London’s Screen Archives enables Londoners see their past come alive on film. Managed by Film London, we are a unique network of historic film collections that cares for, collects and screens heritage film across the city. Together we preserve London’s rich film heritage from feature films to home movies, public information films, newsreels, and records of the capital’s many different industries.
This film is part of Free
Sidney Estate, Somers Town, Children's House
Happy, ragged children are shown in their swanky new estate in Somers Town, which replaced some of London’s worst housing.
From the collection of:
Overview
There’s little explanation offered by captions for this film, which shows a new housing estate in London, the St George’s Flats in the Sidney Street Estate in Somers Town. This was one of central London’s largest slums – some of the old housing is shown on film – but those streets were demolished when the new, carefully designed, estate was constructed. Children are shown playing in their new surroundings, which was described as the Garden City of Somers Town.
The film also shows children escaping the city for a day in the country at Walliswood in Surrey. The flats at Somers Town were built by the St Pancras House Improvement Society, founded in 1924 by Basil Jellicoe, a priest, who named the four new blocks after saints. There were some intriguing design features and also far better facilities than the residents had been used to previously. The estate – now called the Sidney Estate – was opened in 1938.
Related
Watch for free
War Over Somers Town War Over Somers Town
1937 14 mins Silent Location: Somers Town
Slums are demolished to make way for new homes in Somers Town, central London.
Watch for free
Challenge War on Slums Challenge War on Slums
Campaigning film 1941 17 mins Silent Location: Somers Town
"Plague spots in the richest city in the world" - slums are demolished to make way for new homes in Somers Town, London.
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
Every Moment Counts Every Moment Counts
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2023 9 mins
A short animation that offers a window into the world of children’s palliative care.
Watch for free
Dr XYZ: A Medical Drag Transthology Dr XYZ: A Medical Drag Transthology
2023 15 mins
A satirical take on the healthcare service announcements of the 1960s and 70s.
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.
Watch for free
China O'Brien: The Reunion China O'Brien: The Reunion
Documentary 2024 60 mins
Cynthia Rothrock, Richard Norton and Keith Cooke reunite three decades on from the groundbreaking martial arts classic.
Watch for free
Women in Action Panel Discussion Women in Action Panel Discussion
Inside Film 2024 28 mins
Action Xtreme - the UK's leading action film studio - hosts this panel discussion with four leading women in action cinema - Soo Cole, Jo Rolison, Jadey Duffield and Ioanna Karavela.