This film is part of Free

Autumn in Scotland

A plentiful autumnal crop is secured by backbreaking ‘tattie howking’ and hard work in this seasonal film from the 1960s shot for the 'Seasons in Scotland' four part series.

School programme and Educational film 1960 11 mins Silent

From the collection of:

Logo for Scotland's Moving Image Archive

Overview

A fine selection of Scottish autumnal scenes shot in the 1960s for the 'Seasons in Scotland' four part series. Enjoy beautiful shots of wildlife and countryside and watch farmers, young and old, work the fields in pursuit of the autumn harvest. See traditional Clydesdale horses and modern tractors work side by side and enjoy the backbreaking spectacle of 'tattie howking'. A trip to church with thanksgiving baskets concludes a colourful portrait of rural life.

Templar Film Studios was formed in 1949 in Glasgow by Robert Riddell-Black, David Low and Bill Russell. Starting on a shoestring budget, their name derived from the mediaeval Knights Templar, who also endured great poverty! Templar made newsreels for companies including the BBC and NBC and produced current affairs programmes like ‘Panorama’ and ‘Compass’. They worked on documentaries for industrial sponsors and agencies like the Films of Scotland Committee. Their best known title, ‘Seawards the Great Ships’, took two years to make and in 1961 won Scotland’s first Hollywood Oscar in the live action short category. Templar won over 30 international awards during its lifetime and ceased trading in 1980.