This film is part of Free
Liverpool v Small Heath (1901)
Early league football, with the team who will become Birmingham City losing at Anfield in a relegation year.
Overview
Footage of this First Division football game serves as a brief appetiser for shots of enthusiastically waving crowds and an unusually prolonged group portrait shot of a handsome-looking fire brigade. The reason for their feature role is lost, but they beautifully illustrate the power of moving image to bring history to life when they drop their static poses and relax in front of the camera.
The game ended with a 3-1home win to Liverpool, the previous season's champions, over newly-promoted Small Heath. This game came less than a month after the two teams saw out a 0-0 draw in Birmingham on the opening day of the season. Liverpool fielded seven Scottish players, at a time when Scotland dominated the British Home Championship, revealing that the club's strong links north of the border long precede Shankly, Dalglish, Souness and Hansen. Small Heath, who changed their name to Birmingham in 1905 before settling on Birmingham City in 1943, finished the season 17th out of 18th in the table, and returned to the Second Division. Liverpool finished 11th.
Related
Factory Chimney Fire Factory Chimney Fire
Non-Fiction 1900 2 mins Silent
A veritable Victorian Towering Inferno.
Arrival of Train-load of Visitors at Henley Station Arrival of Train-load of Visitors at Henley Station
Non-Fiction 1899 1 mins Silent Location: Henley-on-Thames
Jolly boating weather as the hordes descend on Henley for the Regatta.
Bumping Race (Cambridge May Races) Bumping Race (Cambridge May Races)
Non-Fiction 1900 0 mins Silent Location: Cambridge
University teams navigate a bend on the river Cam in no ordinary rowing race.
Blackburn Rovers V. West Bromwich 1898 Blackburn Rovers V. West Bromwich 1898
Non-Fiction 1898 1 mins Silent Location: Ewood Park, Blackburn
A little piece of football history from the people's game: possibly the earliest surviving game on film
Launch of H.M.S. Albion Launch of H.M.S. Albion
Non-Fiction 1898 2 mins Silent Location: Blackwall
The launch of H.M.S Albion, which was marred by the collapse of a gangway which resulted in many spectators drowning.
Solar Eclipse Solar Eclipse
Non-Fiction 1900 1 mins
The magic of a real solar eclipse filmed by a famous magician
Steel 'n' Skin Steel 'n' Skin
Performance 1979 36 mins Location: Liverpool
Black music and culture in the community
S.S. Saxonia in Liverpool (1901) S.S. Saxonia in Liverpool (1901)
Non-Fiction 1901 2 mins Silent Location: Liverpool
All ashore! Passengers disembark and crew offload after a long Atlantic crossing.
Who Helps the 'Home Help'? Who Helps the 'Home Help'?
Advert 1952 2 mins Location: Liverpool
Mrs Elizabeth Baker unwinds after a busy day with a nice cup of drinking chocolate.
Activities at the Sir Robert Jones Memorial Workshop for Cripples - Liverpool Activities at the Sir Robert Jones Memorial Workshop for Cripples - Liverpool
Charity appeal 1936 26 mins Silent Location: Liverpool
Bookbinding and a bagatelle: training for disabled people in the interwar years.
But Seriously But Seriously
Student film 1962 14 mins Location: Liverpool
It's a hard life being an misunderstood genius - I really should get out more.
Sphinx Reel - Highlights of Commem Week Sphinx Reel - Highlights of Commem Week
Student film 1952 12 mins Location: Liverpool
Student life and all that jazz - a visit to Liverpool University in1952.
China O'Brien: The Reunion China O'Brien: The Reunion
Documentary 2024 60 mins
Cynthia Rothrock, Richard Norton and Keith Cooke reunite three decades on from the groundbreaking martial arts classic.
Women in Action Panel Discussion Women in Action Panel Discussion
Inside Film 2024 28 mins
Action Xtreme - the UK's leading action film studio - hosts this panel discussion with four leading women in action cinema - Soo Cole, Jo Rolison, Jadey Duffield and Ioanna Karavela.
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.
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.
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.
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.