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Sports Day in Peterborough

The children of Peterborough run rings around comedian Tommy Handley and other dignitaries during a city sports day.

Sport 1946 6 mins Silent

Overview

The children of Peterborough show boundless energy as they run rings around comedian Tommy Handley and local dignitaries during a day of sporting activities in the city. Handley opens the day's proceedings and is presented with - wait for it - a box of eggs (well they were still rationed after all), before the children are unleashed to engage in various athletic pursuits, including the sack race.

The event was co-organised by the Gaumont British Junior Club, the Saturday morning children's film club run by the Gaumont cinema chain, and Standard Chums, a children's association linked to regional newspaper the 'Peterborough Standard'. The film was probably made for showing exclusively in the local Gaumont cinema where the children who participated could then see themselves on the big screen. Tommy Handley was the star of the hugely popular BBC radio series It's That Man Again, hence the use of that term to introduce him in the film.