We of the West Riding (1945)

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The British Council Film Collection is an archive of more than 120 short documentary films made by the British Council during the 1940s designed to show the world how Britain lived, worked and played. Preserved by the BFI National Film Archive and digitised by means of a generous donation by Google, the films are now yours to view, to download and to play with for the first time.
Yorkshire is divided into three areas, or 'Ridings', and it is the West Riding which becomes the focus of this 1945 film.
Exploring the mill towns and textile industry within this area of Northern England, the film examines the structure of family life away from the British capital. Observed through the eyes of a little boy, he recounts visiting his family members who are all employed in different sectors of the local cloth industry.
Much attention is paid to the dramatic rural landscapes and moorland that have become the focus for some of Britain's most renowned works of literature, including Wuthering Heights and other novels by the infamous Bronte sisters.
This film is designed to show the solid community bases in all areas of the country and not just in the capital. This could be seen as a complementary film to Annakin's London 1942, making sure that Britain is not depicted as 'Londoncentric' and values as well the diverse contributions to Britishness supplied by the far reaches of the country.
It is a way of showing these differing areas in a positive light, diverting away from an idea that rural areas are somehow regressive. Highlight the fact that even though country lifestyles are perhaps different to those of people living in larger cities, there remain core values predicated on the importance of family, community spirit and supporting a greater ideal of Britishness.
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[@salvadormarley]

As a Yorkshireman myself, I can say that this is very sweet. A long gone world unfortunately.

[@troopship12]

This makes me so home sick! Although I was born some years after this film was made I remember a lot of it around Leeds and Bradford. In the sixties the mills had begun their decline. I remember "Goin' t'Messiah" at St George's Hall, Bradford, getting lost and asking for directions from an off-duty bus conductor. He took me there. Yorkshire folk may be tough and rough hewn but they are capable of great kindness and consideration. How I miss them.

[@Sam_Green____4114]

There were still working mills in the 80s ! I'm sure there were ! I used to go to Skipton for holidays in the 80s from down south !! I 'm sure I remember a couple of mills still producing cloth ! Went back in 2016 but didn't notice any - I wasn't really looking !

[@georgewilson9016]

I was born in Cleckheaton and proud to call myself a Yorkshireman although I live in Canada I still retain my accent and proud of it.

[@clundgeweep]

So why'd you move then? lol

[@JimWalsh-rl5dj]

Aye, I say what I like and like what I say!

Gary Simmons a better life. That’s why my ancestors left Tankersley in 1708.

[@jean-lucpicard5510]

I currently live in Hightown, which is just up the Hightown road from Cleck, have you been back since? I was born in Bradford but I have lived here since 1987.

[@paulwhite2533]

I'm Huddersfield, in Nanoose Bay

[@norranuvaname]

21 minutes of nostalgic bliss, brilliant

[@fordlandau]

The Britain that is no more.

[@rubberdc]

I love the voice of the guy narrating this film, one doesnt hear accents like this any longer and I watch the people and wonder what their lives were like and if any of the younger boys and girls are still alive now and what stories they could tell .Its a fantastic archive .

[@robertdenton3641]

Fabulous film. These are really great, although I can't help but think that all these folk are now dead and the place has changed, beyond all recognition, and not for the better. There was always a sense of pride, and working hard to make an honest living.

[@ianwatt9904]

How wonderful. I'm a Cheshire man, but studied at Bradford University in the 1980s and came to love Yorkshire, the people and the place. Yorkshire is quite unique, almost like a country apart. People who speak as they find, and don't expect to get owt for nowt. But once you see past the bluntness, some of the friendliest people you will ever meet. God bless the West Riding!

[@contact3604]

Really enjoyable! Im a Yorkshire Lass myself, and very proud of it. Strong folk, and of good Yorkshire courage! Thank you for sharing. Moira From England.

[@MegaALEXLOUIS]

Much of this is filmed in Halifax. It's good to see the places I recognise from my childhood, as well as some that were knocked down in the seventies, including all those terraced houses near Dean Clough that made way for the flyover.

[@frankwilkinson6328]

I'm from Stockport and the hooligan developer's have done more damage than in Yorkshire. Remember going all round Yorkshire and there is more of it left than over the Pennines. Grand place.

