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Leyland May Festival (1905)

Leyland May Festival (1905)

A colourful May festival parade in the Lancashire town.

Led by the inevitable brass band, a parade files past the camera: Morris dancers, boys in sailor suits, boys dressed as Victorian beefeaters and the Boys' Brigade all troop past until the carriage bearing the May Queen pauses, slightly uncomfortably, for her close-up. The film was one of 35 within this collection commissioned by George Green, one of the pioneers of fairground cinema.

Leyland's May festival dates no further back than 1889, when it was inaugurated as a children's festival to revive observance of Royal Oak Day, the commemoration of the restoration of the monarchy in May 1660. It was held annually from 1889 to 1936 with a few gaps, then revived again in 1951 to celebrate the Festival of Britain, continuing to this day.

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From the collection

Edwardians at Leisure

A nation unwinds (but keeps its hat firmly on).

Leisure time was a distant dream for millions of working Britons through much of the Victorian era. But by the dawn of the 20th century wages had risen for most. An entire industry sprang up to serve workers with more time on their hands and money in their pockets.

Mitchell and Kenyon were at home in a world of showmen and fairgrounds, where their films were often shown. Fairgrounds feature in several films, as do carnivals and processions, agricultural shows, seaside resorts and some wonderfully eccentric local customs, from egg rolling to well dressing – proving once again that the Edwardians knew how to have fun.

47 videos in this collection

Crystal-clear views of town, sands, sea, tourists and locals at the Lancashire resort.
1

Panoramic View of the Morecambe Sea Front (1901)

  • Morecambe
  • 1901
Summertime laughs and larks at a West Yorkshire pleasure gardens.
2

Trip to Sunny Vale Gardens at Hipperholme (1901)

  • Hipperholme
  • 1901
Outside a fairground cinematograph in Edwardian Lancashire.
3

Sedgwick's Bioscope Showfront at Pendlebury Wakes (1901)

  • Pendlebury
  • 1901
The well-dressed Edwardian ladies and gents of the county tour the annual agricultural show.
4

Great Yorkshire Show at Leeds (1902)

  • Leeds
  • 1902
May Day festivities in the North Wales town.
5

Llandudno May Day (1907)

  • Llandudno
  • 1907
The ornate pavilions of cinematographs, boxing booths and menageries at Hull Fair.
6

Hull Fair (1902)

  • Kingston upon Hull
  • 1902
Classic Victorian Punch and Judy show against a magnificent view of Buxton skyline.
7

Bailey's Royal Buxton Punch and Judy Show (1901)

  • Halifax
  • 1901
Crowds pay homage to the legendary naked rider during Coventry's Edwardian coronation celebrations.
8

Lady Godiva Procession in Coventry (1902)

  • Coventry
  • 1902
A formal parade gives way to jollity on the pier in Edwardian Morecambe.
9

Parade on Morecambe Central Pier (1902)

  • Morecambe
  • 1902
All the fun of the Whitsuntide Fair in Edwardian Preston.
10

Whitsuntide Fair at Preston (1906)

  • Preston
  • 1906
Cycle racing and horse riding events at the Leeds Crossgates Show.
11

Leeds Crossgates Show (1904)

  • Leeds
  • 1904
Easter Monday festivities in Avenham Park, Preston.
12

Preston Egg Rolling (c.1901)

  • Preston
  • 1901
Messing about in boats on the River Dee - fine frocks and frolics at Chester Regatta.
13

Scenes at Chester on the River Dee (1901)

  • Chester
  • 1901-12
The circus comes to town in wintery Carlisle.
14

Algie's Circus in Carlisle (1901)

  • Carlisle
  • 1901
A colourful May festival parade in the Lancashire town.
15

Leyland May Festival (1905)

  • Leyland
  • 1905
An afternoon's boating in the River Ribble at Edwardian Preston.
16

Ribble at Preston (c.1901)

  • Preston
  • 1901
May Day revellers brave a wet and windy day in Edwardian Merseyside.
17

Bootle May Day Demonstration and Crowning of the May Queen (1903)

  • Bootle
  • 1903
Edwardian crowds enjoy a fancy-dress swimming race.
18

Tynemouth Swimming Gala in the Haven, North Shields (1901)

  • Tynemouth
  • 1901
Edwardian holidaymakers throng to the attractions at Lancashire's premier seaside resort.
19

Blackpool North Pier (1903)

  • North Pier
  • 1902
Welcoming crowds greet the arrival of a steamer to the Isle of Man, seen from a stunning perspective on deck.
20

Douglas Harbour Paddle Steamer (1902)

