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
Fair People
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.
From the collection of:
Overview
A chance to see possibly the only extant film of 'Gilligan's Galloping Carousel', a horse drawn roundabout that husband and wife pair Lawrence and Hilda Gilligan made famous, taking to fairs, as well as the streets of their native Castleford for forty years. Here we see local children enjoying the rides before they return, Steptoe and Son like, to their terraced house home in 1977.
This is a rare film by Mavis Spence of Aberford, Leeds, wife of keen amateur filmmaker Roger Spence. Roger, an active member of Wakefield Movie Makers, made award winning films on Super 8 and 9.5mm, adding sound to the films, and was also a member of the I.A.C. Lawrence Gilligan and his wife Hilda were nicknamed locally by the children 'Ma and Pa Jingle Bells'. They had been travelling with their Edwardian carousel since the 1950s. The carousel, which was cranked by hand, is now part of the toy collection in York Castle Museum, although there were reports in the local press in April 2014 that some of the horses had been stolen.
Related
Watch for free
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.
Watch for free
Castleford Advert 3 Castleford Advert 3
1939 0 mins Silent Location: Castleford
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.
Watch for free
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.
Watch for free
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.
Watch for free
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.
Watch for free
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
Watch for free
Starve Acre - Exclusive Q&A Starve Acre - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2024 24 mins
Daniel Kokotajlo talks to Nia Childs about Starve Acre, his folk horror about a couple digging deep into grief in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales.
Watch for free
Sky Peals - Exclusive Q&A Sky Peals - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2024 30 mins
Sky Peals director Moin Hussain and lead actor Faraz Ayub talk to Tomisin Adepeju about their magic realist drama.
Watch for free
Inside the Archive: The Early Films of Michael Powell Inside the Archive: The Early Films of Michael Powell
Documentary 2024 42 mins
Documentary exploring the BFI National Archive’s role in rediscovering and remastering the early films of Michael Powell.
Watch for free
Inside the Archive: The Riviera Revels Inside the Archive: The Riviera Revels
Short documentary 2024 12 mins
Bryony Dixon, curator of silent film at the BFI national archive, explores the origins of a series of comic travelogues, and Michael Powell's involvement in making them.
Watch for free
New Perspectives: Oldboy New Perspectives: Oldboy
Short documentary 2024 4 mins
Discover why Dan George of Northumbria University believes everyone should experience Oldboy at least once.
Watch for free
New Perspectives: Wings of Desire New Perspectives: Wings of Desire
Short documentary 2024 4 mins
Trixie Parkin-Christie of Northumbria University offers fresh insight into why Wings of Desire remains essential viewing.