[@grahamfisher5436]

@@frankwilkinson6328 I'm from Newark upon Trent, Nottingham, and what we'd give for hooligan architecture, we had T make home outta the Gravel, orfa T hooligans boots prints. we were lucky. 🤣 and yes, your absolutely right.

[@manrajlally]

Amazing!

[@billsykes11]

What a heart-warming and uplifting film. magical!

[@geraldfinlay3019]

I was born in Leeds 83 years ago. I was also a keen club cyclist. This film brought back many wonderful memories similar to 'A boy, a girl and a bike,' a film you should watch if you enjoyed this. Thanks for posting...

[@cutanea2]

A gem of a film, thank you very much

[@missfluffykitten1]

I miss Yorkshire and the people so much. I live in the south now but hope to get back there one day.

[@christophercoulthard8703]

It took me 50 years to get back and I settled in overnight even though I no longer know anyone and people tell me "Im not from around these parts"

[@angelataylor1040]

I am dewsbury girl and so proud of my heratiage .I have lived in australua fir no of yrs. But still csll west riding my home .

[@r3d3y3si]

Im a dewsbury lad anall.

[@mebeasensei]

I’m Australian but I’ve been in Japan over twenty years. I miss it, but I am fascinated with the world I imagined to exist, and which died so quickly in the first ten years of my life, which started in 1963. Much of this change happened in England.

[@helencollings8333]

Lovely Nostalgic film.

[@HughJason]

How much we've lost !

[@andyclark1337]

Wish we still had the riding councils, they were abolished in 74 but the ridings still exist we got moved into Humberside. Yorkshire today is north yorkshire, west yorkshire, south yorkshire and the new east riding district.

[@gordontate3837]

Me and my brother were evacuated from London to Mirfield in 1944 during the V1& V2 raids. I remember the bus stops carried the words " Yorkshire Wollen District" or something very similar. I paid a brief visit to Mirfield six or so years ago and was sorry to find the large Zion Baptist Church brick building was no longer standing. It was our Sunday school. Nevertheless the primary/secondary school building with its bell tower, which we attended, was still standing though I don't think it was still used as a school but maybe as Council offices. The local scouts took us for a hike on Ilkley Moor and we were taken to the Alhambra Theatre in Bradford to see a Panto. We also went to Batley park for a ride on the pedal boats. Happy Daze.

[@philforbes7467]

i find that when i travel to re visit the past the whole experience is made better by visiting whilst having a tampon inserted in my anus

[@lesaboo4740]

My ancestor Samuel Compston was a minister at the Zion church

[@mpearsonmadrid]

Magnificent!

[@jenniferlevine5406]

How wonderful. A snapshot of the place my family came from and maybe some of the places they knew and loved. Thank you!

[@gavinreid8351]

The film A boy a girl and a bike (1949) shows west Yorkshire. Calderdale,Yorkshire Dales, Skipton. Similar imagery to this and should be of particular interest to people familiar with that part of the country.

[@missfluffykitten1]

Wonderful film.

[@antonclark3420]

You can see where JB Priestley gained his inspiration... I miss Yorkshire every day...

[@kevinmothers904]

At 1:50 you couldn't get a slice of Yorkshire barm cake between the gas lamp and the load of sacks on that Albion KL 127!

[@David-lb4te]

That what I thought. Phew!

[@kiwitrainguy]

I was still getting over the fact that they started a film by showing a dog pissing on a lamp post.

[@missfluffykitten1]

Alas these places have changed for the worse.

[@raymondlang]

So sad..same everywhere. Too many lousy housing estates now.

[@678swatson]

I just watched We of the West Riding - fascinating. Thanks so much for drawing my attention to this resource for short documentaries. I've been to the British Council site already and watched a couple. The films certainly give an insight into ways of life and culture in Britain in the twentieth century. I also came across positive aspects of British life which seem to be under threat - a bit sad this.

[@dulls8475]

Under threat? Gone.

