WORLD TOUR 1951 [Allocated]

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  • Title: WORLD TOUR 1951 [Allocated]
  • Film Number: MGH 6871
  • Other titles: AMATEUR FILM BY MAJOR HORRIDGE [Alternative]
  • Summary: Amateur film shot by George Horridge, of the Lancashire textile company Horridge and Cornall, records a round the world cruise he made with his son George Lionel Reginald Horridge, through the Suez Canal, to Aden, Singapore, Hong Kong, Hawaii, Japan, Canada and the USA between 13 June and 26 September 1951. Camera focuses more on places than people, covering some of the once key critcial defensive points of the British Empire.
  • Description: Reel 1: Scenes on board MV Patroclus. Bumboat sellers at Port Said. Passing Norwegian cargo vessel Tournai in Suez Canal. PortTewfik from sea. Aden from sea. Ashore at Khormaksar Airfield, with plane taking off. Aden Bus travels past traditional windmills beside salt pans. Large local camel encampment; local children look at camera. Vivid scarlet and yellow dyed cloths drying in sun. Back on board Patroclus, the younger George Horridge plays quoits with other passengers on deck. Pan from Steamer Point past Governor's Residence (white building) to oil storage tanks on western side of harbour. Choppy seas during monsoon. (8 mins 2 secs) Reel 2: Singapore viewed from the sea. HM Troopship Empire Orwell [formerly German U-Boat depot ship and hospital ship Pretoria] passes, foredeck crowded with British troops heading for the Korean War or the Malayan Emergency. Scenes ashore include Botanical Gardens, Johore-Singapore Causeway, Raffles Hotel, Anglican St Andrew's Cathedral, a red banner "Singapore Savings Week", harbour front, Chinatown, exterior of Changi Gaol and Tiger Balm Gardens. Final shots of Hong Kong Harbour, looking towards Victoria Peak on Hong Kong Island. (ca 10 mins) Reel 3: Coastal scenes on Hong Kong Island, in grounds of club or hotel; Major Horridge and his son by the entrance. Junks and floating restaurants in Aberdeen harbour. Tiger Balm Garden. City street scenes, with rickshaws passing and elegantly dressed Chinese women. Pan across Harbour. Chinese schoolgirls pose. Paddy fields. Tour now moves to Japan; pan over Osaka, with canals flanked by urban buildings and smoking chimneys of factories in distance. Arched bridge spans canal. Boat excursion. Japanese beside swimming area on river. Travelling shot from train passing through heavily populated countryside. "Shinto and Buddhist Temples at Nikko. Lake Chuzenji and Kegan Falls". Large group of Japanese Boy Scouts visit Nikko. Tourist shop displays sign in Japlish "Please come in and enjoy your feels by taking a look". (10 mins 56 secs) Reel 4: Traffic scenes in Tokyo, where US Army truck and jeep pass. US flag dominates tall building, beside blue flag. After leaving Japan, next stop is Oahu, Hawaii. Coastal and interior scenes; pineapple plantation; street scenes. Back on board ship. Scenes in the Indian reserve of Caughnawaga, in Quebec province: "Chief Poking Fire Museum. A visit you will never forget". Wigwam, and trinkets for sale, as costumed Indians pose for camera. Street scenes in the centre of New York City, between 5th Avenue and E40ST, E41ST and E42ST. Tilt up Empire State Building. (11 mins 6 secs) Reel 5: Dolores Mission, San Francisco. Scenes in San Francisco, Vancouver, Seattle (Union Station) and the multiple attractions of Yellowstone National Park. (11 mins 13 secs) Reel 6: Yellowstone National Park. (11 mins 8 secs) Reel 7: Titles "Buffalo Bill Shooting Lodge. Buffalo Bill Dam. Cody. Minneapolis. St Paul. Chicago. Montreal" at start. Tourist views of these locations in summer, plus Niagara Falls and College Notre Dame (Buffalo?) (ca 9 mins) Reel 8: Title "Niagara, Hamilton (Ontario)" Extended views of Niagara Falls, view of self, sign outside Hillfield School. (ca 10 mins) Reel 9: Titles "New York City, Manhattan, Lights on Broadway, "Queen Mary"" Exterior of new United Nations Building, with flags of all member nations flying, including USA, Turkey and USSR. New York City night scenes include cinema illuminated signs for "A Sreetcar named Desire" (Vivien Leigh, Marlon Brando). On board "Queen Mary", departing New York and entering Southampton, back to large house in Bury (Lancashre). (ca 10 mins)
  • Alternative Title: AMATEUR FILM BY MAJOR HORRIDGE [Alternative]
  • Colour: Colour
  • Digitised:
  • Object_Number: MGH 6871
  • Sound: Silent
  • Access Conditions: IWM
  • Featured Period:
  • Production Date: 1951-06-13
  • Production Country: GB
  • Production Details: Horridge, George B1894-02-12Family origin: Lancs (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: ca 3200 ft: Running time: ca 90 mins
  • HD Media:
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    MGH 6871

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