The Shirley Schools, Croydon, c.1927-29
16mm film Black & White Silent 1929 14:24
Summary: A film of games and festivities for children of the Shirley Schools, Croydon.
Title number: 1056
LSA ID: LSA/1474
Description: The film appears to be a record of a summer fete for the Shirley Schools, Croydon. It is filmed on some playing fields and shows boys and girls performing various dances and competing in games. The dances include a maypole routine, 'traditional' Welsh and Dutch dancing in costume, a 'cavalry dance' with some children playing horses, and a performance by 'wooden soldiers'. The sporting competition comes in the form of a pillow fight, a bun eating race, an obstacle race, a flag race and a 220 yard dash (won by Albert Camp). The film ends with a sequence about children leaving school at 16 and being provided with clothing suitable for employment, and a 'situation'. Two such children are shown on their way to work for the first time: May Grove who is going to service and the running race victor Albert Camp, described as now feeling a man 'ready to take his place in the world'.
Credits: C F Lumley (Camera operator); H W Bush (Producer)
Further information: The print from which the digital formats created suggests that the film is incomplete. Copy of original typescript of shotlist notes held at archive, show additional material not on film. Print donated to BFI 26/02/1953.
Keywords: Schools; Education; Bermondsey Board of Guardians; children's home
In galleries: Easy as ABC
Locations: United Kingdom; England; London; Southwark
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