Comic Pictures in High Street, West Bromwich (1902)

Boisterous Edwardian lads jostle for a place in front of the camera in the West Midlands town.

The chaos and charm of Edwardian street life is captured to great effect here as young lads throng this West Midlands street. 'The pictures we are taking will be shown Monday Jan 13th', proclaims the showman's advert. The medley of flat caps, bowlers, boaters and top hats offers engaging vivid social insight, showing the classes mingling together yet clearly defined.

Look out for the steam-powered tram with its advert for Nestlé's chocolate. The ornate building passed by the tram was the headquarters of printing company Kenrick and Jefferson Ltd., completed in 1883. Also note the relative absence of young men in the film, made in the closing months of the Boer War; many locals would have signed up to serve in South Africa.