Topicals

A light-hearted parade makes a wonderful charity appeal - and film

Lots of local colour as the town and its tots turn out to put on a show in the spring

A vintage day at the races for Victorian gentleman - and a few ladies

A particularly fine filmed demonstration of cutting-edge fire-fighting kit by the Dewsbury brigade

Spurs prepare to clash with The Blades to decide the winner of the 1901 FA Cup - the earliest surviving final on film

The 1901 FA Cup final replay between Spurs and The Blades sees William 'Fatty' Foulkes’ ample backside in action

Stunning footage of a lifesaving demonstration

Lifeboat paraded through the streets of Worthing on way to demonstrate a launch

A beatific image of Victorian childhood

Seaside festivities captured by one of the world’s earliest amateur filmmakers.

It's sports day for the passengers on this ship, which means an assault course that's harder than it looks

One of the earliest surviving films from pioneer producer RW Paul.

A hard-fought early filmed match

Members of a South African performance troupe arrive for an Earl's Court date

The finish of the final race at Stockton race track

The simple hilarity of donkey racing escalates with the rapid arrival of clowns - and a very loose-limbed jackass

A cricket legend celebrates his half-century

Two for the price of one! Two items were joined together on this reel, discovered among a small haul of early films and fragments discovered and donated to the BFI in the 1990s. The first is believed to be Birt Acres' A Corner of Barnet Fair.

A well-attended sports meet with sack-racing, high-jump and other games.

The Bicycle Infantry train for action

The Cambridge crew practising for the University Boat Race.

High spirited photographers disembark from a steamer ready for a shooting spree

Rare footage of Sally Army general William Booth.

The boys of the London Fire Brigade turn out for the cameras

The annual championship meeting of England's premier athletics association.

Marching bands and local volunteers fill the streets of the Lancashire town.

The circus comes to town in wintery Carlisle.

Classic Victorian Punch and Judy show against a magnificent view of Halifax town.

Female graduates and gents sporting spectacular Edwardian whiskers take part in Birmingham’s first Degree Day ceremony.

An Edwardian Bolton Wanderers football team file onto a threadbare pitch

Spectral images of a football match at Bolton's Burnden Park.

An exciting finish suggests that this is one of the very earliest British films

Climax of the big race

Incredible scenes at Crystal Palace highlight cutting edge firefighting 1900 style

Fun on Rhyl seafront as E. H. Williams and his troupe entertain crowds with much ducking and diving in this hectic act.

Classic early fire brigade turn-out film sees engines emerge from fire station

Slightly leisurely fire turn out from the volunteer firemen at Shere, Surrey

An impressive demonstration by the Kansas City Fire Department

A Cumbrian fire brigade demonstrates its readiness

Double-take of a giant yacht launched from Gosport dockyards into a bustling sea

Jolly japes and jumping in the lake - it's the water carnival in Leeds on Lifeboat Day.

Crowds gather to watch hundreds of Edwardian policemen marching through a Liverpool street.

Traffic and pedestrians - including an early motor car - in Edwardian Liverpool.

Early league football, with the team who will become Birmingham City losing at Anfield in a relegation year.

Durham Light Infantry veterans collect their medals for valour in the Boer War.

Dumfries schoolchildren take their turn in the spotlight.

Great fashions, hefty livestock, horse jumping and a few spectacular falls on display at an agricultural show.

A small boy impersonates military hero Lord Roberts, much to the delight of the crowds.

A temperance society decries the demon drink on the streets of Edwardian Manchester.

Young orphans march through the streets of Edwardian Manchester with heads held high.

Exponents of Britain's newest religion don their Sunday best for a parade through Edwardian Manchester.

"London's Burning, London's Burning"... A dynamic early film of horse-drawn fire engines 'turning out' at Southwark Bridge Road.

Larking about during Church Lads' Brigade drill and parade in Morecambe.

An Edwardian football match at Newcastle's St James' Park ground.

Easter Monday festivities in Avenham Park, Preston.

Members of this Friendly Society stream past the camera.

Worshippers stroll out of church after the Sunday service.

The evolution of Rugby League in a top of the table match between rival Lancashire clubs.

A multitude of Lancashire schoolchildren is ushered past the camera.

Edwardian visitors promenade in front of the camera on sea-side pier.

Fore! Clear the way for the earliest golf footage from the world's oldest course at Musselburgh.

Edwardian Manchester bobbies are put through their paces.

Accrington locals parade in their Sunday best.

Girls gut herring on the quay at North Shields while a Showman tries to stir up trouble.

A continuous stream of children dash joyously past the camera in the Scottish town of Annan.

Batley go down to Lancashire rivals Salford in the very first season of the Northern Rugby League.

Exciting scenes of amateur cycling's 'Race of Champions' at Manchester's Fallowfield track.

Runcorn, Lancashire Senior Competition winners in 1900 and third in 1901, face a fierce challenge from visiting St Helens.

A lively group of Scottish primary-school children plays up for the camera.

Scottish primary schoolchildren parade for the camera in well-regimented groups.

The camera captures the sense of being part of the audience at this Victorian sporting event.

Rival displays of orderliness and frivolity in a parade of Lancashire schoolchildren.

Remarkable scenes of St George's Day celebrations in early 20th century Merseyside.

The crowds at Knowsley Road await a Rugby league match between the Saints and the Lions.

Waves of children fill the frame in an Edwardian school parade.

Scenes in Leeds city centre as Edwardian firemen roll through on drill.

Glistening brass and galloping horses thrill the crowds at a municipal Fire Brigade drill.

A fire drill for the benefit of residents of Edwardian Rochdale - and the camera.

Edwardian crowds enjoy a fancy-dress swimming race.

The future King of Siam takes a trip across the Mersey.

Gatlee More romps home as part of his 1897 Triple Crown

Match action and scenes of an Edwardian rugby crowd at Warrington's Wilderspool stadium.

A team demonstrate their skills in the increasingly popular sport of water polo.

A small battalion of Yorkshire schoolchildren lines up for a playground photograph.

A stunning seaside snapshot of Edwardian high-fashion on Morecambe's West End Pier.

Roll up, roll up! An outlandish circus parade wows the streets of Victorian Huddersfield

The streets of the Cheshire town are lined with spectators to see their fire brigade.

Relentless pressure from the Lilywhites leads to some cracking action but no goal for the camera

Fine images of a mighty ship's launch - but missing a crucial bit of the story...

Locals line the streets for the fire brigade's procession through Edwardian Preston.

Lively example of a popular early film genre

Two horse-drawn fire engines gallop past the camera.

A sports day gives the young residents of the Foundling Hospital a chance to let off steam

Leeds' policemen on parade - on horseback and in marching bands.