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
Family and Friends in War Time
Forget the war; life goes on in West Yorkshire, with weddings and family days out, the lively Pudsey Carnival and, on the eve of the Battle of Britain, an overflowing Ilkley Lido.
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Overview
The Phoney War seems to have an extended life for this middle class family in Pudsey, as they enjoy life at home and at local pleasure spots. From relaxing in the garden to Ilkley Lido, heaving with bathers. The only signs of war are the wartime posters, “Got to it!”, the odd military uniform and the boisterous Pudsey Carnival, with a greater patriotic flavour than usual. The joyful scenes in summer and at Christmas are equally matched by the colourful dresses of the ladies.
The maker of this film, and the family featured in it, are something of a mystery, although the titles give an address and lots of names. The family shown in the film are clearly fairly affluent, and so they may have been mill owners, given the film of Brighouse Cotton Spinning Co. and the mill at Haworth. Although there is little sign of war, three incendiary bombs hit within a mile or two of their house on 15th March, 1941, just fifteen days prior to Arthur Forward visiting before he joins R.A.F. Ilkley Lido, with cafe, is one of the few outdoor lidos built between the wars (in 1935) that has managed to survive, and still with most of its original features. The Pudsey Carnival is too still going strong.
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