Some of the earliest filmed moving images were
street scenes, beginning in the 1890s and filmed all over the UK. The visual
appeal of the movement of crowds of people and traffic provided ideal subject
matter. They were often filmed from a moving vehicle, usually a tram, in films
known as 'phantom rides'.
The films were sometimes commissioned by
showmen, who ran attractions at local fairs, and had spotted the potential of
film to attract an audience. These films were shot and then screened at shows
and fairs a few days later, and audiences were encouraged to attend by the
possibility of seeing themselves on screen. "See yourselves as others see you,"
was one of the phrases used on advertising placards.
A short lifespan was intended for the films,
which were often discarded once the local screenings has taken place or when the
fair moved on. In the early days of film, it was regarded as a working-class
form of entertainment and, by many, as a fad that probably would not last more
than a few years.
Fortunately, many of the films have survived,
usually by chance. These films provide fascinating historical records of the
evolution of town and city centre buildings and streets, as well as changing
modes of transport and
fashion. Ros Cranston
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