This film is part of Free
Floods in the Thames Valley
Hauntingly beautiful images of flooded rural Surrey
Overview
There's a truly ghostly beauty to these newsreel images of horse-drawn coaches navigating flooded roads on a misty morning in the Thames Valley around Windsor. Even given the picture-perfect conditions, Topical Budget's (unidentified) cameraman excelled himself here, conjuring gothic images worthy of Bram Stoker or Arthur Conan Doyle. For the locals, though, the high waters meant nothing but heartache and inconvenience.
The only clue to the precise location of these shots is a brief glimpse of a footpath to Egham, as two men, one of them a soldier, cautiously climb a stile half-buried by a collapsed tree. This part of Surrey is still all-too-familiar with flooding - Egham found itself in the news again for all the wrong reasons in February 2014, when an overflowing Thames forced many residents out of their homes.
Related
Dispersing the Troops at Windsor after Parade Dispersing the Troops at Windsor after Parade
Non-Fiction 1899 1 mins Silent Location: Windsor
The senior regiment of the British Army, the Life Guards, are dismissed after a Royal Review
Review of the Life Guards by Her Majesty the Queen Review of the Life Guards by Her Majesty the Queen
Non-Fiction 1899 2 mins Location: Windsor
Spot the Queen, as she bids farewell to part of the Household Cavalry before they head off to the Anglo-Boer war
Windsor Safari Park and a visit to Blackpool Windsor Safari Park and a visit to Blackpool
Amateur film 1971 5 mins Silent Location: Windsor
Join the Lee family as they tour Windsor Safari Park and its famous Dolphinarium in this film from 1971. Then follow them to Blackpool Beach for pony trekking and donkey rides.
The Diamond family visit Bekonscot and Windsor The Diamond family visit Bekonscot and Windsor
Amateur film 1960 3 mins Silent Location: Beaconsfield
Join Gillian and Roger as they wander like giants about Bekonscot Model Village - before shrinking back to size for a visit Windsor Castle and the swans on the River Thames
The Distant Thames The Distant Thames
Interest film 1951 9 mins Location: Windsor
A river symphony and an early example of stereoscopic film made about the River Thames.
Windsor Windsor
Amateur film 1960 18 mins Silent Location: Windsor
Windsor Castle dominates this film of a family excursion to the much visited royal town. We also see riverboats on the Thames as well as ocean-going liners on the Solent.
Starve Acre - Exclusive Q&A Starve Acre - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2024 24 mins
Daniel Kokotajlo talks to Nia Childs about Starve Acre, his folk horror about a couple digging deep into grief in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales.
Sky Peals - Exclusive Q&A Sky Peals - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2024 30 mins
Sky Peals director Moin Hussain and lead actor Faraz Ayub talk to Tomisin Adepeju about their magic realist drama.
Inside the Archive: The Early Films of Michael Powell Inside the Archive: The Early Films of Michael Powell
Documentary 2024 42 mins
Documentary exploring the BFI National Archive’s role in rediscovering and remastering the early films of Michael Powell.
Inside the Archive: The Riviera Revels Inside the Archive: The Riviera Revels
Short documentary 2024 12 mins
Bryony Dixon, curator of silent film at the BFI national archive, explores the origins of a series of comic travelogues, and Michael Powell's involvement in making them.
New Perspectives: Oldboy New Perspectives: Oldboy
Short documentary 2024 4 mins
Discover why Dan George of Northumbria University believes everyone should experience Oldboy at least once.
New Perspectives: Wings of Desire New Perspectives: Wings of Desire
Short documentary 2024 4 mins
Trixie Parkin-Christie of Northumbria University offers fresh insight into why Wings of Desire remains essential viewing.