[@mrmyorky5634]

A beautiful film that's brought back lots of happy memories of installing Lancashire built textile machinery in the mills of West Yorkshire. My outstanding memory is of hearing the wonderful Yorkshire dialect spoken for the first time ever, and experiencing the trust and warmth of the people. I spent a working life in many other places too, but West Yorkshire always felt like home even though I'm a Lancastrian. Thank you.

[@janerkenbrack3373]

As an American who has never been to the place, I enjoyed this old film. Though I confess that I heard Monty Python's Four Yorkshiremen in my head along the way. It was just a hole in the ground covered by a piece of tarpaulin, but it was a house to us.

[@Wotsitorlabart]

A hole in the ground covered with tarpaulin? LUXURY!!

[@janerkenbrack3373]

@@Wotsitorlabart I know, you were evicted from your hole in the ground, and had to go live in a lake.

[@Wotsitorlabart]

@@janerkenbrack3373 As 'appen we were. But at least we were clean! T' frog spawn in spring was a bit of a bugger, though.

[@oculii1]

'If time is like a surging river against which no one can prevail, history is the record of that struggle. Time and tide, drawn by an unblinking lunar will, have swept like wind across land and sea as long as they've abided. Our time has past, yet will it come again; not in our time, perhaps, or our children's, but as surely as we are, and were, we shall be once more.' - Stephan Davidge

[@gloriacraven3559]

My dad worked in the clothing mills and my mom worked evenings in mill they had 8 kids i was the fifth one born brings back memorys

[@andrestarazona6190]

A beautiful film!

[@grahamfisher5436]

watch Market Town ( 1942). it's my Town. Newark upon Trent. fabulous. stayed that way till mid 80's.

[@StephenRBeet]

A wonderful film. Just look at the folk standing in the Hallelujah Chorus, like we all used to do. No, in modern productions the audience is forbidden to stand.

[@Lydiard91]

To be fair, we were required to stand in York Minster last November

[@AnnDroid877]

In the USA, we always stand for the Hallelujah Chorus. I've never heard of this being forbidden.

[@StephenRBeet]

@@AnnDroid877 Glad you maintain the old standards and traditions. When I last attended in London we were told not to stand, but a few of us defied it and did!

[@fallionwater117]

My granddad was born in Halifax, emigrated to the US in the early 1900s. I wish we still imported our cloth FROM ENGLAND. It would surely be nice. Bring back the use of wool I say...

[@jayarajjohnson2476]

You're Right.

[@fallionwater117]

@@jayarajjohnson2476 Wool clothing, wool rugs, the whole lot. Have a wonderful day. :)

[@danielgreen3715]

My Childhood MY England

[@peterjohnson617]

I recall the stone walls and the heather. How wonderful. Thank you .

[@lewis47094]

I was born and bred in Batley, the only criticism I would have of the film is that Rugby League was the sport in many of the mill towns in the 50s.

[@potdog1000]

being born in the 50s I remember it well

[@amteo7107]

I was born in Ilkley west yorkshire but left the uk in 1987 to live in europe. Still a yorkshire lass and always will be. .

[@tomhutcheson1631]

The Handel was beautiful--but I'd still like a pub carol or two.

[@chittaranjansarkar4081]

By dint the British Council I have watched the video. I have gathered more knowledge from this video. Thanks.

[@lesaboo4740]

My family was from this area, mostly ministers the Compstons back in the day. I live in the US in what they call New England. I live in an old cotton weaving milltown, they're all being abandoned and converted into apartment housing

[@lamoinette23]

@Lesa Boo where in new england.. many mill towns there. mills mostly converted to apartments i think. i'm from boston, ma.

[@edgabel6814]

How delightful.

[@rosewhite---]

I'd like to hear Alleluia sung like that these days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@theextremebudgeter2775]

I work in that mill now - it's all insurance and restaurants now. Nicely preserved.

[@michaelgoodliffe4795]

It wasn't all textiles in the West Riding,I was born in Barnsley coal,coke,glass not far away Sheffield, Iron and steel..

[@joannamillan8882]

Wish we could go back!!

[@papataffy]

I am watching this in Slovakia with my Yorkshire terrier and he looks quite proud now.

[@Patriciamurphygq8hl]

Very lovely film, my Hardestie,Hardesty ancestors are from West Riding.

