FORGOTTEN IMAGES OF HINCKLEY. A film by Michael Skywood Clifford

A film made my Michael Skywood Clifford
This video has had over 12,000 views since it was posted in 2009.
I had taken the panorama of Castle street around 1978 one Sunday. I had just brought a Zenith B 35 mil camera and was getting used to it. Decades later, I was looking through old negatives/ contact sheets, I thought these images would be interesting to join together although at the time I really didn't know how I would do it. I was used to Photoshop, but not for something like that.
So that is how the idea for the film came about. The film was created on an early version of Photoshop and Adobe Premiere.
My understanding of video was elementary and most video cameras were analogue and scanners were somewhat crude. Some od the pictures were from library books or library archives, some from sketches or from old magazines. Many photos were from my own personal collection and a couple by the late Hinckley photographer Bill Wagg. All of the photos were scanned into a Dell computer with 245MB of RAM (!) to create this film. How did the technology ever manage!? The film lasts just over twelve minutes. This was made when websites like HDP&P was still quite young. The music is simply sublime.
I'm really glad that so many people have enjoyed it. Wonderful.
MSC

[@mikeclifford2006]

I just came on to reply to a comment that I cant find. Quite a shock for me to see this again. Almost 11,000 people have watched it. That's lovely, and so glad people have enjoyed it and got something from it. I think - speaking for myself - quite a serous film about the human condition but don't ask me to explain that!!!

[@user-ci7lz2pq1r]

A gift to your hometown, for its archives.....nice one Mick.

[@michaelburden5895]

Although from suffolk i lived in hinckley for a year, i found it to be a really nice town and the people very friendly, ended up marrying a hinckley girl, my good fortune! Best wishes to you folks.

[@DamienMcFerran]

Fantastic video. You've done such a great job of linking all of those photos together to form Castle Street. Well done!

[@mikeclifford2006]

Thank you very much!

[@GavinMorris1]

I spent my childhood there in the 70s and this brought back some great memories. Thanks.

[@mikeclifford2006]

Glad you enjoyed it Gavin. M

[@waveydavebarnett]

ive seen many of those images , (and remember many too). But never have i seen them put together in such a wonderful way. excellent stuff

[@mikeclifford2006]

You're very kind, thank you. M

[@nightrain663]

Left the area nearly 30 years ago. As a kid I loved Wightmans, so many great toys.

[@vwthings]

Watched this a few times over the years. Its still my favourite market town which is trying its best (with no money) to hang on to its rich industrial heritage. One of the jewels in the crown in my view with Atherstone a close second. Church Walk was a fantastic walk from Albert Rd to town - and still is. Fantastic.

[@pinkplonker8776]

Brilliant , thanks. I left Hinckley 30+ years ago so this is very good stuff.

[@rossashley3250]

I'm just old enough to remember castle street in 1978 when the Britannia Centre was being built, Castle street had more than phone and charity shops and the borough hadn't been made the ghost town area it is now by closing it off - the whole length used to be free parking so it still had lots of shops on it.

[@feeltheforce10]

Lovely to go back down memory lane when Hinckley was far better than it is now.Thankyou for the images.

[@freebornjohn2687]

I used to work in the army surplus shop opposite Whitemans. My mate's mum worked in the International an early supermarket before Tesco got going, she said they used to fill the chickens with ice to up the weight! My mum used to take me to Simpkins and James for a treat. Later I played snooker with the bus drivers in the snooker hall opposite the Post Office and had too many drinks in the Union and the George / Bounty. I had a good time growing up in the town and it was a great place to be as a teenager, always got a drink in the plough. Everybody used to go from pub to pub at the weekends it was heaving I've been away for a long time, but when I go back I feel at home and a connection that I never feel anywhere else.

[@mikeclifford2006]

Thanks for your comment. There's still quite a few pubs going here, and in some ways the beer has improved as CAMRA has done its work, but - like a lot of small towns - Hinckley has suffered from adverse economics, bad national decisions and corporate greed over the past 40 years.

[@bigmatt2896]

John rain by any chance?

[@freebornjohn2687]

@@bigmatt2896 Sorry no.

[@Candolad]

This is superb.

