Screen Archive South East is a public sector moving image archive serving the South East of England. The archive's collections of magic lantern slides, films, videos and associated materials capture the many varied aspects of life, work and creativity from the early days of screen history to the present day and serve as a rich and invaluable historical resource.
This film is part of Free
About Britain - Second Edition
Join the Clague family as they zoom up an empty M1 to Stratford upon Avon, Long Itchington and Coventry - a city reborn after its 1940 destruction
From the collection of:
Overview
Speeding north, we drive through London, before joining a deserted M1. Arriving at Stratford upon Avon we see the Royal Shakespeare Theatre as well as the town’s historic hotels and dainty buildings. We also see pollution on the river before arriving at Long Itchington, John Clague's birthplace. After views of quaint cottages, pubs and the church we move on towards Coventry, visiting the modern shopping precinct as well as Basil Spence’s magnificent reborn cathedral.
John Clague was a keen amateur filmmaker who was based in Herne Bay. From 1934 to 1970 he produced annual newsreels showing events in Kent, particularly in Herne Bay and Canterbury. He used 9.5mm film at first but by the 1950s had adopted 16mm film and the collection forms a lively chronicle of Kentish life over 36 years. An architect by profession, John set up his own company in the 1930s, working on a diverse range of projects throughout the region.
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