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Mitchell and Kenyon Miscellaneous Offcuts

Mitchell and Kenyon Miscellaneous Offcuts

Intriguing fragments of Victorian and Edwardian footage left behind by Mitchell and Kenyon

This discarded footage shot by Edwardian filmmakers Mitchell and Kenyon makes for an interesting curio. It's evidence for the duo's quality control (the shots were obviously rejected because they were photographically poor). It's also, quite by accident, a rapid-fire tour of the filmmakers' world: waving kids and daring fire rescues, parades, football and fairs.

Why did Mitchell and Kenyon bother to keep hold of this 'scrap' material? It was almost certainly not for its contents, but simply for the economic benefit of being able to reuse unwanted physical film stock for technical purposes. A few spare feet of celluloid was always helpful to the thrifty film producer: 'leader' for other rolls of film, spliced to the start or end to allow them to be printed smoothly with no danger of any frames being accidentally missed. This is the reason why several M&K pieces start or end mysteriously, with snatches of random footage that have clearly wandered in from another film entirely. No doubt the producers kept several rolls of such trims and offcuts to hand.

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From the collection

Edwardian Enigmas

Who, what, where? Calling amateur detectives - can you help us solve these mysteries?

We've learned a lot about Mitchell and Kenyon since hundreds of their films were rediscovered in 1995. Research by the University of Sheffield and the BFI revealed a wealth of background detail about the films, the events they depict, how they were commissioned and shown. But a few films have so far stubbornly refused to give up their secrets.

So now's your chance to play amateur detective. Do you recognise this town, that street, those factory gates, that football team... even a face in the crowd? If you can, please let us know. And if you can't, you can still enjoy these heady slices of Edwardian (or Victorian) life.

16 videos in this collection

Intriguing fragments of Victorian and Edwardian footage left behind by Mitchell and Kenyon
1

Mitchell and Kenyon Miscellaneous Offcuts

  • 1900
Victorian industrial workers leave their factory after a demanding day.
2

Factory Exit in Lincoln (1900)

  • Lincoln
  • 1900
How did these Chinese gentlemen end up in a Blackburn basement?
3

Unidentified Chinese Men (c.1900)

  • 1900
Can you identify this street corner, or perhaps a young face in the parade?
4

Parade of Schoolchildren (c.1902)

  • 1903
An assortment of Edwardian workers, including many mischievous children who are far from camera-shy.
5

Textile Workers Leaving a Factory (c.1901)

  • 1901
Well-heeled Edwardian workers head home after work.
6

Workers Leaving a Factory in Wigan (1902)

  • Wigan
  • 1902
7

Scene Outside a Factory (c.1902)

  • 1902
Could the newspaper boy tell us where this factory was?
8

Employees Leaving a Factory (c.1901)

  • 1901
A mysterious but vivid snapshot of Edwardian life.
9

Street Scenes in North of England (c.1902)

  • 1902
An unidentified workplace is the scene of a vivid slice of turn-of-the-century life.
10

Factory Gate Exit (c.1901)

  • 1901
It's home time for men and women at an imposing but unidentified workplace - or two?
11

Exit of Clerical and Factory Workers (c.1901)

  • 1900
Where was this Edwardian paper works?
12

Workers at Ross & Hardy Paper Works (1901)

  • 1901
A diverse workforce make their way from the factory, perhaps a Lancashire cotton mill?
13

Unidentified Factory Gate Exit in Lancashire (c.1900)

  • Lancashire
  • 1900
Victorian factory workers head for home, dodging puddles along the way.
14

Workforce Leaving a Factory in the North of England (c.1900)

  • 1900
Mystery workers hurry through cobbled streets
15

Unidentified Factory Gate (c.1900)

  • 1900
An unidentified factory is the setting for some lively Victorian characters.
16

Workers Leaving a Factory (1900)

  • 1900
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