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21st Century British Pathé - the Blog

Tomorrow's news yesterday ... Films from the British Pathé archive and photographs and film from other on-line archives that schools can use. The little articles are in date order - going backwards - we add new stuff to earlier stories from time to time.

We're now into our sixth year of stories based on anniversaries, notable dates and connections and is fast becoming a little archive in itself!

Tolstoy: anniversary of his death, November 2010

Archive film of Tolstoy. Great little black and white film from British Pathe archive showing Tolstoy and his wife walking in their garden (about 1908) edited with film shot in 1935 showing the rooms in the house and his simple grave. Narration and music make a nice mini-documentary. In the Footsteps of Tolstoi. Also 1948 silent clips of Tolstoy's sister, Tatiana, with some of his books, letters and photographs, Countess Tolstoy in Rome These are direct links to play the films on the British Pathe wesbite

:: About Tolstoy - Wikipedia version of life and works is a bit, well bitty.

:: Feature Film The story of Tolstoy's relationship with his wife is the central theme of the film 'The Last Station' (2009)

:: Photo Gallery Tolstoy Studies Journal has an online Image Library with photographs of Tolstoy throughout his life and, in the sprit of Tolstoy himself, makes them free for us to use. How is this possible? Because Russia did not sign international copyright agreements until after 1960 when the book these photographs are taken from was published in Russia. There is also a vast filmography; all good stuff!

:: more Tolstoy in Shapesoftime's 'History of Copyright']]

Photos: Tolstoy Studies Journal and British Pathe Film Archive, schools licence.

The Beatles are in the news again!

The Beatles are in the news (yet) again! Appearing in a digital game no less; and with a new compilation CD of the greatest hits; and lots of chatter about how the doyens of sixties youth freedom became smothered in the corporate wrangles of today. We've listed 46 news films from the British Pathe film archive here. Note: Some films have 'Media Not Available' on them - presumably for copyright reasons - we've included two but if you search 'Beatles' you'll find some others. Searching 'sixties', 'pop music' or by date will provide other related material. There a good 'Review of the Sixties' to provide general context; deaths of Winston Churchill, President Kennedy and Martin Luther-King; riots in Grosvener Square; while one man sails round the world and another lands on the moon the four Beatles are the stars of the decade.

Outbreak of Second World War: 1st September 1939

British Pathe film archives
On 1st September 1939 Germany aircraft bombed the city of Wieluń in Poland and minutes later the battleship 'Schleswig-Holstein' bombarded the port where it was on a "courtesy visit". The invasion of Poland which followed led the British Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain, to declare war on Germany in a radio broadcast on 3rd September 1939. See of the 'Schleswig-Holstein' bombarding the port of Danzig in captured German film of the event taken from on board the battleship: German invasion of Poland:1939 The film continues with the advance on Warsaw.
Pathe covered the events: eight selected news films plus 'Review of the Year - 1939 The selected films are in the new workspaces feature on the British Pathe website letting teachers and students anywhere make sets of film and giving users direct access to streamed versions and, in UK schools, to download through the NEN.

National Archives
:: New series of videocasts exploring feature films of the Second World War. War on Film
BBC archives
:: Chamberlain announces outbreak of war in Britain - the famous radio broadcast.
:: page of selected clips from BBC archives.
Guardian
:: Second World War

Walking on the Moon: 20th July1969

Forty years ago today... 20th July 1969
Today is the fortieth anniversary of the first moonwalk. On July 20, 1969, two men, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, made history when they stepped off the Apollo 11 lunar module onto the surface of the moon while the command module pilot, Michael Collins, orbited above:"One giant step for man; one giant leap for mankind"

Pathe has an excellent set of news films and compilations:
:: US and Russian moon flights before Apollo
Ed White doing first walk in space from Gemini and Appolo XI takes off
:: events leading up to the flight
:: preparations for take off
... Appollo XI takes off
:: ... the moon landing
:: "the Eagle has landed"... "one giant step" .. etc.
:: man on the moon
:: take off from moon
:: Apollo recovery
:: NASA Moon exhibition at Battersea London, 1969
:: Moon dust samples displayed in Britain

and a bit earlier on Pathe
moon photos 1932
eclipse in 1921

and even older images...
:: Sir John Herschel's photo of a model of moon's surface - 1850's
:: James Naysmith's book, 'The Moon Imagined': the surface looks like the wrinkle's on the back of an old man's hand - 1874

Flickr Commons
Flickr Commons has lots of images that can be re-used in schools: for instance ...
:: New South Wales archive
:: Florida State archive
:: George Eastman House
:: Search Moonwalk, Apollo, space. etc. at Flickr Commons

NASA celebrates
:: NASA celebrates
:: NASA on Flickr
:: NASA for students

To the Moon with Google Earth
:: Clever stuff from Google Earth Land on the Moon

1969
What else was happening in 1969? Advanced search - enter 1969 and scroll through the news stories for 1969 - it was the year of the Beatles 'Yellow Submarine and Abbey Road; Willie Brandt elected in Germany.

... more on Shapes
:: Background to the
The Space Race - Russian and American films from Pathe.

"Now that the space race is over
it's been and it's gone and I'll never get to the Moon,
Because the space race is over
And I can't help but feel that we've all grown up too soon."
Billy Bragg, 'The Space Race is Over', 1996 - from 'William Bloke'.

December 2008: Woolworths closes - "credit crunch" bites

Woolworths the UK high street chain has gone bust and all its stores will close at Christmas. F. W. Woolworth was started in USA in 1878. See films of the Woolworth Building in New York - one of the highest buildings in the world when it was opened in 1913.
:: Two films in BPathe archive of the Woolworth skyscraper: Nerves of Steel a 1931 news film of men cleaning the 53-story building Film ID 869.03 - WOOLWORTH TOWER film clips with distorted camera views - very weird; Film ID 1004.25
:: See photographs free for classroom and VLE use of the Woolworth skyscraper being built in Flickr Commons from Library of Congress. View the photostream of the building on Flickr's 'The Commons'
:: Lovely little illustrated commemorative book about the Woolworth building published in 1913. Great photographs and illustrations - digitised on Internet Archive. 'Above the Clouds' - download as pdf or e-book - educational uses are OK and there's no charge.
:: Photographs of Woolworths closing in towns all over the UK on Flickr.
:: Chelmsford Woolworths in 1932 and in 2008
:: FW Woolworth Company - history of Woolworth in USA
:: News film of the Woolworth's family - celebrity stuff from 1925 and 1938. Film ID 410.31 and Film ID1658.26 .
:: Woolworths Group - history of Woolworths in UK.
:: History of Woolworths - audio-slide show, BBC.
...and
:: a F.W.Woolworth's store in Berlin,1947/48. Fascinating little news clip from Pathe shows a FW Woolworths store - good clip for History and the effects of WWW2 and life in post-war Germany. Film ID 2441.26

More breakages on the High Street: Wedgewood, Royal Doulton and Waterford Crystal

Wedgewood, Royal Doulton and Waterford Crystal bring in the receiver. Three global brands will shut down unless new buyers are found. Wedgewood is not just a well known brand, but one of the iconic manufacturing enterprises that helped develop and shape the Industrial Revolution in Britain.
The Pathe archive has two films about the Wedgewood factory - Film ID 61.17 and Film ID 375.03 including breaking up rejects - and two from 1949 about the Royal Doulton works, Film ID 2505.20 and Film ID 1425.05 which shows some of the 3,000 coal-fired bottle shaped ovens which formed the unique industrial lanscape of North Staffordshire. There is also an old education film called 'Pottery' from the 1940s giving a good subject for then and now comparisons: Film ID 1835.03 There is a colour travelogue from 1965 about Waterford which has a sequence showing Waterford crystal glass being made; Film ID 337.04.

