The North East Film Archive is one of a network of regional film archives established to collect, preserve and show film made in, or about the North East of England. Our collections are non-fiction, and date from the early 1900s to the present day, providing a rich record of life in the region over the 20th century. Many of our films are available to watch, free of charge, on our website.
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Newcastle Rag Race
Top rider Bill Baty triumphs in a charity road race for Newcastle Rag Week.
From the collection of:
Overview
There’s a carnival start to this Newcastle Rag Week 50-mile road race. Local champion cyclists join cheerleaders, bands and men in drag on a parade through the suburbs, before speeding off on the open road. A stalwart of British road racing, Bill Baty from the Tyne Velo club celebrates another win.
The event was documented by amateur filmmaker and cycling fan Milton Newton, who was also a friend of Bill Baty, a top rider who was in the British team for the 1955 Peace Race behind the Iron Curtain, won the Beaumont Trophy in 1958, and the amateur British National Road Race in 1959.
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