We quickly accept all these changes and forget what our surroundings once looked like. Our children grow up imagining these buildings have always been in existence and accept them as part of their daily life.
Do you remember when Newport had a Railway viaduct, or when Steam trains ran to Ventnor, and when Shanklin had a pier? Luckily for us Image Films can jog your memory and help you recall lost buildings, places, and faces of everyday Island life over the last six decades with their collection of moving images of the Isle of Wight.
Once processed they were projected in darkened rooms for family and friends perhaps once or twice a year, and then placed in a box in the attic to be forgotten until the next generation discovered them. Unable to view the film, because of the lack of suitable equipment, and the knowledge to operate it, the reels were usually consigned to the dustbin and lost forever. But now, with the help of digital technology, Image Films have been able to salvage some of this footage and rediscover forgotten scenes and events filmed on the Island by amateurs.
Image Films' collection consists of many commercially produced films, as well as many amateur gems that have not seen the light of a projector for at least sixty years. Browsing through the cans of film you can come across such diverse subjects as go-karting at Ryde airport in the 60's, boating on the river Yar at Alverstone in 1946, Princess Flying boats in the Solent, and Crop circles at East Cowes in the 50's.
A popular subject for filming was, and still is, carnivals; and Image Films have film in their collection of Ryde in 1956, Bembridge in 1953 and Shanklin in 1960; as well as a procession at Ryde for the Queen's Coronation in 1953 which includes footage, in colour, of decorated boats on Ryde canoe lake.
Image Films believe that the original makers of these movies intended for the footage to be seen and to this end are producing a series of DVD's to bring these unique images to a wider audience.
Due to his involvement with the photographic trade Mr Mellanby was able to purchase and use the best cine equipment available at the time. This has resulted in some top quality colour film of Newport in the 1950's and, in particular, the weekly Beast Market held in South street, the site now occupied by the supermarket chain Morrisons. The main interest in this film is for vehicle spotters. Some of the registration numbers shown include 028 DL, LDL 872, and NDL 196. These vehicles carry such names as H.W.Lockhart Ltd, C.Penn and Sons, and W.A. Corney. Where are these vehicles now? Rusting away in some backyard perhaps? Image Films would like to know, so that they can film them for future past and present sequences.
"SHANKLIN SCRAPBOOK" Limited Edition DVD from Image Films
The Isle of Wight Film Archive, Image Films and FilmWight have about 100 hours of Island films in their combined collections. Spools of commercial productions stand alongside semi-professional movies and amateur film clips.
The trustees are slowly viewing the miles of footage to catalogue and preserve these precious and fragile glimpses of people and places long gone from the Island scene.
The original film makers intended their movies to be seen, not hidden away in a rusty can on a dusty shelf, so to this end DVDs are being produced to eventually bring them all to a wider audience.
“Shanklin Scrapbook” contains selected extracts from, “Yesterday’s Movies”, “Carnival Cavalcade”, “Island In The Sun”, “The Mellanby Collection” and “Along The Shore”, some of the DVDs already available, as well as recently discovered footage that has not previously seen the light of day. PLEASE NOTE, This DVD can not be purchased and is only obtainable by collecting Image Films postcards as detailed.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR CLAIMING
1 To claim your free DVD you need to collect five different coloured postcards issued by Image Films.
2 These postcards are supplied with the "Captured On Cine" series of DVDs from Image Films.
3 Once you have collected five different coloured postcards, by purchasing five different DVDs in the series; send your name, address and your email details using our contact page.
4 The postcards will need to be posted to us with a £1 to cover post and packing.
5 The offer of a free DVD expires on the 10/10/10, no claims will be considered after this date.
6 This is a limited edition DVD and we reserve the right to issue a different DVD when stocks run out.