11th November: Remembrance Day, 90th anniversary...

:: First Remembrance (or Armistice) day, 1918: Film, 1898
:: The body of unknown soldier being brought to Britain from France in 1920 before being buried in Westminster Abbey: Film, 222.16
:: Armistice Day, 1945 - 60th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. Film, 1167.10.
:: See also The Somme
:: On the NEN ... :: The Battle of the Somme ... and ... :: Infrantyman's Diary
:: Also ... :: Learning Curve ... and ... :: Cecil Slack diaries
NEW ONLINE RESOURCES See The Somme

Israel: 60th anniversary 1948-2008



The West Wall, Jerusalem: Film 3228.04

14th May 1948 - the state of Israel was established. The Archive has film of the events before and after Independence, revealing some of the issues that continue to exist in the region today.

:: BBC news report 1
:: BBC news report 1

Jerusalem. Film ID 3228.04. A Pathe pictorial colour film which shows Jews and Arabs in Jerusalem and discusses the growing conflict. It was made in May 1976, a few days before the Six Day War began.

Lots of items in the archive if you search, including:
:: First World War, 1916 Film ID 1916.14
:: LAND OF CANAAN 22/12/1932. Film ID 1602.09
Good footage of the wastelands of Palestine and Jordan
:: UN Plan to partition Israel and Palestine; "Arabs Declare Holy War", 1947 Film ID 1197.33
:: British Evacuees, 1947 Film ID 1177.17
:: The Palestinian question - one view, interview Film ID 2156.11
:: British Manadate - the King David Hotel bomb, 1946. Film ID 1406.08
:: PALESTINE INDEPENDENCE,1947. Film ID 2206.02
:: Briitish Leave Palestine, 1948 PALESTINE STORY Film ID 2439.13
:: Israel Joins the UN, 1949. Film ID 1413.14
:: Suez and Egyptian/Israeli war, 1951 Film ID 2564.02
:: King Abdullah assassinated, 1951 Film ID 1465.24
:: BIBLICAL SCROLLS FOUND,1955. Film ID 2684.05
:: Israel evacuates Gazza strip, 1957 Film ID 637.25
:: Eichmann in court, 1961 Film ID 3026.08
:: USA and USSR speak about the Middle East, 1967 Film ID 2033.25
:: End of the 'Six Day War', 1967 Film ID 2033.01
:: MASADA - THE LAST STAND OF THE ZEALOTS 16/02/1967 Film ID 401.01
:: JERUSALEM,1967. Film ID 3228.04
:: Palestinian refugees, 1969 Film ID 3318.12
:: Middle East Crisis, 1970 interview Film ID 3021.15.
:: Moshe Dyan (Jewish general), 1972 interview Film ID 3053.08

Ban the Bomb - CND 50 years on: 1958

CND was founded in 1958. Search the Pathe Archive for 'CND' or 'Ban the Bomb'. There's about 20 newsfilms including:
:: ANTI-POLARIS DEMO AT DUNOON, 1961 Film ID 3030.13
:: BAN-BOMB 800 JAILED, 1961 Film ID 1744.11
:: DEMONSTRATIONS IN LONDON, 1968 Film ID 2059.23 which shows a splinter group protesting at death of Rudi Dutschke in the Summer of 68.
:: NO MORE HIROSHIMA - Polish film,1955 Film ID 2690.30
:: WAR AND SOCIETY - PART 3 - PROTEST FOR PEACE ,1960 - 1969, Film ID 2733.03 is a documentary featuring Joan Baez, Barry McGuire, Betrand Russell, Martin Luther King and lots of interesting banners.

HIROSHIMA The first atom bomb attack. There are many news films about Hiroshima and the aftermath. Some are still shocking to watch This 1964 film looks back Film ID 3101.04

:: History of CND :: What the symbol means :: Goya's '3rd of May' painting..on which the symbol is based - its the man with his arms outstretched - then turned upside down to make the semaphore 'N' 'D'.
:: Whatever happened to CND?...BBC item from july 2006.

A Learning Blog for schools

Atomic Milk - the Windscale emergency:1957

There was a huge fire at the Windscale nuclear power station in Cumbria in 1958 which caused a great panic and raised doubts about the effects of the new technology on the environment. 'Atomic Milk' focuses on the contamination on milk production in the area surrounding the power station; see Film ID 150.08.

CLEO has created a resource called Five poems of Norman Nicholson including his poem about the Windscale fire and a flash version of the Pathe news film. See 'Windscale' by Norman Nicholson (It's Flash so give it time to load) This is a good example of archive film being used to add dimension and information to a poem and at the same time connecting the art and events of two generations ago to the issues and experiences of students today.

There are three other films in the Archive about Windscale covering the decade of the 1950's.:
:: H-BOMB: US SCIENTISTS GO AHEAD,1950 Film ID 1452.18
:: PEACE - AND THE ATOM, 1954 Film ID 150.08
:: ATOM POWER STEPS UP, 1960 Film ID 1682.06
:: WINDSCALE ATOMIC FACTORY,1963 3366.03, Inside Widscale; how it works.

There are also 51 stories about nuclear power in the UK and around the world in the Britsh Pathe Archive ; search "nuclear power".

Where is Windscale? It hasn't moved; it's still on the Cumbrian coast of the Irish Sea; but now it's called Sellafield.
:: Sellafield on Google maps.
:: Photograph of Sellafield today. with Creative Commons Licence
:: World nuclear power stations It lists all the UK ones in menu on left

Sellafield - Back in the News
The future of power and nuclear power is high on the agenda for us today. What is sustainable? What is safe? What do we need?
:: viewpoint 1
:: viewpoint 2

Sellafield on 'You Tube'
Lots of video on 'You Tube':inside and outside the plant; protests and protest songs; and the demolition of the old cooling towers on 27th Setember 2007. Ocassional expletives on one film as the towers go down. The embedded video below, (with no swearing) is by mat429. Click the arrow twice You see the cooling towers crumpling long before the sound of the explosion reaches you; and the cattle in the fields don't appear to pay any attention at all!

Every Human Has Rights: December 2008

2008 is the fiftieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which was adopted by the United Nations in Paris on 10 December 1948.

The Every Human Has Rights campaign recognises the changes in the world since 1948 and uses the media metaphor of "The Global Village" in encouraging individuals to adopt a declaration of "the values that unite us as one human family..."
:: Every human Has Rights website. http://www.everyhumanhasrights.org/

:: The Hub Witness website links to another which is recording short films linked to google maps about 'human rights experience'. 'See it, Film it, Change it - Witness.' http://hub.witness.org/en/TellYourStory

:: The human rights framework
:: The 1948 'Declaration of Human Rights'

Convention on the Rights of the Child
:: Photo Essay 1
:: Photo Essay 2
:: Download the Convention on the Rights of the Child as a pdf.

Photo: Eleanor Roosevelt with the Declaration. Franklin D Roosevelt Library website. Public Domain.

The Munich Crash: 6th February 1958

23 people died, including 8 Manchester United footballer players when their aircraft crashed during a snow storm taking off from Munich airport. The were the Busby Babes - The Flowers of Manchester. As the radio and then newspapers and then the cinema newsreels relayed the story, a nation held its breath....
:: Munich, the Full story and list of films in the Pathe archive.
:: A history of football in the old cinema newsreels.

Happy Birthday Lego! January 1958.

