Edwardian Folkestone at Work, Part I (1904)

Edwardian Folkestone was probably made during 1904/05.The film-maker, who is still unidentified, takes us on a tour of this seaside town from the harbour side to the shops, the Town Hall, the Leas and the seafront. A particular feature is the switchback, a forerunner of the roller coaster, which opened in the early 1890s. The film presents a rare moving-image portrait of the Edwardian seaside. The advertisement on the Town Hall for Mr. Robert's animated photographs of the Russo-Japanese War enable us to date part of this film from the autumn of 1904.

The film opens with well-to-do Edwardians walking on a well-off street. We then see sailors on the docks, followed by a range of street urchins and slightly more well- to-do boys. Several people appear near the waterfront. We see a handcart collecting materials to be carried off and there is then a lengthy sequence following the work of the police but also taking in some shopkeepers. We finish with some men and boys messing about near the beach.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• silent
• film

[Jo1066milton]

Fascinating and tantalizing - some of those people might have been my great grandparents or their children, who lived in South Street, a road that was demolished after WW2 because of enemy damage.

[FaerieCrone]

A real Bobby!

[patirocha]

really,really nice!

[eastoftherockies]

them drinking coffee at the end was gr8

[cherfansmiling]

wow!!!