Every film has a story—not just the one on screen, but the journey it takes from the filmmaker’s initial recording, to finding its way to our archive, being preserved and shared with future generations. At the East Anglian Film Archive (EAFA) we continue to acquire new material, whether it’s a long-lost reel tucked away in a family attic or securing a significant piece of local heritage that deepens our understanding of the past. Each new addition broadens our collection, offering fresh insights into the people, places, and events that have shaped our region.
More recent deposits to the archive include films of historical pageants. One film, titled Pageant of the Fens, is a recording of the 1955 pageant event by the Isle of Ely Federation of Women’s Institutes. Two further films in a separate deposit are scenes of outdoor pageant performances at St Albans.
Offers of collections to our archive are welcomed, and each is discussed with the owner on a case-by-case basis. It’s important to us to maintain a continuing relationship with film donors.
As we welcome new films into our archive, we work to share them via the various means of access. The two newly acquired pageant films of St Albans are now available to watch on our website. These are St Albans Millenary Pageant (1948) and scenes of the 1953 St Albans Pageant: Masque of the Queens, in the Coronation year of Queen Elizabeth II.
These films were made by different people and kept by Cyril Swinson who was the Pageant Master of these and other pageants. They typically showcase elaborate performances, costumes, and moving props. Check out the spectacular dragon which is seen on screen at 15:00 in Masque of the Queens!
King’s Lynn Charter Pageant (1954) is another of Cyril’s pageants and features a magnificent moving prop, a boat, arriving on screen at approximately 18:45.
Historical pageants can range from small community productions to grand, large-scale events. They often involve a mix of professional actors and local residents, creating a collaborative effort to bring the past to life.
Another remarkable example of this yet a much earlier film held at our archive is of the 1907 Bury St Edmunds Pageant, where multiple episodes from the town’s history were dramatised, showcasing pivotal events such as the signing of the Magna Carta. This pageant features participants dressed in period costumes acting out scenes like the martyrdom of King Edmund and the Dissolution of the Monasteries.
Pageant films are a fascinating genre. These films serve as a visual record of how communities commemorate their heritage and engage with their past – symbolic storytelling that bring local history to life. Search ‘pageant‘ to watch more of these spectacular films on our website.
If you are thinking of EAFA as a possible home for your film or film collection, then contact us by email at eafa@uea.ac.uk or by telephoning (01603) 592664.