Lego is 50 today... Two 1968 films from British Pathe show the original Legoland in Denmark:
:: THE LAND OF FAIRY TALES Film ID 451.06
:: Legoland in the village of Billund, DANISH FARM Film ID 465.01
:: Lego website
:: Lego in Fickr
:: Lego on You Tube
:: Lego artist 1 and Lego artist 2

Thalidomide, the tragedy: 1957

:: Thalidomide Trust website
:: Thalidomide Society website
:: BBC article of 1997, 40th anniversary
:: Wikipedia article, 2007

11th November: Remembrance Day



Poppies and poppy seedheads

Burma: September/October 2007

Burma today....is officially called Myanmar.
Burma yesterday from the Archive:
:: Lord Reading, Viceroy of India and fabulous State Barge in Burma. 1924 Film 334.37
:: Seven day festival marks funeral rites of Buddhist priest Tayok Sayadaw, orange tinted version. 1925 Film 388.14
:: Long necked Burmese girl touring with Bertram Mills' Circus 1937 Film 1248.06
:: TRAINED ELEPHANTS used by allied forces in Burma ... 1944 Film 1348.21
:: FROM RANGOON TO MANDALAY...state funeral of the High Priest.1927 Film 700.08
:: Burmese Front: Second World War, 1943 Film 1077.31
:: Newly trained Chinese soldiers fight Japanese in Burma, 1943 Film 1097.18
:: ANTIFASCIST DEMONSTRATIONS - BURMA 1940 - 1949 Film 2181.06
:: BURMA CELEBRATES INDEPENDENCE 1948 Film 2206.15
:: Chinese Premier Chou en Lai visits Rangoon and New Delhi despite protests in the streets.1960 Film 1678.01
:: Princess Alexandra visits Thailand and Burma, 1961 Film 1211.14
:: Burma Campaign
:: AVAAZ Campaign
:: Amnesty Videos
:: Burma Government approved news report
:: Burmese culture - see Devon school children performances

Lee Miller: centenary

Wonderful retrospective exhibition of photographs by Lee Miller at the Victoria & Albert Museum. One time model, friend of Man Ray, Picasso, Cocteau, et al in Paris, Miller photographed Europe during and after the war including recording the 1945 opening up of Buchenwald-"I don't usually take pictures of horrors..." she said in her photo article for Vogue "Believe It!"
The archive has two news items from 1946, one showing her at the Vogue offices in London - Film ID 1392.10 - and the other at her home with her husband surrealist painter Roland Penrose - Film ID 1382.02
:: Lee Miller website ... :: Roland Penrose website ..... :: National Portrait Gallery ..... :: British Vogue ("Brogue") ..... :: French Vogue ("Frogue") ..... :: Vogue Covers since 1916

Sputnik: October 1957

Fifty years ago the Russians launched Sputnik 2 and a husky dog Laika became the first living creature from Earth to travel in space. There is a wealth of material in the archives about Sputnik and the Space Race.
:: Muttnik! first dog in space! Film ID 1493.34
:: An American view Film ID 2570.24
:: Sputnik could be seen from earth;Herstmonceaux Observatory,East Sussex Film ID 2576.01
:: What else was happening in 1957? Film ID 1515.04
:: :: Retrospective film on space travel Film ID 1351.03
and...
:: Listen to this 60s tribute in from French Group The Spotniks Film ID 3137.13
and news links...
:: Russia celebrates
:: NASA's pages
and...
:: First man in space? Scroll down to April - Gagarin

Elvis dies: 16th August 1977

Elvis died thirty years ago today...but lives on...
:: ELVIS QUITS U.S. ARMY 10/03/1960 1668.18
Good item showing Elvis Presley leaving the army...
:: ELVIS OFF TO GERMANY 29/09/1958 1561.11
:: ELVIS PRESLEY WEDS 11/05/1967 2029.04
Elvis Presley and new bride Priscilla Beaulieu at press conference in Las Vegas, America.
:: Elvis.com

India & Pakistan independence: 15th August 1947

Sixty years ago in 1947, India became independent and the state of Pakistan was created. The archive has quite a lot of ilm of events at the time and lots about the period before 1947.
INDIA TODAY 1930 ...Film ID 828.11 Mahatma Gandhi completes march to break salt laws. India.
INDIA'S GREAT DAY 1947 ... Film D 1193.07 Scenes of joy as India and Pakistan gain their independence from Britain.
INDIA TAKES OVER 1947 ...Film D 1193.16 Story about the hand over of power in India and Pakistan
LATEST REPORT FROM PAKISTAN 1947 ...Film ID 1195.14 Thousands of refugees cross the Indian / Pakistan border in search of safety.
GHANDI 1922 ...Film ID 262.07 Ghandi at Congress rally in India
GANDHI DEAD (aka GANDHI ASSASSINATED) 1948 ...Film ID 1420.26 Mahatma Gandhi assassinated in Delhi.
PAKISTAN MOURNS JINNAH 1948 ...Film ID 1438.10
Funeral of Governor General of Pakistan, Mohammed Ali Jinnah
:: Pakistan
:: Indian

The day the music died: 3.pm 14th August 1967.

Pirate Radio was made illegal in the UK in 1967 ...some carried on...some still do.. In the archive:
:: "PIRATE" RADIO AFLOAT, 1964... Film ID 1755.21
:: RADIO CAROLINE, 1965... Film ID 313.09 Great stuff of DJs aboard Radio Caroline ship - Tony Blackburn, Simon Dee and others
:: BEATLES WIN CAROLINE AWARD, 1965 ...Film ID 1806.16
DJ Simon Dee presents award to The Beatles on the set of the film "Help".
:: BBC audios and videos on the pirates and the birth of Radio 1
:: History of Caroline...still broadcasting!

The Scouts and Baden-Powell: anniversary 2007

2007 is the anniversary of the Scouts Association. Lots of film of Scout activities from around the world and Lord Baden-Powell in the archive:
:: the BOER WAR film ID 1694.01
:: BADEN POWELL in 1915...Film ID 1854.25
:: Boy Scouts do rescue work at bomb sites 1941...Film ID 1310.11
:: Lord Somers, new Chief Scout, gives speech from Pathe Studios...1941..Film ID 1302.20
:: JAMBOREE SALZBURG...1951... Film ID 2561.18
:: GIRL GUIDES...1969... Film ID 477.03
... and on the web :: the centenary and history

Floods hit UK: June 2007

Floods affected much of the Midlands and eastern England with severe damage to houses and farmlands and a number of fatalities.
...but not the first time...There are 280 news reports in the Archive from Britain and around the world of floods and flooding - and even some solutions...
:: floods devastate the East Coast of England...lots on this.
:: New Orleans. See Pathe Blog story 'New Orleans Floods', August 2005 (click and scroll down to the date).

Forty years ago today, Sergeant Pepper taught the band to play... 1st June 1967.

The Beatles released the Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album on 1st June 1967. And at long last we'll soon be able to download Beatles tracks; or will we? ... There's about 20 newsfilms of the Beatles in the British Pathe Archive:
:: Beatles in India, 1968. Film 2055.20
:: Beatles in USA, 1964. Film 1749.27
:: Beatle wigs, 1963. Film 1782.07
:: Review of the Sixties, 1960-1970. Film 2239.01
:: About Sergeant Pepper
:: The album cover by Peter Blake

Guernica bombed: 26th April 1937



Road sign to Guernica from British Pathe Film 3418.02 Still 880

On April 26, 1937, at 4:40 in the afternoon - seventy years ago - planes bombed the small town of Guernica in Northern Spain. The planes were German, supporting the Nationalist rebels. The town was devasted and many civilians lost their lives. It was the first ariel bombing of a civilian population in Europe.

Picasso responded by painting the great mural called Guernica which has become a symbol of the devastation of war.

