Detail

Theme case study Girlhood

Archive footage of girls growing up in Surrey, Sussex and Kent, as captured by amateur filmmakers from the collection. The material highlights changing images of childhood and of girls, as well as reflecting the perspectives of those behind the camera.

Items in the collection feature girls captured on film by their parents (usually with the Father behind the camera), or by their School or Girl Guide group.

Pam Staley is seen growing up as an only child in 1920s and 30s Bognor Regis, enjoying the attention of the camera as she plays on the beach, at home, on walks and going to School.

Sisters Jocelyn and Gillian Emberton are filmed as children by their Architect father at their large family home, during lavish garden parties, at the Lido, dressing up at Christmas time and being looked after by their Nanny.

Rosemary Gowlland's childhood is captured in detail, starting with being weighed as a baby, then through her early years during war-time developments as the family group install black-out blinds and try on gas masks.

The Girls of Hove school are seen in their cooking class and art class in contrast to the boys in their metal-work classes, whilst children at the School Farm in Rye appear to all muck-in with the animal husbandry duties.

This theme is inspired by the UN International Day of the Girl Child and the work of Dr Louise Fitzgerald at the University of Brighton.

Films in this theme:

Showing 12 results.

Summer 1929

Date	1929	ID	3218

A film of the Staley Family enjoying the Summer in the garden and at the beach in their home town of Bognor Regis. Ralph and Nellie, are seen playing with their daughter Pam at the local public gardens, at the beach and at home with the family.

Picnics & Pam 1932

Date	1932	ID	3220

A film of the Staley family on various outings. The family group pick flowers in the countryside and have a tea and a picnic. At home, daughter Pam Staley (aged 8) eats at the table with her parents, plays piano and brushes her hair. On other outings, the family go sailing, have a walk and a picnic in the country and go swimming in the sea.

[Jocelyn’s 3rd Birthday]

Date	1935	ID	1562

A Dufaycolor film of the Emberton family, showing; daughter, Jocelyn Emberton, on an outing to the countryside, in the garden with her mother, at the beach, and at her third birthday party. At the birthday party, a gathering of children, their mothers and nannies enjoy tea and games in the garden. The film ends with a royal parade, possibly King George V's Silver Jubilee(?). Dufaycolor was an early film system that employed a matrix of red, green and blue to produce colour on film. This matrix pattern is clearly in evidence in the online clips.

Joce and Gill at Home

Date	1936 - 1940	ID	1563

A compilation of family scenes spanning the late 1930s filmed by architect Joseph Emberton. The youngest daughter learns to walk; the two daughters play in the garden; the grandparents visit; there are outings to a lido, two birthday parties and a Christmas dinner. They also visit the Casino building in Blackpool, designed by Joseph Emberton.

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.

[Air Raid Practice - Knoll School Hove]

Date	[ca. 1940]	ID	451

Made by the Borough of Hove with wardens and officers of Hove’s Air Raid Precautions (ARP) ‘M’ Group, this film illustrates various school activities and classes and demonstrates the air raid drills undertaken in a Hove school. Intertitles precede each scene.

[Compilation Edit: Child Growing]

Date	[ca. 1943-1955]	ID	8609

This colour and black and white film includes scenes of a girl as she is growing from a baby to a young girl aged approximately 10 years old. There are also scenes of the child on holiday with her family.

The School Farm

Date	1949	ID	459

This amateur documentary records the agricultural activities of Rye Secondary Modern School's Young Farmers' Club during the course of a year.

[Sunday School Outing and Anniversary; Cricket Game; Outing to London; National Service Parade; Herstmonceux Castle; Harvest Thanksgiving; Veterans Christmas Party]

Date	1949 - 1956; 6 July 1957	ID	9154

This edited film taken over several years, shows various Three Bridges Church trips and Christmas parties. The Sunday School children are taken on outings to Eastbourne and Littlehampton beaches and seaside attractions.

[Mid-Sussex Guide Camp and Competition; Haywards Heath Church Parade]

Date	14 May 1949	ID	9931

This film shows a Brownie and Guide camp and competition followed by a mixed group parade through Haywards Heath village on Muster Green.

Movies and Memories: Childhood [archive footage with music]

Date	11 June 2013	ID	10776

A compilation of archive films from the Screen Archive South East collection and set to music composed for the archive. This compilation based on the theme of Childhood features films from West Sussex and the South East of England, dating from the 1930s to the 1970s.

Showing 12 results.