Avery Wycombe Progress | High Wycombe Film Society | AV1664/B22 and B23

These films have been made available online with kind permission of High Wycombe Society, who rescued the films. We have been able to make connections with relatives of a number of individuals involved in High Wycombe Film Society, who have given permission for films to be shared in this way. We would be interested to hear from others who may also have a claim in the copyright for this material, please get in touch with WFSA via email [e-mail]
credits: E Sweetland, Cyril Roberts, Laurence Chadwick, Sydney Young and J R Avery
production: High Wycombe Film Society
cast:
keywords: housing, development, building, construction, councillors, council chamber, library, museum, estate, bus, slum clearance, re-development, road construction
genre: amateur
location: High Wycombe and West Wycombe, Buckinghamshire
contentdescription_primary_Content_Description:
Wycombe’s Progres, a rapid review of municipal developments since 1930. Compiled from photographs by E. Sweetland, Cyril Roberts, Laurence Chadwick, Sydney Young and J R Avery. Some in black and white, some in colour. Includes some moving footage.
Bowerdean Housing Estate grew up from land of Bowerdean Farm. One picture. Building Progresses, showing construction of the housing estates. 4 pics including panoramic view.
The Old Brewery purchased 1931, several pics many as on SWOP.
The change by 1938 -Picture of shops in place of brewery.
Municipal Offices erected 1932-1 pic of building in progress; 2 pics external; 1 pic inside council chamber;( with and without councillors present).
The Old Free library (in Church St?) -pic also showing Fire Alarm corner.
The last day in the old reading room 1932 showing a crowded scene.
New public library and museum opened June 1932.
Museum extension opened 1937.
Branch library at West Wycombe was opened 3rd August 1940. View from outside. Also moving pictures showing two unidentified men, one smoking a pipe.
Internal view of West Wycombe library showing various men, women and children smartly dressed milling around, perhaps for the official opening? Footage of smartly dressed men and women exiting the building.
Borough Extension 1934. West Wycombe came in. Footage of countryside and traffic travelling along the A40.
School children on hillside above school in West Wycombe.
West Wycombe main road and Chorley Road.
Summer 1939- colour footage of a man walking down the street which pans out to panoramic view. Footage of children standing on pavement of unidentified estate, man holding tennis racket. Children playing on waste ground with a tent. Footage of red single decker bus, No 33 bus to High Wycombe. Shots of residents walking up and down the streets, gardening, children playing.
Whit Monday 1939 at Castlefield, return to black and white footage. Shots of a game played with a gigantic ball on the fields above the estate, ladies playing skittles, child tap dancing, swings, and a boxing match with a large crowd watching.
The marsh, return to colour footage, showing back gardens of housing estate with washing hanging on clothesline and factory chimney.
New water works opened 1933 (outside and inside Pann Mill pumping station?), black and white footage.
Widdenton Park Reservoir, capacity 1 million gallons. Footage of pipes being laid.
Miles of new mains - which looks like Bowerdean reservoir [?] and houses nearby.
Mill End pumping station built 1938 to 1939 - footage of construction taking place.
Bowerdean reservoir, capacity 2 million gallons.
Slums were cleared from 22 areas in 3 years 1934-37 - Newland Street (3 pics), St Mary St (11 pics), Crown Lane (2 pics includes H J Cox), Oxford Road (2 pics); West Wycombe Road (2 Abbey Barn Road (2 pics) London Road (4 pics); Ford Street (3 pics); Beech Road (4 pics) The Quicks (Marsh) (4 pics).
New Houses - Building began at Castlefield 1934. Still of piles of bricks
And Bradenham Road- footage of moving traffic.
And Booker-footage of lots of people out on Booker Common including boys playing cricket.
And Newmer Common - slow pan of camera
The Children become citizens of the Borough-various dignitaries talking to schoolchildren. Children lined up in the schoolyard.
New Roads and Buildings - Hamilton Road constructed 1934. Footage of various cars and motorcycle and side car going up and down Crendon Lane.
West side rebuilt 1935-6. View of the White Lion.
East side rebuilt 1938-9. Footage of traffic and pedestrians going up and down Crendon Street.
Church Corner - still and moving images of traffic, including a horse and cart and pedestrians.
London Road until 1936 - several pictures.
Improved London Road in use 1939 - footage of traffic.
Marlow Road improvement 1938-9 - footage of construction including van of G H Dean Haulage
[Further cataloguing on our online catalogue]