London County Council Visit to Moscow
35mm film Black & White Sound 1955 19:15
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Summary: A Soviet film record of an official trip to Moscow.
Title number: 1090
LSA ID: LSA/18454
Description: This Russian language film covers a visit to the Soviet Union by members of the London County Council, including its Chairman Norman Pritchard. The film opens with some scene setting views of London, including Tower Bridge, the Tower of London, the Houses of Parliament and the River Thames before switching to Moscow. The London County Council delegation arrive at Moscow airport by a Soviet passenger plane and are met on the airfield, where Mr Pritchard is interviewed. They travel by car into the city, which is lightly dusted with snow. In Moscow the delegation meet Soviet officials and present a gift of thanks to their hosts. The delegation travel on the Moscow Metro visit Mayakovskaya station, see new apartment buildings being constructed and plans for the development of Moscow. They also get to see the facilities at Moscow State University, and to visit the Grand Kremlin Palace (including Lenin's office, the hall of The Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union and the imperial regalia in the Kremlin Armoury). The trip continues with visits to the State Tretyakov Gallery of art, a school, a tractor factory, and the Moscow circus. After a final meal with their hosts, the delegation fly back to London.
Further information: The mid-1950s saw a number of goodwill exchanges between officials from Britain and Moscow. Many arranged by the Anglo-Soviet Friendship society. Trips which counterbalanced the oppositional propaganda of the emerging cold war, or were propaganda tools of that cold war depending on your political stance. London Metropolitan Archives' holdings of this title may not be available to view; those available are accessed by appointment only. Please contact LMA for details.
Keywords: Cultural exchange; Local government; Visits
Locations: Russia; Rossiya republic; Moskva autonomous city; Moscow
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