Snapshots of Local Interest

Scenes around Colchester and Mann family holidays

Following a rooftop view of a Colchester street, we see the shop sign for Mann Bros 123 High Street, Colchester, followed by portraits of family members, some smoking pipes, and attention to a violin in the music shop workshop. Scenes of Colne Bank Road and Belle Vue Road include demolished houses and construction work beside the river.A view of the new swimming pool shows more construction work. Sidney and Joan walk beside the river, feeding swans and geese, crossing a bridge and climbing over stiles and trees. A white horse crosses a bridge. This could be filmed at Flatford, near Bridge Cottage. Around Colchester there are scenes of road building, roadside advertising hoardings and traffic filmed from a moving vehicle passing a policeman directing traffic. A scene of Colchester High Street and Mann Bros shop includes window displays including Pathe cameras and the aftermath of an accident between a motor cycle and the Man family car VX322 in front of the shop. Joan walks around Colchester castle gardens. More scenes follow of Colchester High Street and portraits of women connected with the shop. Around Colchester, there are scenes of major construction work on a railway bridge. A small plane G-ABGO? takes off and lands. Following views of old houses and lanes from the moving car, scenes of a river side walk and lock near a mill (Dedham / Stoke by Nayland). In Norwich, there are brief scenes of working boats on the river and the Castle, war memorial and Cathedral. On holiday in Bournemouth views of the gardens with fountains, a busy town street, rolling countryside and seaside with shipping. Scenes of Bournemouth pavilion and beach with waves include ornamental gardens and The Regent cinema offering “Charley’s Aunt” with Charles Ruggles (US sound film released December 1930). Further scenes show the beach, harbour, a large church, town streets, a concert, and the resort seen from the pier. Naval ships and submarines are seen off Torquay, one with an aeroplane on deck. A rolling road and villages filmed from the moving car. The film ends with the drive along Colchester High Street to the shop where the blinds are down for the holiday closure. The owners open the shop door.

Intertitles

Sidney Mann presents Snapshots of Local Interest Colne Bank Road as it used to be Colchester’s new open air swimming pool A motor cycle smashes into our car A run in the car Our air-port Norwich Our motoring holiday Bournmouth [Bournemouth] The fleet’s in at Torquay Over the hills and far away The End A Sidney Mann Production

Other Places

Flatford, Essex? Norwich, Norfolk Dedham, Essex Stoke by Nayland, Essex Bournemouth, Dorset Torquay, Devon