Oxford on Film: From Attic to Archive

In this 2nd episode, we collate rare colour Oxfordshire footage shot in 1944 by US airforce officers. Film clips concentrate on the social life in Oxford city centre, Wallingford, Dorchester, Abingdon and surrounding villages. Rare world war two colour provided by William Lorton from the archive of relative James R. Savage, filmed during his time as a Flight Surgeon for the 14th Photo Reconnaissance Unit at Mount Farm Airbase in Oxfordshire. This film includes never before seen colour and black and white 16mm film of Oxford during the war in the summer of 1944. The film starts with a clip filmed by James R. Savage of a fellow officer buying a ticket for a trip on an Oxford Salters boat, to travel down the River Thames to Wallingford. The film clips were likely filmed to show relatives back home in the US, and concentrate on tourist sights and the social life in Oxford city centre, Wallingford, Dorchester, Abingdon and surrounding villages.

Thousands gather on the High Street on May Morning, Oxford 1993. Thousands gather on the High Street on May Morning, Oxford 1993 to hear Magdalen's choristers singing. The bells of Magdalen College Tower ring at 6am, early morning revellers gather on the bridge below, as Morris dancing takes place in Radcliffe Square and Broad street. Oxford celebrates May Morning. This footage was taken by Charles Beesley, for the Oxford University Media Production Unit in 1993.

Thousands gather on the High Street on May Morning, Oxford 1993. Thousands gather on the High Street on May Morning, Oxford 1993 to hear Magdalen's choristers singing. The bells of Magdalen College Tower ring at 6am, early morning revellers gather on the bridge below, as Morris dancing takes place in Radcliffe Square and Broad street. Oxford celebrates May Morning. This footage was taken by Charles Beesley, for the Oxford University Media Production Unit in 1993.

In 1949, filmmakers Guy L. Coté and Hugh Wyn Griffith directed the film ‘Sestrieres’ for the Oxford Ski Club, about their trip to the Italian ski resort, Sestriere. We compare this with film of a recent trip, highlighting obvious changes in student life!

Rare 16 mm film footage from the mid-1930s of american tourists touring the Oxfordshire countryside by bike, and also footage shot by US airforce crew in 1944 visting Wallingford and Aylesbury. This episode sees American visitors to the city of Oxford exploring the surrounding area, through Cotswold provincial towns such as Chipping Campden and Stratford-upon-Avon, to places in Oxfordshire such as Wallingford. These films date back to the 1930s and 40s, and as 16mm film was more readily available in the USA during this time, these clips of American tourism have allowed such places to be captured on camera.

Film of the joint expedition to Kish, Mesopotamia, by Oxford University with the Field Museum of Natural History, of Chicago, Illinois, from 1920-29. The 16mm footage reveals the immense scale of the archaeological dig involving hundreds of people.

World War Two arrives in Oxford in this episode, using never before seen Oxford footage from a US Flight Surgeon for the 14th Photo Reconnaissance Unit at Mount Farm Airbase, Dorchester. Includes colour and monochrome film from 1944. World War Two arrives in Oxford in this episode, in which William Lorton – producer and director of the short documentary, ‘Spitfire 944’ – talks about the 16mm footage that his great-uncle, James R. Savage, filmed during his time as a Flight Surgeon for the 14th Photo Reconnaissance Unit at Mount Farm Airbase in Oxfordshire. This film includes never before seen colour and black and white 16mm film of Oxford during the war.

Salter’s Steamers have operated since 1858, and we revisit them in the 1940s as an American U.S.A.F Unit make use of a break from their war service to enjoy a leisurely day on the Thames to Wallingford. Includes rare colour 16mm film from autumn 1944.

We compare and contrast locations in and around the city from the 1940s, and the present day. How have the places and people changed? How present is the Second World War in 1940s Oxford? After 70 years how different is Oxford?

In this episode we take you on a trip through time as we introduce a selection of the archive film footage that the Dreaming Spools project has discovered.