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
Pot Luck
A 1960s snapshot of local family fishermen in the East Yorkshire port of Bridlington
From the collection of:
Overview
In the early ‘60s, Bridlington’s fishing community was thriving – the town was one of four main ports on the Yorkshire coast – with keel boats heading out to trawl beyond the bay for herring, crabs and lobsters. Although the vessel featured here bears the romantic name ‘Wayside Flower’, life on-board was certainly not a bed of roses: hard graft combined with the trials of a rocky, hostile and inhospitable coast meant that this was not a career choice for the faint-hearted.
The crew of the ‘Wayside Flower’ are dressed in a style traditional to generations of fishermen: caps, serge trousers, smocks and a thick woollen jumper known as a gansey. Often knitted by the fisherman’s mother, wife or sweetheart, each gansey had a unique pattern specific to a town, village, or family. Again, this may sound romantic, but the more practical (and darker) reason was for identification of bodies washed up on shore in the event of a shipwreck. Although rarely worn by fishermen nowadays, the gansey has enjoyed a resurgence in popularity on the East Coast; in 2015 a bronze sculpture of a young woman knitting a gansey was unveiled on Bridlington’s North Pier as a reminder of the town’s maritime past.
Related
The Flying Squadrons of Bempton Cliffs The Flying Squadrons of Bempton Cliffs
Interest film 1921 11 mins Silent Location: Flamborough Head
Fearless Yorkshiremen and women scale Bempton cliffs in search of sea birds' eggs.
City of Bradford Presents City of Bradford Presents
Non-Fiction 1928 1 mins Silent Location: Bridlington
Lifeboats adopted by Inner City sponsors
A Merry Xmas A Merry Xmas
Home movie 1957 10 mins Silent Location: Bridlington
A little girl’s joy at Xmas in post-war rationing Britain, with the empty pillow case delivering a dolls house, and sledging at the seaside.
Two Weeks Clear Two Weeks Clear
Documentary 1973 52 mins Location: Overton
As a coachload of miners drain a crate of beer each on a trip to Scarborough, several talk onions, another hustles at darts and one acts the clown.
Yorkshire Tour No. 2 Yorkshire Tour No. 2
Documentary 1972 25 mins Location: Bridlington
Having given up the ghost as Martin Hopkirk, Kenneth Cope provides the banter as we tour Yorkshire, while maverick show jumper Harvey Smith helps decipher the Yorkshire ethos.
Whitsuntide in the Lakes Whitsuntide in the Lakes
Home movie 1934 14 mins Silent Location: Newby Bridge
A wonderful film showing just how much fun could be had camping in the mid-1930s, with no concessions of dress or to specialised camping kit, and none to any campsite etiquette.
Muscle - Exclusive Q&A Muscle - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2024 34 mins
Director Gerard Johnson talks Nia Child through the making of Muscle, an adrenalized drama that tears into the stereotypes of masculinity and male friendship.
Silver Haze - Exclusive Q&A Silver Haze - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2024 29 mins
Vicky Knight sits down with Rowan Woods for an extended discussion on the making of the film Silver Haze. *Contains Spoilers*
Getting it Back: The Story of Cymande - Q&A Getting it Back: The Story of Cymande - Q&A
Inside Film 2024 22 mins
The director of a documentary about British funk pioneers Cymande joins the band at BFI Southbank to talk about the film.
The West Case The West Case
Action and Adventure 1923 28 mins Silent Location: Tilbury
Plotting world domination, Devil Doctor Fu-Manchu steals plans for a new aero-torpedo in this earliest surviving thrill-a-minute serial instalment.
Enter the Scala!!! Enter the Scala!!!
Inside Film 2024 16 mins
Filmmakers Jane Giles and Ali Catterall discuss their documentary Scala!!!, revisiting the legendary and inspirational cinema venue and some of the most notorious films that screened there.