This film is part of Free

Gilchrist Brothers' & Childrens' Christmas Parties

With the war now over, these children make the most of a civilized Christmas Party with home-made hats, dancing and tucking into the traditional fare of sandwiches and cakes.

Amateur film 1946 5 mins Silent

From the collection of:

Logo for Yorkshire Film Archive

Overview

In the immediate aftermath of the war Gilchrist Brothers of Leeds held Christmas parties for their employees’ children, in 1945 and 1946. With rationing still in place the goodies on display look fairly basic, but wearing an assortment of amazing hats, dancing to an accordion, the usual balloons, and of course Father Christmas, the children are happy enough – even though instead of bottles of pop they have to make do with cups of tea.

This film is one of several films originating with the firm of Gilchrist Brothers, mainly of family film from the outbreak to the end of WWII. This film seems to be of Christmas parties for their employees’ children. They were a company of photo-engravers with a worldwide reputation, supplying, among many others, the major book publishers Time Life. They had premises near where the Merrion Centre now is and a factory at West Park, and close links with Leeds Polytechnic.