Bradford Town Hall Square (1896)

Plot Summary

The earliest surviving footage of bustling Victorian Bradford. A girl stands centre, possibly selling something to passersby. A small brass band marches through. Tram tracks are clearly visible and a steam tram goes through the scene, heading towards the camera before passing to its right. Plenty of male bicyclists can be seen on the road weaving around the horse drawn carts. The film has no official attribution. The North East Film Archive catalogue suggests George Henderson, a famous filmmaker from the north east England whilst the catalogue entry at the BFI suggests Mitchell and Kenyon. The film was made looking towards a now demolished building north of the northwestern corner of Bradford Town Hall. The location may be at the northern end of the pedestrianised stretch of Channing Way, next to the eastern side of the Mirror Pool. Almost all the original Victorian architecture of the Town Hall Square has been demolished to make way for the City Park.

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