Northern Region Film and Television Archive

The film then shows a women-only garden party, which is then followed by three people walking around an unknown stone structure, possibly a Roman site near to Hadrian's Wall.

Title: Newcastle Under Snow.

The film opens on a snowy suburban street shot from the window of a house. Across the street, snow lies on the roofs of all the houses as well as the path and road. A double decker bus passes along the road.

Title: Newcastle on Tyne and Under Snow.

Title: A film record of a record snowstorm.

From another window, a view of snow lying on the front gardens of all the neighbouring houses. Another double decker bus and car pass on the road outside.

Title: This extraordinary storm began with rain Monday 17th Feb, ’41.

Tile: It turned to sleet the next day.

The film shows another street with large trees lining the road and telegraph poles. A child stands in the street in front of a large building or house.

Title: Then for two days its snowed and snowed.

An electric double decker tram bus travels towards the camera along a snow-covered road surrounded by houses. A lorry and car pass it. A snowstorm is being observed from the front window of a house.

The film changes location to a larger street surrounded by shops. Two women are using shovels to dig snow and ice from a path. In the background there are gas street lamps as a snowplough that is clearing snow from a different road. People are walking on both the path and in the road. Snow and ice are piled up along the curb. In the distance a snowplough is travelling along the road clearing the snow while in the background a double-decker bus takes a right turn into another street. An electric single decker tram bus passes with a snowplough attached to the front. In the cabin of the tram three men in dark uniforms and caps drive the tram and observing the snow being moved. A lorry travels through a crossroads while pedestrians walk along the path or cross the road. Some are carrying umbrellas to protect against the falling snow. A woman holding an umbrella walks along a footpath which has been cut out from the piled up snow from the road while in the background more people are crossing the road next to “George Wilkes & Sons” furniture store and “Rutlands”.

The film change to the intersection of Northumberland Street in front of St. Nicholas Cathedral. A man is standing in the road holding a shovel next to a car. A group of men shovel snow into the back of a truck. Pedestrians cross the road in front of Queens Hall. On the other side of the road is a Thomas Cook travel agency. In another street a large group of men are shovelling snow from the road with spades. In the distance, a church. In another street a delivery van travels along a snow-covered road. The road has not been cleared and the van is bumping along the groves in the snow left by previous vehicles. Another van is stuck in the snow at a road junction. Behind it, a car passes the stuck van. The stuck van begins to move and free itself from the snow. A number of people are walking in the road rather than the snow covered paths. The now-free van travels along a suburban street. All around, people are digging their driveways out with shovels. Two men shovel snow behind a car that is parked in the middle of the road.

A group of men are shovelling snow from the road while a “Jennings” van, registration “GTN 480”, passes them. A man walks down a street that has not been cleared of snow. Several inches can be seen. Two women walk in the road that has been cleared of snow. Beside this road is a ditch where a small stream of melting snow can be seen. In another street of large terraced town houses a YMCA lorry followed by a car travel along a road next to the St Nicholas Hotel. From an upstairs window inside a house, a small crowd of people walk in the road. A double-decker bus reverses out of a junction into the road where the people are walking. A man in a suit is digging snow and ice from the path in front of a gate with a shovel. He scoops the snow up and puts it on the snow pile lining the curbside.

A path alongside the fast flowing river Tyne near Corbridge in Northumberland. The snow is gone and there is a large stone bridge in the background. Two well-dressed women walk along the path talking. In the distance the film shows the river and bridge in profile. People can be seen crossing and there are a number of buildings built next to the bridge. The two women sit on a large stone next to a stone wall and barbed wire fence. One of the women takes a piece of paper from her handbag and gives it to the other. She then takes a pair of spectacles from her handbag and places them on her nose. She then points to something on the paper she gave to her companion.

The film changes again to a garden tea party where a woman is carrying a chair. A number of tables are set up in the garden and women are sitting around them talking. Another woman in a black dress and white pinafore is serving cakes to a table of women. Other women are seated on bamboo talking and eating while in the background three additional women carry around plates of sandwiches and cakes. Around each table, groups of well-dressed women drink tea and chat. The only man in these proceeding is wearing a priest's collar.

A man and a young girl walk near to a pond next to a road. Several ducks are on the water and in the background there is a sign that reads “WT. Wilson, Lane Nursery, Flowers & Tomatoes”. The ducks come out of the water as the young girls feed them by hand.

A man and a woman stand on a stone structure, possibly a Roman ruin near to Hardians Wall. The man waves his hand, and then helps the woman climb down off the structure and over some stone slabs that are lying against the wall. Another man examines a Roman column that is on its side. He then climbs over the column and looks at the other side.