:: Starter on Spanish Civil War with list of Britsh Pathe films
:: BBC story
:: Los Angelos Times story
:: Picasso's painting
:: Should Picasso's painting be in Guernica or Madrid?

First man in space: 12th April 1961

Yuri Gagarin, a Russian cosmonaut, became the first man to orbit the earth in his spaceship on 12th April 1961.

British Pathe is rich in news and longer film items about the space race. Film 3323.19 shows Gagarin getting ready for blast off. Film 3323.19 is a good retrospective of space exploration until 1969. Films1349.03 and 1287.05 are reels one and 2 of a long, but fascinating colour and sound documentary about Gargarin and the space race; Includes shots of the dogs who preceded Gagarin into space. (Download before the class arrive!). Gagarin became a celebrity figure after his flght and visited London; see Film 1730.27 Gagarin died in a plane crash in 1968; see Film 2057.11 And there's at least 40 other space race films; just search 'space race', 'Gagarin', 'Glenn', etc.

:: More about the theme of Space in Pathe Archive and Faulkes Telescope.

Treaty of Rome signed: 25th March 1957

The Treaty of Rome was signed on 25th March 1957, fifty years ago, establishing the development of the European Union. Pathe has good set of news items following the events, including Britain's entry in 1973.
:: 6 HOLDS TALKS ON EUROPEAN COMMON MARKET 1957 2852.02
Six Government heads of state meet to discuss European Common Market. Paris, France
:: COMMON MARKET PACT 1957 2856.06
The Treaty of Rome - the start of the EEC / EU - is signed.
:: FREE TRADE WITH EUROPE? 17/04/1958 1527.03
TURKEY LINKS WITH COMMON MARKET 1963 2677.11
:: PM WILSON SEES DE GAULLE 29/01/1967 2017.24
:: COMMONWEALTH DEBATES MARKET 13/09/1962 1731.09
:: COMMON MARKET MEETING 04/12/1969 2235.13
Summit of the six Common Market countries meeting to discuss Britain's entry

# More on European Union after Easter ready for Europe Day, 9th May and European Day of Languages

Wembley...at last! 17th March 2007

Wembley is nearly ready! (they say...) Don't miss the safety checks...in 1922/23
COMPLETION OF WEMBLEY, 1922 Film ID 290.33
Footage of Wembley Stadium nearing completion and safety checks being performed, Wembley, Middlesex, (Greater London).
SAFETY FIRST: WEMBLEY STADIUM, 1923 Film ID 298.09
Bags of sand are put in the stands to test out the safety and strength of Wembley Stadium.
A PRACTICAL TEST 1923 Film ID 2456.31
1250 men test the strength and stability of the new Wembley Stadium
WEMBLEY FROM THE AIR, 1920 - 1929 Film ID 2755.07
Aerial and ground level shots around the British Empire Exhibition, Wembley
AND don't miss the White Horse Final
WEMBLEY FA CUP 1923 Film ID 304.11
Pitch invasion at first Wembley FA Cup resulted in all ticket games ever after.
AND improvements to come...
NEW WEMBLEY STADIUM MODEL, 1961 Film ID 2607.14
Model of new Wembley Stadium presented in London.
NEW TURF FOR WEMBLEY, 1969 Film ID3330.02
New turf is laid at Wembley Stadium.

So who will the first final in the new stadium be between?
The score on 19th May was...
Chelsea 1 - Manchester United 0

Red Nose Day: 15th March 2007

Lots of films about collecting for charity. What did people do to raise money? Did they collect money in the same way? Did they collect for similar needs?
:: GLAMBURGER GIRLS, Texas. 1942 1328.40
:: DALI JEWELS 1960 117.05
:: THE HOUSE THAT JUNK BUILT 1963 245.10
:: NAZIS COLLECT MONEY 1930 - 1939 468.03
Goebbels, Hess and Goering collect donations from Germany people in the streets.
:: GEORGE FORMBY'S GREAT CHARITY CONCERT 1940 1037.02
George Formby singing "Imagine Me on the Maginot Line".
:: IN THE NAME OF CHARITY 1928 740.17
:: OXFAM WALK 1969 2685.20
:: FOR MINERS' CHILDREN'S FUND Women's charity football match for striking miners 1926 630.16
:: PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT CELEBRATES BIRTHDAY 1938 955.14 (see photo on left.)
:: Red Nose Day

Slavery and Wilberforce

The 200th anniversary of the abolition of slavery in 1807 and the work of William Wilberforce: 1759-1833

:: What was it all about? How did schools view the topic of 'slavery' in 1939? Trails and Rails is an 'educational film' made in 1939 and discusses the "slave trails" and the building of the railways in Africa. Film ID 1399.09.

:: How did they commemorate William Wilberforce's centenary in 1933? See Pathe Films ID 729.19 and ID 837.35 . The notes to the first of these films says "Civic, National and International delegates, descendants - and even some freed slaves - in impressive commemoration services." The second film shows the unveiling of the huge memorial pillar in Hull and notes the latest in technology "an electric fountain"..

:: Booker T. Washington Unveiling a monument to a slave who became a leader of the black community in USA. 1946. Film ID 2096.01

:: Unemployment USA shows a re-enactment by unemployed workers of a slave auction. Made in 1921 it highlights 'slavery' in a wider context. Film ID 572.12

:: Has slavery been abolished? Join the continuing campaign at Wilberforce 2007

Some weblinks
:: International Slavery Museum, Liverpool
:: Wilberforce House, Hull
:: National Maritime Musuem's interactive 'Trade and Empire'
:: 'abolition 200', Bristol.
:: Booker T Washington

# ...and for local and national events search 24 Hour Museum

Telephone Kiosks

# Who needs telephone kiosks anyway? Isn't it the age of the mobile?
# About the iconic red box? Why is it that shape?
# History of telephone kiosks? Why is this kiosk in a graveyard?
# Telephone stuff in the British Pathe Archive which includes the "don't miss!" 1922 i-phone: eat your i-heart out Steve Jobs. Film ID 998.16
# The Top Ten Telephone Kiosk/Booth Films

1956:Hungary and Suez

Fifty years ago two events occurred over the same few weeks and heralded the "end of Emprire" for Britain and saw the "cold war" reach freezing point. 1956 was a tumultuous year with events in Kenya, the Commander Crabbe affair and the Bert Trautmann football final as well as the British withdrawal from Egypt and the Canal Zone and the violent Russian take-over of Hungary. The Pathe compilation 'YEAR OF TURMOIL' - Film ID 621.23 provides a ready-made introduction to both stories, while the news reels give a week by week account of the unfolding events in Egypt and Hungary.

Photo: Hungary 1956; freedom fighters on a tank. photo: British Pathe. Film 599.35 Frame 175

The Battle of Cable Street: 4th October 1936



The commemorative plaque in Cable Street. photo: Richard Allen, pd.

On 4th October 1936 people in the East End of London - Jews, Irish - joined together to turn back the blackshirts, the British Union of Fascists, followers of Sir Oswald Mosely, when he tried to march into the East End where there was a large Jewish community. The people shouted the Spanish Republican cry of "No pasaran!" - "They shall not pass!.
:: 1936 News film of the event posted on 'You Tube' as 'The Battle of Cable Street, 1936'; Play through Shapesoftime or if you wish Play through You Tube

In the Archive
Two films from the early 1960's when Mosely again treid to make an impact.
:: See 'MOSLEY GETS ROUGH HOUSE' of 1962 Film ID 1731.02
Includes film of a 'Yellow Star (Jewish supporters) rally and film of a Mosley march being broken up by protesters in London in 1962.
:: EAST END - CABLE STREET of 1960s. Film ID: 3335.19
A single tracking shot along Cable Street, East End showing people of different ethnicity living together.

