Walton's Parade for Victory

From the collection of

Screen Archive South East at the University of Brighton
Screen Archive South East at the University of Brighton collects, preserves, catalogues and provides public access to its collection of films and magic lantern slides. The collection charts the rise of screen culture in the region and the nation and captures many aspects of life, work and creativity in the South East from the late 19th century to the present day. It is available for research, screenings, creative re-use and commercial access.

Walton's Parade for Victory


Men and women from Walton, Weybridge and Hersham's Civil Defence organisations are on the march in this local War Bonds fundraiser for War Weapons Week in March 1941.

Walton-on-Thames' Regal Cinema screened this local fundraising film during War Weapons Week. Civil defence and military personnel are seen marching around the town, often past the Regal Cinema itself, promoting the sale of War Bonds. Military vehicles decorated with posters roll past the watching crowds. One lorry carries the remnants of a downed Junkers 88. Children and babies feature throughout as the voice-over hints that their lives depend on Allied victory.

Lou Morris was an independent cinema entrepreneur with premises up and down the country. He would often take-over existing cinemas, modernise them and sell them on, usually to larger chains like the Odeon. He also commssioned new-build cinemas and the Regal in Walton-on-Thames was one of them. Designed by C. Edmund Wilford, the well appointed Regal was sold in 1941 to Arthur Cohen's Mayfair chain. It would eventually become part of the ABC chain in 1943, though it kept its name until 1963, becoming the ABC until demolition in 1971. Clifford Spain, who made local newsreels for the rival Capitol Cinema in Walton, became manager of the Regal in 1938 and in all likelihood produced the film seen here.


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From the collection

Keep the Wheels Turning

The State seized control of much of British industry at the start of the war. Mills and factories now produced munitions, planes, tanks and uniforms, while mines yielded the coal to power it all.

Production went into overdrive. Workforces in key industries like coalmining and shipbuilding were classed as 'reserved occupations' and spared the draft, while an army of women took to the machines to meet the constant demand for munitions and uniforms. In hindsight, we can see that the foundations of the postwar settlement were being laid. The wartime economy was formidable: workers pulled together to meet ever-increasing demand for resources and government oversight kept the motors running.


16 videos in this collection

An enticing government call for men to retrain as skilled engineers to help with the war effort.
1

Yesterday Is over Your Shoulder

Shipwrights, plate-fitters and riveters support the war effort as their ships take majestic shape in this tour of British shipyards.
2

Shipbuilders

A Ministry of Information film encouraging the wartime public to increase productivity by “taking work to the workers”.
3

Out Working

Women on the factory floor? An engineer needs convincing that war work is a feminine pursuit.
4

Her Father's Daughter

A tribute to British workmanship - from Witney blankets to Sheffield cutlery.
5

Good Value

A patriotic look at British steelmaking.
6

Furnaces of Industry

Hard work on the home front: the story of the 'reserved occupations'.
7

A Job to Be Done

Wartime woodland management: we can do it! Women add their labour to the work of axe and saw.
8

The New Crop

A pair of 'nude' dancers find a new way of doing their bit for the boys in this fun propaganda short
9

A Call for Arms!

The factory floor view of WWII, inside a busy aircraft works
10

Wartime Factory

11

British Made 'ameri-cans' Something to Focus On

12

Dai Jones

13

Our Film

Men and women from Walton, Weybridge and Hersham's Civil Defence organisations are on the march in this local War Bonds fundraiser for War Weapons Week in March 1941.
14

Walton's Parade for Victory

The great and the good assemble to open Banstead ATC's new headquarters followed by a Wings for Victory Week parade with cadets, bands, armoured cars and enthusiastic civilians.
15

Wings for Victory Week

Over £680,000 is raised by Wartime Woking in this film from 1944 which features women on parade, Air Training Corps cadets and the Home Guard.
16

Woking reaches its target and military marches

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