The North East Film Archive is one of a network of regional film archives established to collect, preserve and show film made in, or about the North East of England. Our collections are non-fiction, and date from the early 1900s to the present day, providing a rich record of life in the region over the 20th century. Many of our films are available to watch, free of charge, on our website.
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Queen's Silver Jubilee, Whitley Bay
Children of Ocean View in Whitley Bay gather for a feast at a patriotic street party for the Queen's Silver Jubilee.
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Overview
The children of Ocean View in Whitley Bay tuck into a feast of sandwiches and cakes laid out on trestle tables for a local Queen's Silver Jubilee celebration. Even the pet dog wears red, white and blue to the street party, captured on Super 8 film by a keen amateur, George Bond, who owned the Lenore Hotel pictured. His daughter and friend are patriotically dressed in Jubilee T-shirts and red shorts, and his wife sports a souvenir rosette for the occasion.
This wonderfully affectionate home movie is one of the many cine souvenirs shot by dedicated amateurs at around 12,000 street parties held across Britain to mark Queen Elizabeth's 25th anniversary. From the late 1960s through to the 80s, the imperfections of Super 8 filmmaking were embraced by amateurs and artists alike (British auteur Derek Jarman for one) after the medium was heavily marketed as the most democratic and foolproof 'home movie' medium. Perfect for recording Silver Jubilee celebrations, which offered a welcome distraction from Britain's spiralling inflation and the threat of national bankruptcy in the 70s.
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