[Winter Scenes from a Film of 1947]

The floods of 1947 in Houghton, Huntingdonshire.

Two Boy Scouts, Dan and Clive, pose for the camera. The scenes of the winter of 1947 begin by showing snow-covered trees and buildings. There are shots of birds pecking about on a lawn before scenes showing the streets of the village. Young people and children are standing in a flooded street. Snow is piled by the side of the road. People travel through the streets in dinghies, supplied and frequently crewed by the RAF. An RAF man delivers the mail to a house. Lorries and tractors move slowly through flooded streets. Many people stand around looking at the water. There are many shots of the flooded village, showing the waters continuing to rise as the snow thaws. A farmer brings a cow and calf back to the safety of the village. Another pulls a rowing boat through the water. There are shots of the flooded countryside and of the rescue work continuing in Houghton itself. People and supplies are moved through the streets in dinghies. A boy paddles a canoe. Coal and other rations are delivered by lorry. A policeman stands by a boat. Further shots of a flooded street show the water slowly receding. People and animals begin to move through the water, now only a few inches deep. A horse and cart drives along the street. Later scenes show children in fancy dress at a spring/summer fete. Scenes of the main street in Houghton contrast the earlier scenes. W.R. Hall stands outside his shop and a boy rides a bicycle dressed in his shirt sleeves.

Keywords

Floods; RAF; Snow; Winter

Intertitles

Dan determined to try to make Clive unburden his mind. Winter Scenes, From A film of 1947....old and new members proved their worth. For winter came and with it snow and floods. It was then that the Scouts shewed that they stood for Real Scouting. They helped here and there and managed to enjoy it all into the bargain. Indeed it might be suspected that deep down many of them cherished a secret delight in such adventures. The RAF came and lent a hand, not to mention dinghies. It was a memorable time: the Fens were seriously flooded.And a great deal of help was needed to. Greenhurst's plight grew worse and worse. People were marooned; the waters rose.Things for a time grew worse and worse.Emergency rations had to be delivered: coal and other things had to be transported. Then the floods abated. Time went by and...

Background Information

The Reverend Ward made several films with the Scouts, many of them fictional. Greenhurst was the fictional village where the Scouts lived. See background to Fenland. Fen Floods, 1947. 1947