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.
This film is part of Free
Wedding Bells at Houghton-le-Spring
For richer for poorer - curious crowds mob three local celebrity weddings in Houghton-le-Spring in the 1920s.
From the collection of:
Overview
The presence of a movie camera excites the crowds jostling for a place in the picture at three celebrity weddings in the mining town of Houghton-le-Spring in the 1920s. The first event took place soon after the General Strike, with coal mines still closed until November 1926. These unique local topical films probably screened at the Coliseum cinema on Newbottle Street, co-owned by well-known Houghton entrepreneur John Jack Lishman, also father of the stylish brides.
The Houghton entrepreneur John Lishman was the first tradesman in Houghton to light his business with electricity, which, according to the Sunderland Echo in 1960, caused quite a stir in the township at night. Cashing in on the popularity of picture houses and an expanding local population, Lishman and partner Norman Robinson opened the third cinema in town on 3rd August 1921, the purpose-built, modern Coliseum, (Coli for short) designed by Newcastle architects Percy L. Browne and Glover. His empire expanded with the opening on 21st April 1930 of the art deco Grand, built on the site of the Old Gaiety Theatre, and finally closed in 1975.
Related
Watch for free
Princess Di Wedding and Winter Snow Princess Di Wedding and Winter Snow
Amateur film 1982 4 mins Location: Harrow
Everyone's home in Harrow to witness Lady Di's debut as a Royal and a record-breaking winter causes chaos in 1981.
Watch for free
The Best Man The Best Man
Comedy 1986 83 mins Location: Derry / Londonderry
The bar flies prepare for the big day with betting, boozing and banter. But will best man Billy break more than his ma’s heart before the wedding?
Watch for free
Wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Philip Mountbatten Wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Philip Mountbatten
1947 1 mins Silent
Royal nuptials at Westminster Abbey, attended by the great and good including King George VI and Winston Churchill
Watch for free
The Royal Wedding The Royal Wedding
Non-Fiction 1923 5 mins Silent
The wedding of Queen Elizabeth II's future parents, as later incarnated by Colin Firth and Helena Bonham Carter in 'The King's Speech'.
Watch for free
Princess Mary Wedded to Viscount Lascelles at Westminster Abbey Princess Mary Wedded to Viscount Lascelles at Westminster Abbey
Non-Fiction 1922 8 mins Silent
Newsreel of the lavish royal marriage, which was probably the biggest British newsreel story of the decade.
Watch for free
Princess Mary's Thought Princess Mary's Thought
Non-Fiction 1922 1 mins Silent
The sartorial build up to the lavish nuptials of Princess Mary and Viscount Lascelles in 1922.
Watch for free
Day in Houghton-le-Spring Day in Houghton-le-Spring
Non-Fiction 1930 6 mins Silent Location: Houghton-Le-Spring
A man about town portrait of Houghton-le-Springs very own cinema mogul in the 1930s.
Watch for free
Sunderland Echo: It's Your Evening Sunderland Echo: It's Your Evening
Industry sponsored film 1980 22 mins Location: Sunderland
Hot off the press! An old Radical newspaper embraces new computer technology in the daily race against the clock to bring out the Sunderland Echo.
Watch for free
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.
Watch for free
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.
Watch for free
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.
Watch for free
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.
Watch for free
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.
Watch for free
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.