  • Douglas
  • 1902
A grand day out in Edwardian Hull.
21

Sunday Parade in East Park in Hull (1904)

  • East Park
  • 1904
The annual Hospital Procession at Skipton, Yorkshire.
22

Skipton Hospital Procession (1902)

  • Skipton
  • 1902
Edwardian holidaymakers stroll along the seafront as work continues on Blackpool's new promenade.
23

Blackpool Promenade Extension (1905)

  • South Pier
  • 1905
Edwardian visitors promenade in front of the camera on sea-side pier.
24

Parade on West End Pier Morecambe (1901)

  • Morecambe
  • 1901
Kingston-upon-Hull residents take the air and feed the birds in their Sunday finery.
25

Sunday Promenade of Spectators in West Park, Hull (1902)

  • West Park
  • 1902
Green-fingered Edwardian youngsters strike it lucky in Blackburn's Corporation Park.
26

Blackburn Plant Growing Competition (1905)

  • Blackburn
  • 1905
Beautiful shots of gentle waves on a shingle beach.
27

Waves at Southport (1902)

  • Southport
  • 1902
The carnival comes to Leeds and a new Rose Queen is crowned.
28

Armley and Wortley Carnival (1904)

  • Armley
  • 1904
A camera pan through the park reveals teaming crowds and changing fashions in Edwardian hatwear.
29

Scenes in Abington Park, Northampton (1902)

  • Northampton
  • 1902
Bradford boys wait eagerly for the picture show at the famous St George's Hall.
30

Crowd Entering St George's Hall, Bradford (1901)

  • Saint George's Hall
  • 1901
An overview of the buildings and surrounding landscapes of this ambitious 'world's fair'.
31

Panorama of Cork Exhibition Grounds (1902)

  • 1902
All aboard the charabanc for a trip along an Edwardian promenade.
32

Panoramic View of Southport Promenade (1902)

  • Southport
  • 1902
The inauguration of the Blackpool to Lytham tram route on 28 May 1903.
33

Lytham Trams and Views Along the Route (1903)

  • Lytham
  • 1903-05-28
A sneak preview of the attractions at the Cork International Exhibition some time before its May 1902 opening.
34

Preparation of the Cork Exhibition Grounds and Erection of Buildings (1902)

  • 1902
Horse-drawn carriagesdeliver dignitaries to the Cork Exhibition.
35

Arrival of VIP For Official Opening of Cork Exhibition (1902)

  • 1902
Edwardian holidaymakers on pleasure boats Deerhound and Greyhound as they ply the coast off Blackpool.
36

Steamboats at Blackpool North Pier (1903)

  • North Pier
  • 1903
Jolly japes and jumping in the lake - it's the water carnival in Leeds on Lifeboat Day.
37

Leeds Lifeboat Procession and Sports at Roundhay Park (1902)

  • Leeds
  • 1901
A sunny Edwardian summer's day, and the Nottingham boulevard is busy with promenaders.
38

Views of the Trent Bridge Boulevard (1902)

  • Nottingham
  • 1902
Some splendid floats - and two lifeboats - parade through the streets of Leeds to raise funds for the lifeboat service.
39

Leeds Lifeboat Demonstration (1902)

  • Leeds
  • 1902
There's a grand turn-out in the streets of Leeds to support the Lifeboat fundraiser.
40

Leeds Lifeboat Procession (1902)

  • Leeds
  • 1902
Sedate promenades and visiting dignitaries on Edwardian Merseyside.
41

New Brighton, Egremont and Seacombe Promenade (1904)

  • Seacombe
  • 1904-09-24
A sneak peak at Edwardian Blackpool's first rollercoaster.
42

Les Montagnes Russes, Blackpool’s Latest Attraction (1902)

  • Blackpool
  • 1902
Morecambe's splendid Central Pier features in this lively snapshot of crowds enjoying an Edwardian summer's day at the Lancashire resort.
43

Scenes by the Stone Jetty, Morecambe (1902)

  • Morecambe
  • 1902
Mesmerising film of sea waves on the north east coast of England.
44

Rough Sea at Roker (1901)

  • Roker
  • 1901
Excited crowds mill around a gorgeous Edwardian carousel where the horses are chickens.
45

Green's Racing Bantams at Preston Whit Fair (1906)

  • Preston
  • 1906
The cancellation of Edward VII's coronation can't dull the Lancashire town's celebrations.
46

Lytham Club Day Carnival (1902)

  • Lytham
  • 1902
A small boy impersonates military hero Lord Roberts, much to the delight of the crowds.
47

Manchester and Salford's Harriers Procession (1901)

  • Manchester
  • 1901
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