:: Guardian report with two audio witness reports and archive newspaper coverage.Guardian report

Spanish Civil War: 17th July 1936

Seventy years ago today General Franco speaking from his base in Morrocco declared "war across the whole of Spain".

Survivors of the International Brigades who volunteered to fight Franco's nationalist forces met in remembrance. The Spanish Ambassador, Carlos Miranda, spoke about his country's journey to democracy; "The International Brigaders were defending the same liberties that we in Spain are enjoying today."
LISTEN to the speeches and volunteer memories... and read the FULL STORY.

Rodin: exhibition at the Royal Academy, Sept - Dec 2006



Auguste Rodin, The Kiss, 1901_4, Photo © Tate, London 2006

Rodin the exhibition opens at the Royal Academy in London, on 23rd September and closes on the 1st of January 2007. The exhibition has brought together over 200 pieces of work; large and small; marble and bronze; plaster and drawings and explores what made him become the sculptor who "heralded the modern age". The exhibition also considers Rodin's relationship with Britain.There is a major catalogue and a specially made DVD.
:: Details of the exhibition Rodin at the RA
:: Article 'Rodin Revealed'
:: Some British artists discuss works by Rodin

The exhibition has been organised by the Royal Academy of Arts, London, and the Kunsthaus Zurich in collaboration with the Musee Rodin, Paris.

Full exhibition review from Shapesotime shortly.

Rodin in the Archive



British Pathe Archive

:: Rodin posing for the camera Film: 1876.56...a very early piece of news footage from about 1910. Rodin died in 1917. (See top left)
:: Rodin exhibition in Hayward Gallery in 1970. Nice piece of film with good shots of a number of the sculptures. Film 2241.22 .
:: French actor Sacha Guitry made a home-documentary film of great French artists including Rodin in 1915; he added a narration in 1952 and released the film as 'Ceux de chez nous'; The film in the Archive is a Pathe new item made in 1957 when Guitry died and includes clips of his film including Rodin with the Thinker Film 2886.04. (See bottom left) Check out 'Ceux de chez nous' in the IMDb
:: Rodin sculpture amongst other works of art being returned to Paris after the German occupation of France during the Second World War. Film 2098.13 (See bottom left)
:: Rodin bronze amongst other modern sculpture in Holland Park in 1954. Really good range of sculpture and sculptors. The audience have a nice line in 50's clothes and how to pose in front of a work of art! Film 1335.13 (See middle left)
:: 'Time to Remember' - a Pathe compilation of news clips from 1896 until 1902 - has a section set in Paris showing the fashionable world in which Rodin was an A-list celeb in his later life; Spot Sarah Bernhardt. The clip of Rodin posing for the cameras is used again. Film, 45.06
:: Art students in Dublin in 1963 study Rodin's 'Man with a Broken Nose' - amongst other art things. Film: 2649.08

Additional resources from Shapesotime shortly.

School dinners: 4th September 2006



photo: British Pathe; film 1109.02.

New government guidelines on healthier school meals came into force today with the aim of cutting child obesity by driving out junk food, especially reconstituted meat products.

Check out school dinners in the Archive: use the Film ID numbers (given in in bold) in the Advanced Search to see the films.
::"MULTIRACIAL SCHOOL",1969 3063.06 ::OCTAGONAL SCHOOL AT BULMER,1966 3166.01 ::FACTORY NURSERY,1965 323.16 ::QUEEN VISITS SCHOOL CANTEEN,1972 3051.12 ::LESSONS WITHOUT TEARS,1945 1215.03 ::PUBLIC SCHOOL,1975 3412.03 ::PREFAB SCHOOl,1949 1357.04 ::SCHOOL LUNCH TIME MEALS,1972 3372.06 and ::CHIMPANZEE SCHOOL IN MUNICH,2020.07
Check the School Dinners story out on the web:
::Feed Me Better
::Jaimie's School Dinners
::Five A Day
::School Dinners Around the World
::Guidance for Caterers
::Caroline Walker Trust
::Eat Well
::School Lunches and Nutrition
:: UNESco 'FRESH' toolkit for education
:: School Food Trust.

Iwo Jima photographer dies: 21st August 2006



Bill Gensaut's film. photo: British Pathe, film 2654.02; frame 161.

Joe Rothenstal, the photographer who took the iconic photograph of the six American soldiers raising the stars and stripes on Iwo Jima died today aged 94.

The Pathe Archive has a 1941 American compilation news film - Film 2654.02 - about Iwo Jima including camerman Sgt. Bill Gensaust's film recording of the raising the flag on 23rd February 1945 - Gesnaut and three of the flag raisers were later killed in the fighting. The film was taken at the same time as Rothenstal's still image.

There is also a good news item showing the making of the memorial statue by Felix de Weldon, 110 foot high - based on the photo image - Film 2559.12 - which is now in Arlington, near the USA National Cemetry.

Lots more on this iconic image at...
:: AP's Rosenthal obituary
:: AP's Iwo Jima Image page.
:: longer Rosenthal article - this website uses ActiveX.
:: Images of Iwo Jima
:: Wikipedia's permitted use of the uncropped image
:: Iwo Jima Memorial
:: American artist Ed Kienholz, Portable War Memorial,1968

Domesday Book: sometime in 1086 (11th century)

The National Archives has launched it's online version of the Domesday Book. The Archive has a nice, little clip of silent film showing a copy of the book Film ID 2196.02 in the British Museum in 1947. The film shows the book's decorated cover and then turns some of the pages. Domesday was assembled in 1086 and gives details of who owned what in 13,500 locations around England. The website has an education section but while looking is free downloading costs £3.50 a go.
What was happening in the 11th century where you live today?
Find out in the Domesday Book and Play the Doomsday Game (needs latest Flash)

Fidel Castro; end of an era? 1st August 2006.

Fidel Castro, President of Cuba for nearly fifty years, was taken to hospital today. He has handed over the reins of government to his brother, Raul, with the cry of "Hasta la victoria siempre" (Ever onward to victory). The Archive has a rich collection of news films tracing events in Cuba and Castro's presidency.
Castro seizes power, 1959, film 2740.29; Bay of Pigs invasion 1961, film 3028.23; Cuban missile crisis of 1962, films 1735.14 and 1735.16; Castro in Russia 1963, 2659.12

Lebanon: July 2006



AIRPORT ATTACK...Film 2089.01 frame 15.

Hezbollah captures two Israeli soldiers and Israel retaliates ...hundreds die in Lebanon. Hezbollah shells Israel; more deaths; Britons are evacuated BBC news stories.
Lebanon from the archive..
::1943, THE TROUBLE IN LEBANON Film 1095.31
:: 1969, AIRPORT ATTACK as Israel bombs Beirut...the film was shot by an amateur photographer and enlarged for cinema projection. 2089.01...an early example of "citizen journalists".
:: 1958, LEBANON FLARES UP Film 1561.08
:: 1969, LEBANON showing Lebanon as a tourist venue. Film 3274.08
:: Fascinating interview made in 1970 about the Middle East and the "Palestinian question"; INTERVIEW WITH RASHID KARAME Film 3021.15

Heatwave: 19th July 2007

As temperature's sore in Britain above 30 degrees (90F) the Archive proves it wasn't the first time!
::1910-1919, HEAT WAVE - TRAFALGAR SQUARE Film 2338.28
::1930, "PHEW!" Film 723.06
::1939, WHAT A SCORCHER! Film 1417.11
::1976, HEAT WAVE Film 3387.02

"The Loud Silence": 7th July 2005

One witness of the 7/7 London Bombings described the strangeness of the soundscape on the streets after events. You could hear the usual noise of traffic in the distance and the sounds of the rescue services close up but the 'loudest' thing was the silence of people in the vicinity..."a loud silence". In this way, they thought, it contrasted with 9/11 and New York where everything was noise. BBC recording

Crowds stand in silence at the scene of the bus explosion in Tavistock Square.

