Tynemouth Swimming Gala in Haven, North Shields (1901)

The BFI DVD 'Electric Edwardians: The Films of Mitchell and Kenyon' is available to buy at filmstore.bfi.org.uk/acatalog/...
This film is part of the Mitchell and Kenyon collection - an amazing visual record of everyday life in Britain at the beginning of the twentieth century.
All titles on the BFI Films channel are preserved in the vast collections of the BFI National Archive. To find out more about the Archive visit www.bfi.org.uk/archive-collect...

[@whistlingypsy]

It's part of the old ferry landing that was built after the 1st pier was erected.

[@p1nm0re]

Uniquely British sense of humour at work here.

[@Pikmeton]

Remember me "Upper Class Twit of the Year" from Monty Pythons

[@Herbsandspices100]

We should bring the top hat and umbrella race back!

[@LouBLouish]

@leerud69 I might be wrong but at a guess I would say its coming out from the bit where the haven car park is now, so just at the right of the platform I would think it would be the haven beach

[@AKLDGUY]

Mr R. Sopwith. LMAO!

[@anarchodolly]

"specially patented platform" - ie, a ladder. hahaha...

[@jennytalia226]

A few ' Belly Flops ' going on there at the end.

[@SarahXWhite]

Thats crazy

[@creasyi1]

crazy stuff good though xxxx

[@leerud]

does anyone no where the bridge was in the background? i live in north shields and cannot think where it cud have been. i no the diving was at the pier along side priory castle, as part of the podium the ladder is resting on is still there and you can reconise the same bricks used on the pier.

[@carbostar]

I believe it was called Rogersons jetty, destroyed by a ferry collision . You can still see the foundations at low tide.

[@ninphotonyc]

neato!

[@RoyalBlueMersey]

I's like somehting they'd do in butlins haha

[@pickneydem4087]

they would deem themselves naked if they swam hatless