Heritage (original) (raw)

We of the West Riding. The Life of a Typical Yorkshire Family

A young Yorkshireman describes the life led by his family, who all work in the great woollen mills of the district. Their work is shown and their recreations, which include football, music, amateur theatricals and cycling over the beautiful countryside. They all love singing, and the film ends with the annual performance of Handel’s Messiah which is traditional in the West Riding.

(Films of Britain – British Council Film Department Catalogue – 1946)

Release year: 1945, Director: Ken Annakin, Production company: Greenpark, Producer: Ralph Keene, Screenplay: Phyllis Bentley, Cinematographer: Peter Hennessy, Composer: Leighton Lucas, Narration: Norman Shelley, Editor: Julian Wintle, Sound recording: W.S. Bland, Running time (minutes): 21 mins 06 secs, With thanks: British Council

Did you know?

The Sykes family was largely played by members of the Coldwell family. Five of the eight children, however, were away at war at the time of filming, and so members of the local amateur dramatics group, the Halifax Thespians also seen in the film played the absent family members.