[@thelollster]

Absolutely loved watching this as I was born and bred in hinckley and remember a lot of the shops from my childhood. I would love to turn the clock back to the days before our beautiful town was spoilt by greed. Thankfully our beautiful St. Marys is still the centrepiece of our town and The Bounty which has been part of Hinckley's history under various names over many years has been saved and restored by someone who has a passion for the good old days. Still love this place. :-)

[@stevepayne5965]

An incredible achievement, though for me personally quite sad in a nostalgic kind of way - the walk up Castle Street in 1978 (when the Britannia Centre was still being built) is exactly when I would have been walked up and down there as a small child, and so evokes many, many memories of what now seems a lifetime away - I remember shops like Wightmans so vividly. I hope this fine video never disappears from KZbin, as some are unfortunately wont to do. Congratulations on a superb piece of creation.

[@mikeclifford2006]

HI Steve, really glad you liked it. I seemed to have hit a cultural nerve by accident when I made this. I took all the shots of Castle Street one day in 1978 when I had a new camera. I suddenly remembered I had them somewhere and they would suit this video after a bit of Photoshop. Thanks for your comment. Mike

[@stevepayne5965]

Keeping hold of them after three decades is some going!

[@SteveJesson1]

Hi Michael, agreeing with everyone here, it is an excellent piece of work and I too love the walk up Castle Street section, being born in the mid 70s and my earliest memories. I now live in Surrey but visit mum in Hinckley regularly. I was just wondering if you also took the opposite side of the street on that day? As I have fond memories of shops like Hinckley Sound Centre and Francis. Used to love going in the Russels record department at the back as a youngster!

[@robertsteans6191]

Well done Michael - a very nostalgic trip for me remembering my younger days in Hinckley and at Hinckley Grammar School. I still have my old books of Hinckley history & photos. A great choice of music too I might add !!

[@emilydayman6290]

Haha, I go to mount grace, and that used to be Hinkley Grammar School 😂

[@robertsteans6191]

That's right - then the Grammar School moved to a new site which is now John Cleveland College I think. Mount Grace used to have "Pop Night" once a month in the '60's and I often played there with a band called "Niteriders" Happy Days!!

[@rosbaker7213]

Hi Mick, Thanks for your reply. Actually I watched it last night along with the family pics and a short clip of you with Kathy way back when. I liked it - and your Winter song. I stayed up late ( for me) just roaming KZbin ! Am not keen on public postings as am v private these days but it seemed the only way to reply. Glad you are ok. I am too by and large - just busy still working full time and aging - as are we all but relatively young at heart. I know Ali was pleased to see you. Keep on trucking ! R X

[@mikeclifford2006]

Hi Ros, I had forgotten all about those KATS videos! Where has all the time gone? You may disagree with the content but have a look at my current article www.pravdareport.com/opinion/columnists/27-05-2016/134561-britain_eu_debate-0/ As for conversing publicly, I understand, so contact me on my email address and I will get back to you. Mx

[@rosbaker7213]

Hi Mick, I just came across this by chance. I really enjoyed it and felt quite moved by it all even though we didn't move to Hinckey until 1966. I remembered the first time we came across each other though I doubt you would remember - it was outside Simpkin & James in 1970 ! Hope all goes well for you, R X

[@mikeclifford2006]

Hi Ros, glad you enjoyed it. Yes I'm doing okay. Saw Ali recently which was very nice. Just put up new video last night: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eKS5kn9jdryNh7M have a look. Hope you are well. Mx

[@NICKYVTEC]

Great video, thank you!

[@rosbaker7213]

No sign of email address - this is the only route to reply.Yes, Tempus really does Fugit...cf K and the Kats. She is still singing. R x

[@mikeclifford2006]

[e-mail]

[@Steve-kj5zt]

it's not possible that there are charity shops on Castle Street everywhere now😂

[@mikeclifford2006]

It seems that all retail is being demolished by wholesale on the internet these days. And the internet is definitely going down hill, it's all referrals and loops. Thanks for comment, Steve.

[@harrisongray7591]

And look what it is now

[@jayp7606]

What the hell happened to this place?

[@bigmatt2896]

Gypsies,unemployed single mums & Turkish kebab take-away's....... Oh and let's not forget the drug trade aswell