City of London, 1951

This film was made for the Festival of Britain in 1951 and explores the many different customs and landmarks within the City of London in a single day.
The film opens with the River Thames in the early morning as light is cast over the City. It depicts Billingsgate Market with traders preparing to open and then commuters pouring in from Bank station to work in the City’s many financial institutions. The film then moves to the Port of London where cargo is unloaded to the Thames side warehouses where wine and tea tasting is depicted.
At lunchtime the film shows a change of pace where people are eating and sitting with an organ recital played over the footage. Also depicted is a meeting of the Common Council at Guildhall presided over by Lord Mayor, Sir Denys Lowson.
In the afternoon the City’s Guilds and Companies of craftsmen are also portrayed showcasing the seal of the City of London as a high standard of craftmanship.
The film closes with St. Paul’s Cathedral and commuters leaving the City.
Date: 1951
Reference No: COL/AC/31/003/A
Collection: COL
This film is part of the collections at London Metropolitan Archives, a public research centre which specialises in the history of London. If you haven't visited an archive before, it's a little bit like a library but with one key difference; the majority of items in an archive are unique, handwritten documents which cannot be seen anywhere else.
We care for and provide access to the historical archives of businesses, schools, hospitals, charities and all manner of other organisations from the London area. With 100 km of books, maps, photographs, films and documents dating back to 1067 in our strong rooms, we're proud to provide access to one of the finest city archives in the world - you could call it the memory of London.
This channel provides highlights from our film and video collections and films which we have created. Find out more at www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/lma and explore our film clips, photographs, maps and prints of London at www.londonpicturearchive.org.uk

[@ROCKINGMAN]

1951, also festival of Britain. Had a good friend born this year-died 2007. My mother came to live here from France and hated it. One of my favourite Ealing fims made '51 Man in the White Suit. Love the City, so much history, and heavily bombed during WWII. Lived in the Barbican for a short time. Worked in the Guildhall too. Port of London authority very busy and big interchange for goods from around the world. Old neighbour was docker there, much pilfering he said. Watch film 'Pool of London' also 1951 brilliant on same subject, as well as crime. Nice upload

[@danielintheantipodes6741]

Magnificent visuals! Stunning to look at. Though I was struck by the absence of any women in any of the professional roles.

[@jamesmortlock233]

Fascinating video, great to see this type of content being digitised and shared!

[@sandradee131]

A lovely little film of old London shame its not in colour but still a good peice of film back when everything was calm and good 😢😢🙁

[@uk-martin4905]

A reminder of how we once were: the days of standards, morality and integrity. How low we have now sunk. Brought a tear to my eye.......

[@tjm3900]

Wile I would agree with in some respects the standards, morality and integrity were just different. The Class system was very much in place. Integrity was as loose them as it is today, and for morality, depending who you were, much could be 'swept under the carpet'

[@sandradee131]

Mine too my heart breaks for those days of long gone .

[@ThomasPrior-wv6zn]

IN GLORIOUS BLACK AND WHITE. makes it look right some how , 1951 eh 6 years after ww2 , didnt take long to get back to same old same old, fast forwared to 2024 my god what a diferent world , time machine wanted be back there like a shot

[@vasaricorridor7989]

yes, masons would have you believe masontre is nothing but a group of fairies tip toeing around waving their wands sprinkling fairy dust hither and yon, nothing evil about that! whyats all the fuss...........

[@ThomasPrior-wv6zn]

3 class system upper class , middle class , i know my place

[@arrongoldberg697]

The time when England was England. : (

[@globalspiritualrevolutionmedia]

I agree 100%

[@mus139]

Lost Britain.