Historic archive celebrates centenary with film

Footage from one of the UK's oldest archives is to be shown for the first time in public to celebrate its centenary.

Around 100 minutes of film has been selected from the Bristol Archives, which was formed in 1924.

Cine footage of the city at work and play will be projected onto a screen at Bristol Beacon on Sunday, accompanied by 100 musicians from Bristol Youth Orchestra.

Bristol City Council leader Tony Dyer said it was "a befitting way to mark such a monumental milestone for the Bristol Archives".

“Bristol has a vibrant and storied history that deserves to be told," he said.

"The last 100 years have seen our city witness tremendous change; growing and evolving from a bustling maritime city into the diverse, progressive and exciting Bristol we all know and love today."

Film-makers David Parker and Bob Pitt worked with Bristol Archives to select the footage from the collection stored at B Bond Warehouse for the event called Bristol - 100 years in music and film.

"Stunning film of Bristol docks in their pre-war heydays, wonderful film of daily life in the 1930s, Bristol citizens at war, and evocative film of the rebuilding of the city blitzed and shattered by that war, are just some of the highlights that will be projected in Bristol’s foremost concert venue,” said Mr Parker.

Bristol Youth Orchestra will perform music by Holst, Vaughan Williams and Florence Price, while Bristol pianist Sandie Middleton will premiere a new composition during a section showing Bristol ravaged by bombs during the Second World War.

Tim Harrison, director of Bristol Youth Orchestra, said: “To perform at Bristol Beacon is a dream come true for many of the young musicians and co-ordinating live music to film is a huge challenge.

"We are currently in rehearsal working to make this a spectacular audio-visual event for a Bristol audience.”

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