Screen Archive South East is a public sector moving image archive serving the South East of England. The archive's collections of magic lantern slides, films, videos and associated materials capture the many varied aspects of life, work and creativity from the early days of screen history to the present day and serve as a rich and invaluable historical resource.
This film is part of Free

Channel Between
Wilf Green and his family enjoy a day out in Calais before returning to Deal for more sight-seeing in this delightful film from the mid-sixties
From the collection of:

Overview
We begin at Gravesend Pier, aboard the MV Royal Daffodil for a day return, without passports, to Calais. We see the family wandering about the town with its famous clock tower and see blocks of new apartments while shops display prices both in francs and sterling. Returning home we pass the port and see a sunset. Next the Greens are seen visiting Deal where they tour the town and the castle and later a packed beach. We also see Folkestone Lido as well as a funfair and a seaside cafe.
MV Royal Daffodil, launched in 1939, sailed between Tower Pier and Ostend. Drafted into war service, she evacuated children to East Anglia – and later rescued 9,500 men from Dunkirk - despite a direct hit from a bomb. After the war, she plied between Gravesend and France, offering passengers, after 1955, Calais day-trips without the need for passports. Musical entertainments were later added - with stars like Gene Vincent and Jerry Lee Lewis performing onboard. She was sold for scrap in 1967. Wilfred Green’s films featured many family holidays - not only to Calais but also to countries behind the Iron Curtain, including Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union.
Related

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.

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.

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.