Battle of the Somme: 1st July 1916



The Somme, 1916: Photo British Pathe, Film 2973.

The Battle of the Somme, began on 1st July 1916 - ninety years ago - and ended 5 months later in November. On the first day of fighting the British lost 19,240 dead and by November the total dead for both sides had risen to over 1,000,000.
In the Archive start with the sound film FIVE REIGNS reel 2 which summaries the progress of the war from the British perspective and includes footage from the Somme battles. Film ID 2973.02
:: The Imprerial War Museum's anniversary exhibition
:: In Ireland a postage stamp has been issued to mark the Irish involvement in the Great War and the Battle of Somme - another step in cross-border reconciliation between North and South Ireland. See the satmp design. See also Ireland and the Great War. For the earlier Pathe Blog Story - Click and Scroll down to Easter Rising 1916

:: FULL STORY and LIST of Somme news films in the Archive and weblinks

Freddie Truman, cricketer: died 1st July 2006

Freddie Truman the Yorkshire and England fast bowler died today 1st of July 2006 aged 75.

See him bowl for England as they beat Australia in 1956, Film ID 587.49 ; see him bat Film ID 3425.03 and see him receive Sportwriters award in 1963 Film ID 1782.16.

World Cup Primary resources: June/July 2006

RBC have contributed a starter pack on the World Cup as seen through the eyes of the British Pathe Archive - including England's win at Wembley - for the NAACE Primary Schools World Cup pack. (see the Resources section)
The World Cup Starter - which is OK for Secondary as well - is also in the football section of Shapesoftime. Lots of good footage in the Archive of 66 and the stories around the World Cup ... What dog found what Cup?

Best football film of the year....'Offside' by Iranian film director Jafar Panahai. On the day of a crucial international qualifying game at Tehran's Azadi stadium - shot during the actual game - a teenage girl football fan disguised as a boy is attempting to get into the ground - women are not allowed in. interview with the film's director ... not of course to be confused with...the Offside Law as we know and love it...

Soweto: 16th June 1976

On June 1976 in Johannesburg, South Africa thousands of students and adults marched in protest that their education would have to be in Afrikaans, rather than English. At one point police opened fire into a march of students and in the events that followed bit is estimated that more then [500 people lost their lives]. The Archive has, of course, no film from 1976, but there are many news items from throughout the century about the events leading up to apartheid (means "apart-hood") in South Africa which ran from 1948 until 1991 and the Soweto "riots"..
click here for ...the Soweto story ...the 'Soweto Rising! video ...audio ...maps ...Archive films ...web links ... and more...

Housing development Soweto. Photo Thomas Sly. Creative Commons 2.0

Pope Visits Auschwitz-Birkineau: 28th May 2005

Pope Benedict, who was born and raised in Germany during the Second World War, visited the Nazi camps at Auschwitz-Birkineau in a tour of Poland. He met survivors of the camps some of whom were wearing blue and white striped caps and shawls in memory of the camp uniforms they were forced to wear as inmates. The Pope said "In a place like this, words fail; in the end, there can be only a dread silence, a silence which itself is a heartfelt cry to God: Why, Lord, did you remain silent?".
Full story and links.

Merapi set to erupt, then the earthquake struck: May 2006

15th May The volcano of Merapi on Java, one of the islands of Indonesia, is set to errupt and people are being evacuated from the area. See the 1954 erruption which resulted in loss of life and homlessness: Film ID: 2775.06 . Lots of films - 93 at least - in the Archives about volcanoes: search singular volcano or try a few names; Krakatoa, Vesuvius or Lassen. About Merapi and more About Merapi.

27th May An earthquake struck Yogyakarta, near Merapi, in South Central Java, leaving more than 6,000 dead, thousands injured and many more homeless. Find out more British Red Cross

8th June Mount Merapi spewed more dust, gas and fire down it's southern slope sending 15,000 villagers running for safety. Breaking News, BBC

17th July: Earthquake triggers tsunami on Java
BBC news story - over 100 dead
authorities knew in advance - the difficulties of telling people

Tsunami declaration of 2005
Jakarta tsunami aid summit's declarationThursday, January 6, 2005

George Best Airport: 22nd May.

At a ceremony on 22 May, on what would have been his 60th birthday, the Belfast city airport was renamed George Best Airport. A Flybe aircraft with a full size picture of Best in United strip on the side of the fusilage will fly the Belfast-Manchetser route.

Read the death of George Best Story.

Dual Anniversary, Israel and Palestine: 15th May

On 15th May 1948 two events occurred which still profoundly effect the Middle East and the World.
:: The Founding of Israel
:: The dispersal of the Palestinians "nakba"
The Archive has many news items about the events leading up tothe 15th May and part played by Britain, and following this event.

'Light is Calling': 7th May 2006



The Titanic in Belfast before the fatal Atlantic trip. © British Pathe

The last American survivor from the sinking of the Titanic in 1912 has died aged 99. Lillian Aspund was 5 years old when the disaster occurred. See Titanic news films - ID 1674.16 and ID 3468.07 - in the Archive and the Titanic Starter in Shapesoftime. Good news coverage of the death of Aspund with video from Yahoo News.

The Michael Gordon band and Bill Morrison created a fim/music piece played live in Leeds a few days later. It used footage of the Titanic as a eulogy for "those who have died due to water in the last two years"

:: Read the Shapesoftime review of the concert.
:: Find out about about Bill Morrison's great films Decasia
:: See the earlier stories about Hurricane Katrina and the Tsunami.

The 'Vespa' is 60 years old: 23rd April 1946

After the Second World War, the Piaggo Company of Italy set about the task of producing a lightweight vehicle at a low cost. The first design was a scooter based on a small motorcycle made for parachutists in the war. The prototype, known as the MP 5, was nicknamed “Paperino” (Italian for Donald Duck!); it wasn't successful...quack, quack. The second product, based on aircraft design, by the engineer Corradino D'Ascanio was christened the "Wasp" or, in Italian, Vespa. Sixty years later millions have been sold around the world and the Vespa maintains it status as a fashion icon;
.......................................... BUT ... the search for cheap low-impact transport continues.

The Archive has a 1952 film of a Vespa crossing the English channel Film ID 34.14; a silent 1956 film showing the millionth Vespa Film ID 2818.18 and a great little film showing Italian style in 1950's Britain Film ID 3342.09. And then for Quadrophenia fans there's a 1964 scooter rally in colour Film ID 295.04 and Mods and Rockers clashing in Margate in 1964 Film ID 1759.09. And one for the Rockers from 1962, Film ID 1737.34 , in which a ton-up vicar brings them some religion to a cafe on the A1.

Try the Vespa Company history which has a nice video download of it's own and the History of Vespa, for more information. .. .. .. ..and then there's Quadrophenia? ...Who?

Queen Elizabeth is 80: 21st April AND 17th June!

