York Road Board School, Leeds (1901)

Leeds
1901
Silent
3m

A small battalion of Yorkshire schoolchildren lines up for a playground photograph.

Resembling an animated school photo, this film is a remarkable record of the last days of the old Victorian 'school boards' system, and vividly captures the slightly militaristic atmosphere of early 20th century primary education: backs straight, chins up! The film is in remarkable condition, with every child's face as sharp and bright as it would have appeared to audiences in 1901.

Watch out for the gawping lad on the extreme right of the frame. Notably older than the other children, he may have been employed for the day by Mitchell and Kenyon's cameraman to stand as a marker, helping the teachers to steer their classes to the benefit of the camera.

The Old School Yard

Children – unsung stars of so many Mitchell & Kenyon films – take the spotlight.

The more-or-less formal school parades (plus the odd sports day) collected here present a more regimented Edwardian childhood than the one which so often bursts into M&K's other films. The films capture a transitional moment in British education, with classroom provision extended in 1902's Education Act.

With a variety of educational models on display - local authority and church-run (Anglican or Catholic) - some schools are more formal or relaxed than others. As we watch them parade, it’s hard not to be reminded that much of this new generation, so full of life and hope, was destined for the trenches of World War I.