19 replies to this topic

[Fir3Ic3]

I thought I'd post this as a separate topic for anyone who is interested. I have some old cine footage that I have converted into video clips.

http://pic7.piczo.com/Odd-Vidz/?g=1

Maybe you know someone, or recognise something. They are from my mums side of the family, and she and my aunt are both dead now, as are her brothers. My Dad recalls some of the details and I can recognise some of the people and places, but there's still gaps. If anyone could help fill them in I would appreciate it very much. Thanks

[Olliebeak]

Really enjoyed those Fire! Didn't recognise anybody but the eras have got me all 'moist-eyed'!

[halj]

First class job. Had me thinking of my youth and attending Merton Bank School, Harry Cook, Miss Lockie, Miss Constance, Mr. Leatherbarrow etc etc.
halj

[kes]

And mr glover, miss houghton, miss enthorn, miss lyon, etc etc......

Edited by kendy, 06 April 2007 - 06:15 PM.

[Fir3Ic3]

I have noticed that a few of the links dont work. I have just fixed them. The Parr Stocks Road one and the Fingerpost Gasometers one.

I didnt get time to fix them this afternoon due to a 2 hour discussion with my dad who swears one of the clips that shows a shop called Claytons was on the corner of Ramford street and Parr Stocks. He said it used to be a butchers ( before Boldsworths), I said its not on the right corner, the angle is wrong. We even sketched maps, and it still wont work.....

If anyone has time, you can see it at 1.28 mins into the clip of Parr Walking Days. I think it looks like its near a round pub, either the Round House at fingerpost or the Bulls head. But the angles are wrong on them all !!

[Griffin]

Was the shop in the film definitely a butcher's, or does your dad think it was one because there were other butcher's shops called Clayton's? And hence, is he expecting it to have been where that other butcher's is (or was) on the corner of Ramford Street? Personally, I never ventured down Parr in those days, but Clayton's had a butcher's shop in Greenfield Road (which that isn't), one in Upholland which it isn't, and I sort of have an idea they might have had one in the main street of Fingerpost, whatever that's called. Is it Higher Parr Street?

[Fir3Ic3]

Griffin, I honestly dont know. The problem I have is that most of the older family members in those clips that would know anything have died. Thats how I got the footage. My dad swears theres a green gate going down the street on the rounded building side and thats where he used to park his car. Next to Stirrups' shop. Which puts the Claytons shop on the wrong corner. He actually lived in Ramford street.
It might just be me being petty, awkward and picky, but it just doesn't pan out and its doing my swede in.

[Griffin]

I've come across still photographs where they've been printed wrong way round, and it throws the whole thing out of kilter. Not the case here, though, because the sign is legible. I'm trying to find where Clayton's shops were, but so far without success. Just wondered whether, in the original film, you could tell for definite that it was a butcher's. With the reduced quality of the video, I can't tell. It does look like the corner of Ramford Street, but the opposite one. What's there now? Is it a building which could have replaced Clayton's since the footage was taken?

[Fir3Ic3]

The way I see it looking from the Fire Station towards the Bulls Head. Its a cross roads. On my right is The Butchers( boldsworths)--Ramford Street--The Oddfellows pub. On My left The Lord nelson Pub ( opposite the butchers) -- The entrance to the 'Licker' then a row of terraced houses. The only angle I could imagine would be the footage was taken from the Oddfellows looking across to the Lord Nelson. That would put the shop where it is on the footage, BUT.... that would make the rounded building in the background the Lord Nelson. Which it is not. God this is getting worse.
By the way, the Lord Nelson is now the St Helens Motor Factors. ( S.M.F.)

[Griffin]

Just looking at the clip again, there is a street sign above Clayton's window. Not legible in the video, but it might be in the original. Otherwise, if we could decide roughly what year that was, the library has all sorts of trade directories, etc., in which it should be possible to find shops called Clayton's, starting with the assumption that it might have been a branch of the butcher's of that name. I think too that there are, along that road, one or two buildings of more recent date than the clip, which infilled and replaced older premises.

Couple more thoughts. Looked at the other Parr Stocks Road footage, but I can't see the shop on that. In the same clip as Clayton's, though, I see a shot of a woman standing at a door looking over a low wall, and the only place like that I can remember was off Birchley Street, near the old railway from Central Station. When you shot movies in those days, the camera was driven by clockwork, and you only got about 30 seconds to a minute per wind, so you had to keep stopping. Hence the film gets disjointed. Assuming the Clayton's footage follows on from the scenes before it, the way the people are going would suggest that the cameraman has crossed the road just before the Clayton's bit, and he is now on the opposite side to the Oddfellows, whereas the footage of the procession starts on the Oddfellows side. Or the Clayton's scene could be somewhere else altogether.

[SaintJeff]

Fantastic clips Fir3ic3. Priceless stuff. Could you let me know how or where you got the cine converted? My dad has a lot of old cine reels from the 70's when i was a kid. A walking day in sutton etc. and i wouldnt mind getting them converted before time takes it's toll on them.

[kes]

It is claytons buchers shop, later dickie boldsworths. they are seen going past the oddfellows pub.up ramford st, to the salvation army.each church, or chappel, would make there way back to respective HQ.probably after the walking day service.

Edited by kendy, 06 April 2007 - 10:19 PM.

[Fir3Ic3]

Thats what my Dad says Kendy, but I dont know what is opposite. It should be the Lord Nelson, but it doesn't look like it. I will concede on this point now ( Till Dad thinks its somewhere else). I'll tell him you agree with him. Also yes, he remembers you as a great musician.

Jeff, My sisters friends husband converted some of them onto video. But they turned out quite crap. I decided to try myself and set the cine up on the kitchen wall ( believe it or not). I set the old camcorder up on a tripod and taped the wall. Hence the bad quality. Then I plugged the camcorder into the video and and recorded it. This was about 18 months ago. Since then we have bought a DVD/Video recorder, so I recorded them off video onto DVD. I got them onto the computer using Nero and exported them as DV files. I just used Windows Movie Maker to chop them into smaller clips and added mp3 files for music. I had to slow them down as well to stop the quick transitions.

I have quite a few more to go, but its so time consuming and no one can use the kitchen while we're taping the wall 'cos you get shadows. There's a company in Widnes called Evermedia thats been recommended, but I have no experience of them. I think I might try them with a few reels for about 50 quid, see how they do. If they're good, then price wont be an issue. Apparently they can get rid of the flicker and make the transitions smoother. Can't be any worse than recording the kitchen wall !!

[kes]

Dont forget fir, the nelson was practicly rebuilt years ago, but i remember the big wooden doors just to the side. It was very small inside though.....hurry up and get the others done!!

[windled]

http://pic7.piczo.com/Odd-Vidz/?g=1

Maybe you know someone, or recognise something.


Just visited your site great stuff on there,the only thing i can help you with is the clip of the swimming baths number 2 the baths were on the front at new brighton just a bit further down than the old fort i spent many a cold summers day in there.
i look forward to your next instalment.