East Dereham Scrapbook

Scenes around East Dereham in the second of two film scrapbooks.

The film is as received, but the scenes may not be strictly in chronological order. The first sequence shows bands marching through the town centre in a parade of fire engines, an ambulance, and scouts followed by the crowd. Donations are collected with a bag on the end of a stick. People of all ages are seated in the Recreation Ground listening to a brass band in the presence of a clergyman, and the crowd standing to sing. The loudspeakers are shown. Back in the town centre, either as a continuation of this event or on another occasion, more scenes of marching bands and the procession including a decorated float of a ship HMS Friendly House, soldiers, ex-servicemen, nurses, scouts, guides, fire engines and an ambulance. The fire fighters give a demonstration and there are more scenes of the crowd assembling at the Recreation Ground. The Wedding of Miss Barton. Guests gather at the church. A car brings the bridesmaids. More guests arrive, followed by the bride, who enters the church. The bride and groom emerge from the church and leave by car. The guests depart in a large crowd. A sign introduces the third sequence, announcing 'The Norfolk Fire Brigade Association Annual Competitions And Display. The Recreation Ground, East Dereham. Whit Monday, May 29th, 1939 at 2.30pm. 14 Norfolk Fire Brigades Will Compete.' Demonstrations with incendiary bombs by the Sandringham Brigade in full anti-gas clothing. Crowds gather. Men carrying wreaths and dressed in uniform bedecked with medals, gather for a ceremony of remembrance at the war memorial. A poster announces that 'Aircraft from Bircham Newton will 'bomb' East Dereham'. There are shots of this occurring with a plane and a cloud of smoke around a missile, followed by a demonstration of the fire brigades attacking the fire and responding to the gas attack. They rescue and administer aid to a 'casualty'. There are shots of the watching crowd. Uniformed guests sign documents and give autographs. Fire fighting demonstrations with hoses continue, followed by a tug-of-war. Scenes of another procession of soldiers and ex-servicemen in the town centre. This may be an Armistice Day Parade. A man in civilian clothing wearing medals lays a wreath at the war memorial. The bands and marchers parade through the town watched by large crowds. A man with a camera is photographing the parade. There are shots of the parade from a high vantage point. Dancing With The Harmony Aces. A brief intertitle indicates that this was a New Year's Eve event. These dark interior shots show couples dancing past the jazz band Fanthorpe's Harmony Aces, with their music-stands decorated with playing card motifs and white jackets with contrasting lapels and cuffs. There are close up shots of the trumpeter, saxophonist and pianist. The Pride Of The Farm. These pictures from Quebec Farm show the livestock on the farm; heavy horses and a foal, cows and sheep. Outside the cottages, a woman feeds cats and chickens and a man is pictured with his dog. Scenes show the farm workers bringing in the harvest including a boy riding a horse. An elevator lifts straw up to the stack. Most of the work on the farm is still carried out with horses, including a circling horse powering the elevator and teams of three horses pulling the reaper/binder. Throughout the harvest sequence, shots of people entering churches are inter-cut with scenes of men stooking wheat and wagons bringing in the harvest.

Keywords

Remembrance Day; Armistice Day; War memorial; Weapons; Air raid precautions; Dancing; Musical bands; Fire brigades; Farming; Agriculture; Harvesting; Heavy horses; Weddings; Churches

Intertitles

The Wedding of Miss Barton. Dancing With The Harmony Aces. And this is how the year ended. The Pride Of The Farm. And now for the harvest.

Background Information

See also Cat 1158 East Dereham Scrapbook 1936 - 1937