James Kenyon
2021Electric Edwardians - The Films Of Mitchell And Kenyon
Sagar Mitchell, James Kenyon
Archive footage, recently discovered, shot by the Edwardian documentary film-makers Sagar Mitchell and James Kenyon. Selected from a total of 28 hours of material, this compilation is grouped into five sections: 'Youth and Education'; 'The Anglo-Boer War'; 'Workers'; 'High Days and Holidays' and 'People and Places'. It includes footage of ordinary people going about their everyday business, from the factory gates to football matches, and is set to a specially commisioned score by the Shieffield-based duo In the Nursery.
Electric Edwardians - The Films Of Mitchell And Kenyon
Alfred Butterworth and Sons, Glebe Mills, Hollinwood
Sagar Mitchell, James Kenyon
Filmed for Hollinwood Wakes week in July, this good-natured but chaotic melange of adults and children is typical of a 'factory gate' film. While the ragged and mischievous boys draw attention to themselves by playing up to the camera, it's the appearance of two better-dressed young girls - one wearing ear-muffs, the other wearing spectacles, that will catch most modern eyes. Although many of the children would have been employed as labour at the mill, the younger children can be seen carrying baskets and parcels of food which would be brought to a mother or father at the end of their morning shift. (BFI.org.uk)
Alfred Butterworth and Sons, Glebe Mills, Hollinwood
Manchester Band of Hope Procession
Sagar Mitchell, James Kenyon
Christian charity the Band of Hope was formed in Leeds in 1845 and encouraged people to sign 'the pledge' to abstain from alcohol. It was particularly concerned about the number of children frequenting alehouses, which is no doubt why there are so many taking part in this procession. Its slow progress gives us a nice opportunity to admire everyone in their Sunday best. (BFI.org.uk)
Manchester Band of Hope Procession
Preston North End v Wolverhampton Wanderers
Sagar Mitchell, James Kenyon
This film was initially identified as the 2-2 draw played on 19 November 1904, but the stand seen here is nowhere to be seen in footage shot for Mitchell and Kenyon at Preston's home game against Notts County just a month earlier, on 15 October. Since it's unlikely that such a structure could be built so quickly, this is probably the 3-2 Preston win on 28 October 1905. The two teams didn't play again until 1912. Wolves fans may be wondering why their team seem to playing in an all-black strip, but this is an optical effect of the film stock of the time. The team's kit of the period was predominately black with golden stripes, but the gold has registered much darker than it would on more modern film stock, so the stripes disappear into the background (BFI.org.uk)
Preston North End v Wolverhampton Wanderers
University Procession on Degree Day, Birmingham
Sagar Mitchell, James Kenyon
The University of Birmingham was the first of the new redbrick universities established in the 1900s. The city’s Victoria Square, renamed 12 days before Queen Victoria’s death, played host to its first Degree Day ceremony in July 1901. Alongside male and female graduates, dignitaries include University Chancellor Joseph Chamberlain. Medical graduates can be seen waving bones at the camera. The film was shot by Arthur Duncan Thomas, a larger-than life showman given to passing himself off as the American inventor Thomas Edison (for his cheek Thomas was described by British filmmaker Cecil Hepworth as a "loveable rogue"). Thomas used four whole rolls of film, to show in sequence at Birmingham's Curzon Hall. The negatives were retained by Mitchell and Kenyon, who would have been paid to process and print the film. (BFI.org.uk)
University Procession on Degree Day, Birmingham
Trotting Match at Springfield Park, Wigan
Sagar Mitchell, James Kenyon
Attending trotting matches - in which horses in harness race at specific gaits - was a popular Edwardian pastime. We see the highlight of the day: a race in which the favourite, Wig Wag, is pipped to the post by General White thanks to the superior handling skills of his driver, George Wiltshire. For the benefit of the audience a showman holds up a 'winner' sign next to the victorious steed.
Trotting Match at Springfield Park, Wigan
