This film is part of Free

The Yacht 'Elver' 1938 Part One

Victor Harrison family film of the launching of the Yacht 'Elver' and its adventures at Oulton Broad, Brightlingsea, and West Mersea.

Amateur film 1938 16 mins Silent

From the collection of:

Logo for East Anglian Film Archive

Overview

The launch of ‘Elver’ off the Oulton Broad and its adventures around the Essex coast. Part one of two. Shows the family yacht being launched from Oulton Broad, helped down the slipway by a group of men. The yacht travels through Brightlingsea and West Mersea. Along the way they see a new type barge, sprite’s racing, and a timber ship. Includes the first trip with the family, Uncle Carl on board, and we also see a smaller boat bring Phil and Stanley aboard, and later one with beer!

This is just one of a series of films recording the travels of the schooner Elver, her owner V.B. Harrison, crew and guests. Victor Harrison’s wishbone-rigged schooner Elver was a familiar sight on the Blackwater throughout the 1930s, with moorings at West Mersea. Part one of two, this film comprises of colour and black and white sequences. Victor Harrison is well known in the model railway world. The Harrison family owned Harrison and Sons Limited, a print works in High Wycombe, that has since become De La Rue. EAFA acquired a huge collection of 16mm film (60 odd rolls) from John, Victor Harrison’s son, who features along with sister Susan, in many of the films.