The Yorkshire Film Archive collects, preserves, and shows film made in, or about Yorkshire. Our collections are non-fiction, dating from the 1890s to the present day, and providing a rich and visually compelling record of all aspects of lives, cultures, landscape, industries, major events and everyday activities, many of which are available to watch, free of charge, on our website.
This film is part of Free

Castleford Advert 3
No attempt to sell an idyllic lifestyle here in these two cinema ads for local shops, just a simple warning on the irreplaceability of eyesight.
From the collection of:

Overview
A glimpse into the pre-war days when local advertisements were a mainstay of cinemas throughout the country, and especially so here in Castleford in 1939, the year the war began. No sophisticated techniques of persuasion are required in these local ads for a jeweller and an optician which appeal only to the needs of the cinema audience.
When war was declared on 3 September ,1939 cinemas were closed because they were seen, as were theatres, as easy bombing targets; but were back open within a week. In 1939 cinema attendance was over 990 million, compared to 172 million for 2012; and there were far more cinemas, with 3 new cinemas being opened each week. Four cinemas opened in the single year of 1912 in Castleford, and by 1939 it had three: New Albion Cinema (formerly the Albion Picture House in Albion Street), the New Star (formerly the Star Picture Palace in Aire Street), and the Queens Cinema (formerly the Queens Theatre). Yet the town had no cinema at all between 1987 and 2003.
Related

Food for Thought Food for Thought
Government sponsored film 1940 5 mins
Grumpy Grandma is put in her place during wartime food demonstration

Local Trader's Gazette Local Trader's Gazette
Advert 1930 9 mins Silent Location: East Sussex
This amazing discovery shows how cinema advertising used to look in Bygone Britain - a truly nostalgic gem of a film for lovers of Britain's past

Local Cinema Advertisements - Ammanford Local Cinema Advertisements - Ammanford
Advert 1935 6 mins Silent Location: Ammanford/Rhydaman
Adverts: romancing the world – and Ammanford - with golden rings and Scandanavian meat, leather soles and coal, Eve's soap and flowers.

Local Cinema Advertisements - Port Talbot Local Cinema Advertisements - Port Talbot
Advert 1934 2 mins Silent Location: Port Talbot
The message for cinema-goers in Port Talbot, Neath and Briton Ferry is that they should shop local!

J White and Sons Ltd the Furniture Specialists Chesterfield J White and Sons Ltd the Furniture Specialists Chesterfield
Advert 1905 14 mins Silent
Step inside a local Edwardian store.

Cinema Commercial for Jewellers Cinema Commercial for Jewellers
Advert 1920 0 mins Silent Location: Frome
It don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that bling… early silent cinema advert for a local business in Frome.

Castleford Advert 4 Castleford Advert 4
1941 1 mins Silent Location: Castleford
Never mind that the country is at war with a powerful and vicious foe, that’s no reason to stop going to greyhound racing, with a bet on the side.

Castleford Advert 1 Castleford Advert 1
1939 0 mins Silent Location: Castleford
Adverts not to get punters to buy anything, but just to enjoy sports and preserve memories of seaside holidays, in “real” photographs.

Castleford Advert 2 Castleford Advert 2
1941 0 mins Silent Location: Castleford
Advertisements for tripe, cow heels, trotters and milk – those were the days! It was a time of food rationing, but going to the cinema wasn’t.

Annual Pram Race 1962 Annual Pram Race 1962
Amateur film 1962 20 mins Location: Castleford
‘Carry On Castleford’ – crowds take to the streets in fancy dress for the Annual Pram Race.

Wheel of Fortune Wheel of Fortune
Amateur film 1958 6 mins Location: Castleford
Rich man vs. Poor man - what goes around comes around in this unexpected gambling tale

Fair People Fair People
Non-Fiction 1977 3 mins Location: Castleford
A lovely film of a couple who dedicated their lives to amusing local children, and in doing so also preserving a horse drawn Edwardian carousel.

If I Make It To The Morning If I Make It To The Morning
Drama 2024 9 mins
A Chinese teenager dreams of living with her cool aunt in New York, until tensions boil over during a crab dinner.

We’ll Go Down in History We’ll Go Down in History
Documentary 2025 25 mins
Two years in the life of TRUK United FC, a beacon for positive change and trans inclusivity in football.

Wrong Bathroom Wrong Bathroom
Drama 2024 9 mins
A trans high-schooler is tempted by toxic masculinity in the boys’ bathroom.

Dragfox Dragfox
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2024 8 mins
A child struggling with their identity and a charismatic fox (voiced by Sir Ian McKellen) learn to embrace their differences in this heart warming stop-motion animation.

Wait, Wait, Now! Wait, Wait, Now!
Drama 2024 13 mins
A Maori and a Kiwi teen buddy up to raid their mum’s wardrobe and pucker their lips with red.

NGGAK!!! NGGAK!!!
Drama 2024 8 mins
‘I pronounce you wife and wife.’ A young couple design their perfect wedding online, but then mum dials in.