The Yorkshire Film Archive collects, preserves, and shows film made in, or about Yorkshire. Our collections are non-fiction, dating from the 1890s to the present day, and providing a rich and visually compelling record of all aspects of lives, cultures, landscape, industries, major events and everyday activities, many of which are available to watch, free of charge, on our website.
This film is part of Free
Video Player is loading.
Birdwell Primary School May Queen 1961-1964 & School Centenary
You may remember school processions, or having to perform in a play in front of the parents, as rather dull; not for these children in the early 1960s who clearly relish showing off.
From the collection of:
Overview
The innocence of childhood is wonderfully on view in this film of pupils of Birdwell Primary School, taken over several years in the early 1960s. Unhampered by the looming self-consciousness of adolescence, these children are impeccably turned out for the May Queen processions and they delight in performing for the parents. Each year the children become bolder, the productions more complex, and it gets increasingly difficult to guess just what is being performed.
This film is one of several made by Ron Beardshall, a colliery welder and husband of the deputy Head Teacher of Birdwell Primary School, Elizabeth Beardshall, located about 13 miles south of Barnsley. He filmed the School Mayday celebrations each year between 1954 and 1964, as well as some other school events. Schools took up Mayday celebrations in the late 19th century, wishing to introduce an ancient tradition that originated during the relative lull in the farm work calendar, and when the weather favoured outdoor merrymaking. The Church encouraged this to take place soon after the Whitsun feast in order to turn it into a Christian festival. The comedian Charlie Williams was a former pupil at the school.
Related
Watch for free
CEAG Light Bulb Factory, Barnsley CEAG Light Bulb Factory, Barnsley
Industry sponsored film 1931 6 mins Silent Location: Barnsley
Barnsley CEAG factory women light the way forward for mining safety lamp production in this informative 1930s short film.
Watch for free
It's No Joke Living in Barnsley It's No Joke Living in Barnsley
Lifestyle show 1976 26 mins Location: Barnsley
Barnsley-born actor Brian Glover returns to his Yorkshire hometown in this RTS-winning portrait of 1970s working-class northern life.
Watch for free
Mining Mining
Documentary 1982 26 mins Location: Gascoigne Wood Mine
A highly revealing look at the high expectations for coal mining in Yorkshire shortly before the defeat of the miners and mass pit closures.
Watch for free
Clegg's People: Food Clegg's People: Food
Documentary 1986 24 mins Location: Scarborough
A real appetiser of a film, as Yorkshire and beyond reveals some of its gastronomic concoctions, such as the Pontefract cake, Bakewell pudding, and fare not for the queasy.
Watch for free
Black Diamonds Black Diamonds
Amateur film 1932 50 mins Location: Doncaster
A Barnsley miner dreams of shooting a film about life down the pits in this audaciously ambitious amateur feature.
Watch for free
Tour of a British Coal Mine Tour of a British Coal Mine
Amateur film 1928 26 mins Silent Location: Barnsley
Deep underground, Yorkshire miners hew their living out of the coalface.
Watch for free
Layla - Exclusive Q&A Layla - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2025 27 mins
Writer, director and performer Amrou Al-Kadhi talks to Rico Johnson-Sinclair about their debut feature.
Watch for free
All We Imagine As Light - Exclusive Q&A All We Imagine As Light - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2025 28 mins
Payal Kapadia discusses her Cannes prize-winning and Bafta-nominated drama with Ashanti Omkar.
Watch for free
Khichdi Khichdi
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2023 16 mins
The interwoven stories of four best friends who reunite in the UK, thirty-five years after training together as nurses during their teens in Ferozepur, Punjab.
Watch for free
Dr XYZ: A Medical Drag Transthology Dr XYZ: A Medical Drag Transthology
Documentary 2023 15 mins
A satirical take on the healthcare service announcements of the 1960s and 70s.
Watch for free
Every Moment Counts Every Moment Counts
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2023 9 mins
A short animation that offers a window into the world of childrenβs palliative care.
Watch for free
Police Story: Panel Discussion Police Story: Panel Discussion
Inside Film 2024 24 mins
Panel discussion on Jackie Chan's 1985 action classic Police Story, with Chase Armitage, Sam Mak and Jadey Duffield.