The North East Film Archive is one of a network of regional film archives established to collect, preserve and show film made in, or about the North East of England. Our collections are non-fiction, and date from the early 1900s to the present day, providing a rich record of life in the region over the 20th century. Many of our films are available to watch, free of charge, on our website.
This film is part of Free
Sam Presents Scramble and Rally
Iconic scooters and loony races at an international rally in the seaside town of Whitley Bay.
From the collection of:
Overview
From βThe Tykesβ Vespa Club in Leeds to riders from Recklinghausen in Germany, dedicated scooter fans from around the world take a spin to Langley Park in Whitley Bay. At this international rally organised by the Lambretta Club of Northumbria, itβs a sign of the pre-feminist times that only women competitors in the obstacle race trials have to peel a potato and cast on 20 stitches of knitting in addition to testing their riding skills.
Stylish and affordable, Enrico Piaggiβs Vespa scooter β nicknamed βwaspβ because of its sound and shape β was the sleek, utilitarian icon on which Audrey Hepburn rode in Roman Holiday (1953) and the paparazziβs chase vehicle of choice in La Dolce Vita (1960). The original design was inspired by the Cushman scooter, which was used in Italy by the US during WWII, handy for both men and women to negotiate difficult terrain. After the war, Vespa clubs popped up throughout Europe, and by 1952, worldwide club membership had surpassed 50,000. In the late 1950s, a few years after this film was made, fashion-conscious Mods adopted Vespa and Lambretta scooters as a symbol of their modernity and anti-conformism.
Related
Presentation and Launching Ceremony of the New Whitley Lifeboat Presentation and Launching Ceremony of the New Whitley Lifeboat
Non-Fiction 1912 6 mins Silent Location: Whitley Bay
A flash mob of local swimmers crash the grand christening and launch of a new lifeboat for Whitley Bay.
Whitley Bay (Northumberland Coast) Whitley Bay (Northumberland Coast)
Promotional 1926 16 mins Silent Location: Whitley Bay
Pack your swimming trunks and a time machine - Whitley Bay in the 1920s is the next hot holiday destination.
SAM Presents "Scooter Weekend" SAM Presents "Scooter Weekend"
Amateur film 1957 12 mins Location: Whitley Bay
Fleets of Italian scooters descend on Whitley Bay for a Whitsun weekend rally and carnival parade in the pre-Mod era.
Holiday: Whitley Bay 1935 Holiday: Whitley Bay 1935
Amateur film 1935 11 mins Silent Location: Whitley Bay
All set for a Spanish City stroll with hordes of fun-loving holiday makers at Whitley Bay in the 1930s.
Whitley Bay Whitley Bay
Amateur film 1950 10 mins Silent Location: Whitley Bay
A Mecca for fun β Whitley Bay still thrills the holiday crowds in the 50s
Queen's Silver Jubilee, Whitley Bay Queen's Silver Jubilee, Whitley Bay
Home movie 1977 3 mins Silent Location: Whitley Bay
Children of Ocean View in Whitley Bay gather for a feast at a patriotic street party for the Queen's Silver Jubilee.
Joanna Scanlan - Exclusive Q&A Joanna Scanlan - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2024 51 mins
Actor and writer Joanna Scanlan talks to Mia Bays, director of the BFI's Filmmaking Fund, about her career in film and television.
Baldwin's N***** Baldwin's N*****
Documentary 1969 44 mins
Horace OvΓ©'s striking portrait of the American writer James Baldwin at his sharp-witted best addressing a group of radical West Indian students in 1960s London.
Shoot Your Shot Shoot Your Shot
Drama 2022 12 mins
An emotional stand-off takes flight, as teen best friends Ronit and Brennan come to terms with navigating that fuzzy feeling in their stomachs, all whilst learning to skateboard.
Look Like You Look Like You
Drama 2022 13 mins
While visiting the adoptive family of her eight-year-old biological son, Tara relays advice she gathered from growing up as a queer outcast.
Yellow Yellow
Drama 2023 13 mins
In Taliban controlled Afghanistan, Laili walks into a Chadari store in Kabul to buy her first full body veil from a Talib shopkeeper and face a new future.
Nehemich Nehemich
Drama 2023 23 mins
Banished in a dilapidated village hut during her menstruation, a young girl waits to elope with her lover.