British Council Film Archive

[David]

I heard the other day that the British Council had updated their film archive. I had a look over the past couple of evenings and have identified these films as of potential interest to X Markers. All the films that I have watched date from around 1940 - 1945 and are of around 10mins to 15mins long.

http://film.britishcouncil.org/border-weave This film shows the production of cloth in the Scottish Borders and includes a shot of an old shepherd wearing a shepherds plaid. Near the end of the film there is a shot of a pipe band (military?) on Princes Street.

http://film.britishcouncil.org/the-western-isles This one is about life on the isles during the war years. It tells the story of shipwrecked merchantmen making it back to home; and the making of Harris Tweed. It is interesting to hear comments like "exporting to Britain" and getting "supplies from Scotland". It was filmed in Technicolour.

http://film.britishcouncil.org/the-royal-mile-edinburgh Title says it all. Pity its in B&W, there is a shot or two of a soldier in a well patterned kilt, it would have been nice to see its actual colours.

http://film.britishcouncil.org/land-of-invention Watt, MacAdam, Telford, Stevenson, Bell, Murdock, Simpson, et al.

http://film.britishcouncil.org/song-of-the-clyde Travels from the source near Elvanfoot through the orchards of the Clyde Valley to the shipyards, with some interesting footage of Glasgow in 1942. Particularly interesting for me as I have lived within 3 miles of the banks of the river at a number of locations for more than half my life.

[tulloch]

That is great! Thanks for the links.

[Ron Abbott]

The pipe band in the 'border weave' clip is the City of Edinburgh Police Pipe Band.

At that time they wore the (red) Ross tartan in ancient colours. The Pipe Major in the early 40s was Hance Gates and the leading tip was Jimmy 'the one' Catherwood....so named as he was PC 1 of Leith Police Station.

I knew Jimmy when I was teenager and have fond memories of him. One of life's characters.

By coincidence, a good friend of mine now owns Hance's old bagpipes. If memory serves me correct a lovely set of hand-engraved S/I Hendersons.

[Ron Abbott]

I've just been on youtube and I note that there appears to be a huge quantity of old film reel from Pathe that have been uploaded to youtube. There are some great reels of old regimental parades, the Edinburgh festival etc.