Lots and lots of Archive footage - well over a thousand film items - about Queen Elizabeth. She was born 21st April 1923 though her official birthday is 17th June.
:: The Queen as an 8-year old in 1932 Film ID 661.14.
:: The death of her father King George in 1952. Film of his life. Film ID 9.02
:: The coronation of Elizabeth II in 1953 Film ID 86.14

Lots of outakes from the big stories. If you just search for Queen Elizabeth then you'll also find things to do with ocean liners, the Queen's mother who was also called Elizabeth and Queen Elizabeth the First. Lots more information and pictures:
the Queen's website
the Queen's life story
interactive timeline from 1926...
the British Monarchy website

Easter Rising, Ireland: 1916

The Ninetieth anniversary of the Easter Rising of 1916 in Ireland is celebrated in Dublin after a gap of 40 years.
The Archive has original film:
:: British soldiers prepare; destroyed buildings in Dublin; Film ID, 2360.06
:: Two-part summary of the Easter Rising; Films 1898.07 and 1898.08
:: British soldiers searching rural area around Dublin; 2366.05
:: The Rising and the aftermath; 2368.16
:: The fiftieth anniversary, and the last commemoration, 1966; Film 1791.17

:: Resources from Ireland: Irish Times
:: Resources from UK: BBC
:: Read the Proclamation of the Republic of Ireland, Poblacht na hEireann. which begins "IRISHMEN AND IRISHWOMEN: In the name of God and of the dead generations from which she receives her old tradition of nationhood,......" .

More Riots in France: March & April 2006

Millions, mostly young people, demonstrate in a second series of demonstrations across France in ayear. This time the focus is the "Contract Permière Embauche"(CPE) or "first job contracts" which an "easy hire-easy fire" culture to do something about chronic youth employment - not popular. The Government are re-considering.

The earlier riots that emanated in the Paris suburbs "banlieues" are overlapping with the employment ones. See the "banlieues" riots of last October Pathe Blog 27th October 2005

More at Guardian Unlimited

1968 Riots with students and workers rioting in streets of Paris. For instance Film ID: 2063.07 - there are several 1968 films.

The novel 'Just Like Tomorrow' (Chatto & Windus) by teenager Faïza Guene explores what is means to be French for those living in the "chasms" between "two cultures".

Jimmy Johnstone, footballer: 1945 - 2006.



Jinky; Celtic vs Rangers, 1963

Jinky plays for Scotland and Celtic and scores a few goals in the Archive: Scotland vs England 1966, Film ID: 1791.10; Celtic vs Rangers Cup Final 1963, Film ID: 1760.20; Celtic beat Inter Milan to win European Cup Final, 1967 Film ID 2031.12...and there's more if you search the Archive.
BBC News report
Obituaries with videos
Celtic's JJ page with streamed interview and musical tribute.
BBC photo gallery

27th January: Holocaust Memorial Day



These children were freed at Auschwitz on 27th January 1945.

There are over 100 news films in the British Pathe Archive which record the events of the Holocaust.

See The Holocaust area in Shapesoftime for full lists and additional resources for teachers and independent learners.

Read the keywords section to explore the meaning and use of the words 'holocaust', 'refugee' and 'genocide'. Consider how film witnesses, records and shapes history and memory and effects people and politics today.

Visit the Holocaust Memorial Day website.

27th January: Mozart



Mozart marionettes

Search the Archive for Mozart and you'll find some nice stories about the musician whose 250 birthday it's is today:
::Mozart opera by puppets: Film ID 1372.08
::Documentary about Mozart's birthplace, Slazburg: Film ID 3308.06
::Children play Mozart on piano in competition in 1966: Film ID 3160.13
and!
::News item showing the blowing up of Mozart's house in 1936: Film ID 1138.09

The web and the media are of course full of it, so for starters try: Mozart project and Wikipedia and the British Library's magical 'talking book' of Mozart's musical diaries

3rd December: George Best, football genius: 1946 - 2005



George in 1969 and, playing in Man U's away strip, in the European Cup the same year. Films 2233_29 and 2063_02.

Today George Best, football genius, was buried in the hillside cemetery of Roselawn beside his mother, overlooking his native city. Under grey November clouds and in the pouring rain a hundred thousand people lined the streets of East Belfast and the grounds of the Ulster Parliament building of Stormont; crowds also gathered in Manchester while millions more watched on television to applaud, reflect and say "Thank you George," to the greatest player of the beautiful game.

See George play for Manchester United as they beat Lisbon 4-1 in 1964 (film ID 1753.08) and Benfica 5-1 in 1966. See George score as Man U win the European Cup in 1968 (Film ID 2063_02) - in full colour. There's also a rare black and white item (Film ID 2233_29) showing George playing goalie (the one position Jimmy Mac said he couldn't...?) in a charity match against a team of women and ending up covered in foam.

George's heroes when he was a young boy growing up in Cregagh were the great Wolves team of the 1950's. See them in Films ID 493.05 (vs Honved) and ID 497.05 (vs Spartak) - lots of goals in both matches - beat the might of Europe under (those, then, new-fangled gadgets) floodlights.

Ancient tombs discovered in Egypt: 1922 and 2006



Howard Carter and Tutankhamun

Archaeologists have discovered an intact, ancient Egyptian tomb in the Valley of the Kings, the first since King Tutankhamun's was found in 1922.
See the original 1922 news films, feat Howard Carter in the Archive (silent of course); Films ID 292.23 and ID 2382.13 and a beautiful-looking 1960's film about Tutankhamun in full colour and sound; Film ID 245.01.

Good coverage by BBC: Pharonic Find Stuns Egypt and slide show

...and one in Greece at Pella, birthplace of Alexander the Great - could be the tomb of a nobelman 2,300 years old!

30th October: Dresden rebirth.



The Dresden Frauenkirche after its rebuilding.

The Church of Our Lady (Frauenkirche) in Dresden, was destroyed during the allied bombing of Germany in 1945.

It has been rebuilt and was reconsecrated today. People in Dresden and Coventry, which experienced similar bombing in the Second World War, have co-operated in reconciliation projects since the 1960's and a cross made of nails from the bombed catherdral in Coventry has been given as an act of remembrance.

Search the Archive for:
Dresden before the bombing in 1935 - Film 1644.16.
Dresden bombed - Films 1147.17, 1966.04 and 2022.12).
Coventry bombed - Films 1016.30.
the new Coventry Cathedral consecrated in 1962 - Film 1725.12.

News stories:
BBC first
BBC second
BBC third
Wikipedia

11th November: Remembrance Day



Poppies and poppy seedheads

First Remembrance (or Armistice) day, 1918: Film, 1898
The body of unknown soldier being brought to Britain from France in 1920 before being buried in Westminster Abbey: Film, 222.16
Armistice Day, 1945 - 60th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. Film, 1167.10.

Memorial to women - there is a full set of images of the new memorial in the Starters area.
New Battle of Britain Memorial
Poppies and Rosemary. Australian vetrans remembering through poppies and the herb rosemary.

27th October >> November: Riots in France.



Burned out cars were THE image of the riots in France shown nightly on the TV news. CNN.

Riots in Paris by young unemployed and socially marginalised people from the banlieues" (surburbs) with low-rent housing and populations of immigrant peoples largely from the French colonies in Africa.

The Archive has news film showing earlier political/social unrest in France: in 1934 riots precede a change of government, Film 777.25. There is good coverage of the Algierian crisis with films about 'Bombs in Paris', Film 1711.24, 'On The Brink of Civil War', Film 1722.03, 'Anti-Anglo riots', Film 1505.19 and films of events in Algiers and North Africa in the 1950's and 60's e.g. Films 2904.15 and 3028.11. There are 10 newsfilms about the Student Riots of 1968 including Film ID 3375.14.

There are also stories that reveal something of the complexity and tensions in French society such as the fascinating 'Politics in Marsailles' Film 3102.09 compared with magazine items that play up the stereotypes of French culture in Film 2693.11 or record attitudes to the colonial past Film 818.21. And underpinning everything The French Consitution; see Films 1561.13 about the 1958 Referendum.

Good interactive coverage by the Guardian. Search "France Urban Riots" at www.guardian.co.uk/france.

