Screen Archive South East is a public sector moving image archive serving the South East of England. The archive's collections of magic lantern slides, films, videos and associated materials capture the many varied aspects of life, work and creativity from the early days of screen history to the present day and serve as a rich and invaluable historical resource.
This film is part of Free
The Frozen Sea at Herne Bay in 1963
John Clague's remarkable look at an ice-bound and shivering Herne Bay during Britain's Big Freeze of 1963
From the collection of:
Overview
John Clague's dramatic footage shows a rare weather phenomenon during the bitterly cold winter of 1963. Starting with views of the snow covered beach, seabirds look for food as waves come ashore. The sea is calm but now large patches of ice are seen forming on the surface. On subsequent days we see the ice stretching away to the horizon. Even the kilometre long pier is completely enclosed in the ice while the citizens of Herne Bay come to watch and wonder at the amazing spectacle.
John Clague was a keen amateur filmmaker who was based in Herne Bay. From 1934 to 1970 he produced annual newsreels showing events in Kent, particularly in Herne Bay and Canterbury. He used 9.5mm film at first but by the 1950s had adopted 16mm film and the collection forms a lively chronicle of Kentish life over 36 years. An architect by profession, John set up his own company in the 1930s, working on a diverse range of projects throughout the region.
Related
Herne Bay after the cinemas have gone Herne Bay after the cinemas have gone
Amateur film 1989 3 mins Location: Herne Bay
Alan Stingemore's short film shows what happens after a town's 1930s cinema has vanished from the scene - and the conservation efforts to rescue an even earlier example.
Ramsgate's Odeon and the demolition of a Herne Bay cinema Ramsgate's Odeon and the demolition of a Herne Bay cinema
Amateur film 1985 8 mins Location: Ramsgate
Watch in horror as two of Kent's Art Deco cinemas await their terrible fate at the hands of developers
Various Cinemas in the Medway towns Various Cinemas in the Medway towns
Amateur film 1986 2 mins Location: Gillingham
A sad end awaits Medway's forlorn looking cinemas and theatres in Alan Stingemore's short film from the 1980s. Which ones will succumb to the bulldozers and which will survive?
Herne Bay Pier & Prince Charles visits Westgate in Canterbury Herne Bay Pier & Prince Charles visits Westgate in Canterbury
Amateur film 1978 4 mins Silent Location: Herne Bay
Herne Bay's pier suffers a battering in this 1978 film by John Clague, which later shows the great and good of Canterbury greeting their royal visitor, Prince Charles
Herne Bay's new tower block Herne Bay's new tower block
Amateur film 1975 5 mins Silent Location: Herne Bay
Watch Herne Bay's newest high-rise building grow from its foundations to its topping out - in John Clague's film featuring his own architectural creation
Herne Bay Newsreel: The Carnival Herne Bay Newsreel: The Carnival
Amateur film 1967 3 mins Location: Herne Bay
Herne Bay pulls out all the stops for its 1967 Carnival - filmed in glorious colour by John Clague - with Beauty Queens, bagpipes and a harem on wheels
Getting it Back: The Story of Cymande - Q&A Getting it Back: The Story of Cymande - Q&A
Inside Film 2024 22 mins
The director of a documentary about British funk pioneers Cymande joins the band at BFI Southbank to talk about the film.
The West Case The West Case
Action and Adventure 1923 28 mins Silent Location: Tilbury
Plotting world domination, Devil Doctor Fu-Manchu steals plans for a new aero-torpedo in this earliest surviving thrill-a-minute serial instalment.
Enter the Scala!!! Enter the Scala!!!
Inside Film 2024 16 mins
Filmmakers Jane Giles and Ali Catterall discuss their documentary Scala!!!, revisiting the legendary and inspirational cinema venue and some of the most notorious films that screened there.
Blades Blades
Drama 2023 2 mins
A group of young Black boys run into a building. One of them is about to do the unimaginable.
We Collide We Collide
Romance 2023 2 mins
A queercore romance - a visceral and immersive exploration of the power of the mosh pit and finding love in the most unlikely of places.
Smith Smith
Charity appeal 1939 10 mins
Long thought lost, this Powell-directed promotional short for a veteran’s charity was only rediscovered in 2003.