[@Wotsitorlabart]

It's interesting that the DNA of the West Riding is quite distinct and corresponds to the Ancient British 5th century Kingdom of Elmet.

[@davidmontgomery7956]

all foreigners should have to watch these marvellous films to see what a wonderful country we once had

[@stewartellinson8846]

we still do. The UK is a marvellous country in a marvellous continent in a marvellous world. We are blighted by prejudice and ignorance, but so are so many people. If we work together to eradicate that, we can build a better world.

[@KarmasAbutch]

My Grandad reared his pigeons out of Spen Valley Homing Society and was recruited around this time to fly them across the channel to the French resistance 🩶🕊️ Then back to Batley & Spen after the war, to win his Champion Bird cups. Which I treasure.

[@matthewharding1064]

Live just outside skipton. Very built up since this film was made with ugly buildings been built. The castle is great and so is Bolton abbey.

[@kurtschlesinger8257]

am still proud where I come from but they think am a nutter

[@darranslator5720]

Was the football at Halifax Town?

[@wendydee3007]

Was this Armitage's mill in Huddersfield?

[@gplunk]

Seems like a great and relatively simple life; no technological overload, just people interacting directly in a face to face manner. Not all 'modern conveniences' are that convenient....

[@lovefunnyflicks]

A Gem.

[@Elitist20]

Directed by Ken Annakin, who later went on to direct Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines and The Longest Day. (But was NOT the namesake for Anakin Skywalker in Star Wars!)

[@rosewhite---]

5:58 boys riding a bunker - pram wheels and plants. We made lots back in those days.

[@benbow7]

If the people in this film were to travel through time and see Bradford or Dewsbury in 2021 I wonder what they would think.

[@KarmasAbutch]

Fear. It was already starting before they died. Pensioners afraid to go to the post office on pension day… going a day later so they aren’t mugged for it. Chaos in shell suits lobbing special brew cans into their back gardens.

[@ChrisLonsdale67]

A marvellous film! I'd love to know what that football stadium was.

[@jamesdeuchar4253]

Pretty sure it's The Shay - home of Halifax Town

[@ChrisLonsdale67]

@@jamesdeuchar4253 Many thanks!

[@phwbooth]

What was this 'West Riding', granddad? Only the largest county in England.

[@tombowen6430]

God bless Yorkshirefolk.

[@johnturnbull7176]

Aye Yorkshire born Yorkshire bread strong int arm and thick int ead.

[@troopship12]

Bet you wouldn't say that to their faces!

[@kurtschlesinger8257]

nic he was only 5 years old mate give him a breake

[@cosmos-smallpiece5786]

It make me feel sad... all their hardship , for what ? Godblessem

[@davidandmaureenfarrow2727]

You asked for what. Well they were making the rich mill owners and industrialists even richer.

[@cosmos-smallpiece5786]

@@davidandmaureenfarrow2727 correct x

[@StephenGlencross-yg4nt]

Great to see the pigeon lofts with fancier and the birds coming home from trainer still pigeons race now.

[@fasthracing]

I wonder whats changed most

[@paulhayward4383]

Fucking hell!!

[@davedixon2068]

you better hope so

[@johnthegeo4316]

Crikey

[@thomassmythe8258]

God bless England.

[@khrystree9233]

Marvelous. Yaaarkshire 😄 eeeeeee ! K

[@aardvarkmcgillicuddy]

No surprise, just take a look at those Yorkie farmer women!

[@aardvarkmcgillicuddy]

'This is the North, where we do what we want'

[@paulbriggs3072]

A nation which turns from the Lord is doomed.

[@davedixon2068]

in your opinion

[@silver760]

A tandem with two men riding,hmm.

[@arriesone1]

silver760 So?

[@gavinreid8351]

Go take a selfie!

[@davedixon2068]

One was West Riding the other was East Riding, tother chap on a bike was North Riding, South Riding didn't have a bike (some say he is just a figment of the imagination)

[@notmissingout9369]

Harrogate was in the west riding and that’s a posh place

[@anthonytindle5758]

I'm Barnsley born and bred and I think it's an outrage that people from all over the world can call themselves British just because they came from a commonwealth country I'm proud to be born in gods own county a nd consider myself as a true English man I may not live like Annie howksley or work down the pit but I have got a strong Barnsley accent I suppose like Fred tueman I've wrote enough so Al sithy.