24th October: United Nations Day

2005 is the 60th Anniversary of the United Nations. The Archive is good on what went before, the creation of the UN and following events it was involved in - Cuba, Suez, Congo, Korea. Listen to Kennedy and Khruschev addressing the Assembly. Consider how issues of the past - war, famine, the role of woman, education for all - remain in our present ... and future.
Starter document in Resources for Schools area.

Children wearing in UN OK hats in Korea as they wait for a milk ration from the UN. Korea 1952/3. Film 2004.09

Pakistan and Aberfan.

As the aftermath of the earthquake in Pakistan continues look back to 1935 when an earthquake hit the same region (then part of India) killing thousands. See news film from Baluchistan and Quetta: Film 829.08.

October is also the anniversary of the Aberfan tragedy in South Wales, when nearly 200 children were killed when a landslide covered their school. See the 1966 Film 2011.14.

The image from the film shows the huge coal tip rising above the town; the dark area is the landslide. film: 2011.14

21 October : Trafalgar and Nelson

21 October 2005 is the 200th anniversary of Trafalgar. The Archive has good film of HMS Victory e.g. Film 181.03 and her sister ship HMS Implacable Film 677.09; there's firing an original cannon 1705.11; lots on the image of Nelson and a full four-reel film biography Film 1877.01. And lots of news items showing how Trafalgar Day was celebrated in the 20th century.
Starter document in Resources for Schools area.

A newly discovered - at least in 1966 - potrait of Nelson. Film 2007.26

13th October: John Peel Day

Its John Peel Day: Details at Beeb

In the Archive see the young John Peel handing out awards to Julie Driscoll and Eric Clapton (the Blind Faith days) at the Melody Maker Awards in 1968 and 1969.

See Film ID 2073.10 and Film ID 2227.21

27th September: Giant Squid Seen!

Giant Squid seen and photographed for the first time.
See images at National Geographic. No giant ones but some lovely film in the Archive: Films 1598.13 and 1777.16

See Squid and Octopus Starter in Schools Resources area.
Little squid from 1932 Pathe Pictorial. Film 1598.13

12th September: England regain the Ashes!

Lots of previous Ashes encounters and deja vu in the Archive inlcuding the 1953 series when Compton swept to leg on the final day at the Oval to regain the Ashes after 20 years! [Film 112.27] There's cricket history with glimpses of WG Grace, Sanji, Bradman and Hutton. Follow the Bodyline controversy and see women's cricket.

See The Ashes and Cricket starter for more details.

29th August 2005: Hurricane Katrina



New Orleans 1927

29th August 2005, Hurricane Katrina hits America's Giulf Coast destroying towns and countryside and causing an, as yet, unknown number of deaths. The British Pathe Archive holds hundreds of news items about flooding in the United States America in the 20th century.

The Great Floods of 1927 (Film ID680.26); Saving New Orleans with explosions, 1927 (682.08) and using technology to control the Mississippi with asphalt carpets (1634.01), woven willow mats (1194.01) and concrete blocks (627.28).



New Orleans 2005

Flood maps (2706.11); another US president , Truman, visits flooded areas in (2591.09); flood havoc in 1935 (837.25); Audrey (1955) and Connie (1957) hit the East Coast (2690.32).

Search the Archive for lots more news items on flooding in nthe USA. Numbers in brackets are the Film ID numbers; use these in the advanced search to find the full stories and download the files.

May 2006 Music from the Katrina experience.
Irma Thomas, New Orleans Queen of Soul releases After the Rain Preview Another Man Done Gone (the water's at his door)
Allen Toussaint virtuoso pianist and native of New Orleans teams up with Elvis Costello to make 'The River in Reverse'. Samples at Amazon.

Hiroshima - 8.15.am 6th August 2005 - the 60th anniversary



The A-bomb dome in Hiroshima has been preserved as a symbol of the disaster and is now a world heritage site.

:: The peace bell at Hiroshima rang out today as hundreds of thousands around the world stood in silent remembrance of the 60th anniversary of the dropping of an atom bomb on the city of Hiroshima in Japan in 1945.

:: 140,000 people were killed in the blast and tens of thousands have died since from burns and the effects of radiation. A second bomb was dropped on Nagasaki three days after the first.

:: British Pathe has many news items about the bombing, the aftermath and the political events of 1945; start your search with the names Hiroshima and Nagasakia.

60th Anniversary, Second World War - VE & VJ day on Pathe



Lancaster bomber drops 1 million poppies over the Mall - photo R.I.Pienaar - see http://www.devco.net/ - under CC licence.

10th July May 2005 Today thousands of people in the UK and around the world have commemorated the 60th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. 50 million people died and 1 million poppies to symbolise their lost lives were dropped over central London from a world war two Lancaster bomber.
Search the Archive for VE day (Victory in Europe day, 8th May 1945), VJ day (victory in Japan day, 21st August 1945) and 1945. See crowds rejoicing in London (1988.11 and 2062.16 ) and Manchester (1988.09), people singing in a pub (1988.08) and hear Churchill speaking (1464.42). See people in USA (2086.05 ). See commemorations in Algiers and Paris or look at documentaries about the last year of the 1939-1945 World War (1796.31 and 2253.06.) See the result of the first post-war election in July 1945. (1159.07).

VE-day celebrations

:: A huge concert was held in London at Trafalgar Square last night ...including an appearance by Vera Lynn - "the forces sweetheart".

:: See Films ID 2205.07 and film ID 2377.22 in which Vera Lynn sings to troops from the Burma campaign in 1946.

Tsunami disasters

The Tsunami disaster of December 26th affected people around the Indian ocean. Search the Archive for earthquake and tidal wave to discover news film of tsunami disasters throughout the 20th Century affecting India, Chile, Hawaii and, on many occasions, Japan. Scenes of wreckage, flooding and the homeless and stories of international support and aid. See the destruction of Tokyo in 1923 in 318.10 and a 1934 film describing British aid to India to purify the water after an earthquake and flooding, Film ID 773.38.

The Holocaust

The camps and the aftermath: trials and recrimination; memorials and remembrance; memory and forgetting. After 60 further years of media coverage of inhumanity and war from around the world these old films still hold the power to shock and move the viewer.
A Holocaust baby survives and is adopted. See Film ID 3110.13 The Eichmann trials in films 3042.26 and 3026.08 and the horrors of the camps themselves in several films including a review of the Nuremburg trials 1410.27

John Peel, broadcaster; 1939 - 2004

See the young John Peel handing out awards to Julie Driscoll and Eric Clapton (the Blind Faith days) at the Melody Maker Awards in 1968 and 1969.

See Film ID 2073.10 and Film ID 2227.21

Pigeons get a Medal! (original title 'Remembrance Day')

Lovely film of two carrier pigeons getting medials. The two carrier pigeons received gallantry medals for their work during D-day, 1944, in ther Second World war. See Film ID 1368.22

See the first Remembrance (or Armistice) day in 1918. See Film ID 1898...and film of the unknown soldier being brought from France to England in 1920. Film ID 222.16

Animal Ware memorial
In London a memorial to animals killed during war was unveiled on 24th November 2004.
:: IWM war memorials database
:: story in Telegraph
:: story by BBC
:: Loads of images in 'Flickr': search "Animals in War Memorial". Check copyright before use; plenty of images which are OK to use for school.

Bill Nicholson, Spurs legend; 1919 - 2004

See Bill Nicholson captaining an English team in newly liberated France after the war Film ID 1991.09. See Tottenham bringing home the Double in 1961 Film ID 1722.19 and winning the European Cup Winners Cup, Film ID 1762.05.

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Published by Shapesoftime for the NEN 2009: copyrights: British Pathé, NEN and Marshall Mateer