and beach views. Boat trip: views of Salcombe. Small cove at Kingsbridge (tide is out and small boats are beached). Second boat trip. Crab fishing. Numerous beach, river and boating scenes. Fishermen catching eels, lobsters and crabs: Douglas holds up a particularly large eel. Sailing and swimming on the beach. Further river views, showing yachts sailing. Douglas in a small boat. Street scenes in Salcombe (Fortescue public house). Final beach and river scenes. (15 mins 20 secs) (Reel 10) (B&W) "AB presents FOILED BY PHIL A not-too-precise record of the organisation of W. G. PHILLIPS & PARTNERS". "Story, Direction & Photography by ALBERT E BARNARD". Humorous fictional narrative set in November 1940. Major R E D Taype receives secret documents and photographs from W G Phillips (Architects and Surveyors). He loses these and they fall into the hands of Nazi agents plotting an invasion. The head spy rubs his "Magic Swastika", poses as a gas inspector, and infiltrates Phillips’ to spy whilst everyone is at lunch (having a meal followed by a snowball fight in the street). Three months later: the male employees of Phillips’ get up one day and play darts before getting down to work (which mainly involves sitting around smoking). (15 mins 10 secs) (Reel 11) "Reel 2 Foiled by Phil" Major Taype calls at Phillips’ to see Mr Phillips or Mr MacGregor. The receptionist tries to locate them at the various branches, without success. Cutaway scenes show MacGregor and others on the golf course (one ball goes through a house window, another gets stuck in a tree, another goes into the hole and then jumps out again) and senior employees (including Phillips) enjoying a meal and a drink. Back at Phillips’, unable to speak to anyone, Major Taype storms out. Mrs Phillips returns, and asks for the architectural drawings of the latest project to be completed (cue frantic activity among the staff). Humorous scene with constipated staff member. Finished plans are parcelled up, marked SECRET, and locked away. The staff celebrate the completion with a lively party (with Major Taype in attendance). Meanwhile, the Nazi agent "gas inspector" sneaks into the building and snoops around; he blows open the cupboard and steals the plans. Hearing the explosion, the staff rush to investigate, and find the Magic Swastika has been dropped. Mrs Phillips uses it to stop and humiliate the spy, who escapes without the plans. A smiling Phillips burns the swastika. (16 mins 32 secs) (Reel 12) (B&W) "Barn Elms Troop SCOUT CAMP 1948, Fittleworth, Sussex" (ca 5 mins)
  • Alternative Title: AMATEUR FILM BY ALBERT BARNARD [Alternative Title] LEGACY ACQUISITION DATABASE - PRE-26 MARCH 2010 [Allocated Series Title]
  • Colour: Colour (Ektachrome) (part B&W)
  • Digitised:
  • Object_Number: MGH 6772
  • Sound: Silent
  • Access Conditions: NON-IWM
  • Featured Period:
  • Production Date: 1932
  • Production Country: GB
  • Production Details: Barnard, Albert (Production individual)
  • Personalities, Units and Organisations:
  • Keywords:
  • Physical Characteristics: Colour format: Colour (Ektachrome) (part B&W) Sound format: Silent Soundtrack language: English
  • Technical Details: Format: 16mm Number of items/reels/tapes: 12 Footage: ft; Running time: 130 mins
  • HD Media:
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    MGH 6772

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