Canvey 1972
Standard 8mm film Colour Silent 1972 10:40
Summary: Amateur film of the annual summer day trip to Canvey Island by the residents of the Brandon Estate, Southwark.
Title number: 1073
LSA ID: LSA/1491
Description: The film opens with residents young and old gathering by Brandon Estate, waiting to board a number of coaches. There are lots of smiles and excited faces, and kids muck around in front of the camera. Men pack supplies of what looks like snacks and drinks into the coach. There is a POV shot out of the coach window as it drives away, as those staying behind wave.
Inside the coach, the children are excited and wave at the camera. There are close ups of a number of the residents.
(1:55) We see a home made title card being written - a man's hand writes 'Canvey 1972' across a piece of paper with a drawing of an estate, representing Brandon estate.
(2:18) Now at a funfair in Canvey Island, we see children on various rides: bumper cars, carousel, toy boats, a rickety bridge and a helter skelter. We see one woman has won a goldfish, while a man eats a candy apple.
(6:49) Children roll down a hill and then go to a pebbly beach, throwing stones into the water.
(7:20) There is a sign for 'Peter Pan Railway', a miniature train ride. Three girls wave as the train moves past the camera. Intercut with young boys drinking Pepsi.
(7:52) We see a donut making machine, shaping the batter, frying the donuts and delivering them on a conveyer belt.
(8:13) We see a sign for a trampoline park. Children jump up and down and do flips. Before long even some adults join in!
(10:00) Cut to a Bingo hall, where women residents with striking beehive hairdos are lined up playing bingo.
(10:15) Residents return to the coach and a young girls waves goodbye at the camera.
Credits: Brian Waterman (Filmmaker); Richard Morgan (Filmmaker)
Further information: The Brandon Estate was built in 1958 and housed people from Bermondsey whose houses had been demolished in slum clearance. The residents formed several clubs, and the cine club filmed events run by the social club, which met above the library. Filmmaker Brian Waterman joined the cine club age 17 and bought his camera with his first pay packet (he worked for London Underground).
Keywords: Canvey Island; Summer; Trip
Locations: United Kingdom; England; Essex; Canvey Island
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Comments
We went there for years, I loved the Helter Skelter and the Big Mouse. Had a few of those doughnuts too.
All of the estate looked forward to the big day. 8 or 9 coaches each year.
Don't remember anyone filming, but then it was 50 years ago.
So grateful that they did.