Holiday at West Mersea

Home movie of the Harrison family on holiday on the beach and sailing at West Mersea in Essex, with intertitles.

This movie shows the preparation of and escapades on a family holiday to West Mersea in Essex in July 1930. The Harrison family are on the beach, and with friends they spend plenty of time on the water in their family boat – ‘Elver’, particularly encouraging the sailing skills of the younger generation. However, despite the lovely shots, the filmmaker's parting intertitle states "the rain spoilt the holiday and the photography". Oh dear!

This is just one of a series of films recording the travels of the schooner Elver, her owner V.B. Harrison, crew and guests. Victor Harrison is well known in the model railway world. The Harrison family owned Harrison and Sons Limited, a print works in High Wycombe, that has since become De La Rue. EAFA acquired a huge collection of 16mm film (60 odd rolls) from John, Victor Harrison’s son, who features along with sister Susan, in many of the films.