Detail

Collection Gowlland Family

Summary

Films of the Gowlland family spanning the 1930s to the 1960s, showing the children as they grow up in suburban Croydon in the war and post-war years.

Collection ID	105	Reference code	S 990330
Title	Gowlland Family
Dates	1930s - 1960s
Production	Geoffrey Price Gowlland, Mr. (Father of donor)
Materials	FILM Standard 8mm Documentation
Access status	Contact Screen Archive South East for details

Description

The Gowlland family films span the 1930s to the 1960s, offering a vivid portrait of family life. The well constructed films record the Croydon-based family across the decades, starting with the arrival of their three children and following them growing up during the Second World War.

The films go on to cover family holidays, outings and local events in the post-war years, recording the children until the youngest son's wedding in the early 1960s. Geoffrey Price Gowlland (principally behind the camera), his wife Amy Mary (known as Peggy) and their three children, Rosemary, John and George Mark (known as Mark) are featured in the films.

Geoffrey Price Gowlland jointly ran the family business with his father in Croydon, where they produced medical and scientific instruments. He was a keen amateur family historian, spending time meticulously researching his family background whilst also recording his current family events and activities on cine-film.

Many of the Gowlland films made during the Second World War keenly observe the changes taking place whilst also showing how family life continued as normal regardless of the changes. It is this portrait of everyday family life during wartime, coupled with the time span of the collection, that makes this set of films a notable collection in the Archive.

The Gowllands have continued their interest in family history, producing the Gowlland family website, which comprehensively documents the family's past. Films from this collection have also been featured in the BBC series 'Nation on Film', which was broadcast in association with the Open University, in 2005.

Films in this collection:

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Showing 1 to 15 of 41 results.

Rosemary; [Family Events of 1939]

Date	1937; 1938; 1939	ID	1673

Films by the Gowlland family, focusing on their first child, Rosemary, at home and on holiday. The films, begin with Rosemary as a new baby and show her growing up as she learns to crawl and then walk. Rosemary plays in the garden, has her first Christmas, and enjoys days at the beach at Middleton with the family.

[Wisborough Green]

Date	1939; 1941-1943	ID	1672

Film of the Gowlland family during the war years, focusing on family life and activities at their home in Croydon. Much of the film shows the children playing in the garden, along with family outings, a wedding at Wisborough Green, the arrival of a new baby and Christmas 1943.

War Time 1939-1940

Date	1939 - 1940	ID	1705

Domestic scenes of everyday life for the Gowlland family in Croydon during the first few months of the Second World War; signs of the war begin to emerge in everyday life.

[Seaside holiday at Torquay]; [Children Playing in Garden I]

Date	August 1941; October 1941	ID	1666

Films of the Gowlland family in 1941, focusing on the children, Rosemary and John. On holiday in Torquay, the children paddle in the sea and play in the sand. At home they play in a sand pit and on the lawn, as aircraft fly over.

[Children Playing in Garden II]

Date	July - August 1942	ID	1667

Film of the Gowlland family in 1942, focusing on the children, Rosemary and John, playing in the garden. Rosemary plays with a toy pram, John rides a tricycle, and they both play ring-a-ring-a-roses and other games.

[War Time 1943-1945]

Date	1944 - 1945	ID	1706

Film of the Gowlland family, intercutting family life and outings with war-time events including V1 bombings and the end of the war. John has a toy doodlebug, the family take refuge in a Morrison shelter, and in the country. With the arrival of the end of the war, blackout restrictions are lifted, and the family take a trip to the beach.

[Children Playing in Garden III]

Date	1945	ID	1668

A short film of the Gowlland family children, showing Rosemary, John and Mark playing in the garden. John plays with a toy machine gun, Rosemary rides a bicycle, John rides a tricycle, and their younger brother Mark is pulled along in a toy cart.

[Wisborough Green; Trip to London; Wedding; Fair; Snow]

Date	January 1946 - January 1947	ID	1674

Film of the Gowlland family, featuring the children at home and on outings to Wisborough Green, London, a farm and a fun fair. They attend a wedding, and at home, the children have a fireworks display, play the piano and celebrate Christmas.

[Horse Show; Holiday at Eastbourne]

Date	1946	ID	1675

Film of the Gowlland family in the first year of Peace after the Second World War. In this film, the family go to a Gymkhana, and go on Holiday to Eastbourne, where they play on the beachat Eastbourne, and visit Alfrison and the surrounding Sussex Downs.

[Windover Cottage 1947]

Date	1947	ID	1669

Film of the Gowlland family on holiday at 'Windover' cottage, Fairlight on the Sussex Coast at Easter, at Witsun, and in August. The family, at times joined by other family members, celebrate Easter with coloured eggs, go for walks, visit Rye and go to Fairlight Cove, a rocky beach at the bottom of steep cliffs.

[Family Events of 1948]

Date	1948	ID	1670

The Gowlland family at home in Croydon and on outings during 1948. The film begins with heavy snow at their home. In spring the children play with a toy 'steam wagon'. In summer, they visit Sussex, going to the beach at Fairlight Cove, as well as Eastbourne, Gatehouse Farm, and Rye. Further scenes include a trip to London, the children getting a puppy 'Timmy', the London to Brighton Veteran car run and a visit to the grandparents.

[Trip to Winchelsea; Steam Trains; Garden Scenes; Wisborough Green]

Date	1948 - 1949	ID	1676

Colour film of the Gowlland family in 1948 to 1949. Staying at their holiday cottage in Sussex, they visiting Rye and the Romney Hythe and Dymchurch miniature railway. At home in Croydon, the children play on their toy 'steam wagon' and the family takes walks with their puppy at Squerries Court in Kent.. The family also visit relatives in Wisborough Green.

[Family Events of 1949]

Date	1949	ID	1671

Films of the Gowlland family in 1949, showing trips to their holiday cottage, 'Windover', at Fairlight Cove, at Easter and Whitsun. The family take walks along the cliffs and paddle in the sea and the children play in the garden. The family also visit Canterbury, Rye, and Old Hastings.

[Shirley Park]

Date	April 1949	ID	1677

A short film of the Gowlland family on an outing to Shirley Park where they have tea at the hotel with the children's Grandparents and go for a walk in the grounds.

[Boxing Day Hunt; Football in Garden]

Date	1949	ID	1678

A short film of the Gowlland family showing their three children watching the start of a fox hunt; the two boys, John and Mark playing football; and Rosemary practicing netball in the front garden of their Croydon home.

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Showing 1 to 15 of 41 results.