[@theblytonian3906]

240p max res?!!! o.O Pointless. Not everyone has 15 year old eyes watching this on their their 7" smartphone!

[@Goldenrod01]

It’s better than nothing, clearly a lot of people here appreciate it.

[@MarmiteCrumpets]

No subliminal class distinction or stereotyping here... Having a joyous time on't open road singing "On Ilkley Moor ba'at at" I think Yorkshire could conjure up other songs? Propaganda intent on planting people into their "place" and to be grateful for poverty and "acceptance".

[@alexandrasmith8868]

They weren't living in poverty and families worked together.

[@davedixon2068]

if it makes you happy to think that, that's OK, but you miss out on a whole lot of things because of your bias.

[@Sam_Green____4114]

Wen I wert lad there were nowt bu' sex on't TV ! dad sed ee reckun that' ow ee got ees bat bek !! Ow mum sed " ther's nowt queerer un folk !!" Thou gut sent oot fur T' Fish n Chip wit nowt on foot even int T' snow !

[@markswain5021]

Was there much in the way of Vibrators and cannabis available to the working class back then ? .

[@mrmyorky5634]

Don't know about cannabis, but vibrators came out in the sixties. I recall a chap trying to sell them to a group of ladies at the factory where I worked. He was demonstrating one by holding it against a lady's neck. Everyone was intrigued by it, but I don't think anyone realised what it was including myself, the ladies and the salesman.

[@davedixon2068]

sit on the washing machine on spin and have a fag

[@celestialteapot309]

False class consciosness

[@andrewscarrott9717]

Tony Blair sold us down the river.

[@None-zc5vg]

Parliament has sold us/you down the river: that's always been its purpose, behind tbe fakery of a sham democracy.

[@dulls8475]

He did much of the damage but it started in the 60s. The popular groups of the 60s making drugs seem trendy has done far more damage. My Grandfather said the world all changed for the worse in 1969.

[@stewartellinson8846]

@@dulls8475 old people always say the past was better. it wasn't, they were just younger

[@dulls8475]

@@stewartellinson8846 You have a point but it was better.

[@davedixon2068]

@@dulls8475 Diphtheria, TB, Polio, Measles, Mumps, one pair of shoes a year, Rationing(til 53), no central heating, coal fires, Smog, Korean War, Mao Mao uprising in Kenya, Communist supported uprisings in Malaya, Indonesia, Burma, EOKA in Greece, Suez Crisis, IRA attacks, to name a few things that weren't quite so rosy when you look back with your rose tinted glasses, point is doesn't matter when you are around there are good things happening and bad things, we remember the good and forget the bad, couple of good things...Mini Skirts, Anti-biotics, vaccines for most of the worst of those illnesses developed and TAKEN, central heating, inside toilets in winter, did I mention Mini Skirts.

[@westbourne14]

Where did they find this film? Nigel Farage's porn collection? What an awful, miserable life. That poor lad’s only ambition was to work in a filthy, deafening mill.

[@r3d3y3si]

Whats up pillock? Not enough diversity for thi?

[@CheshireRing]

That miserable life was in a community where people knew and supported each other, and had self respect and pride. I suslect that is an alien concept for people like you. Of course it is long since destroyed by people like you who had, and have, only contempt for people in the north of England.

[@NSYresearch]

Not everyone could or wanted to go to Grammer School and University where they could learn the wonderful benifits of communism. Some just wanted to have a normal life.

[@grahamfisher5436]

@@NSYresearch I'm from a poor council estate, in Newark upon Trent, give me a conker on a String an I'm as chuffed as a knatts Guff. 🤗😁🥰🤣

[@mrmyorky5634]

This was filmed at a time when we all worked for a living. We manufactured goods and we exported them all over the world. We were proud of being hard working people and proud of our country. It's hardly something to be ashamed off.

[@Salvatore_42069]

my 4 times great grandfather is from here.