Page 46 - link magazine

46 swindonlink.com • September 2010
When Swindon was known as ‘Stork Town’

The town’s birth rate has always been high but it rocketed when the soldiers returned from World War II, as can be seen in a 1947 news clip
at www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=47753 reporting how fl ocks of storks were bringing bundles of joy to happy couples in the town.
Back in the old days, newsreels before she’s taken on a
played before the main feature fi lm short trip, standing in
at cinemas were the visual form of the drivers cab.
communication for the masses and The comings and go-
British Pathe were the moving im- ings at RAF Lyneham
age news reporters for over half the feature in several clips
20th Century, recording absolutely including the return of
everything, from the serious and Prisoners of War from the
tragic to the fun and frivolous hap- Korean War, the repatria-
penings of everyday life. tion of wounded British
The company has been compil- soldiers fl own back from
ing archive newsreels focussed on fi ghting the communist insurgency perspective.
towns around the country cover- in Malaya, shots of the RAF’s Comet The Mayor of Swindon Rex Bar-
ing the period 1918 to 1969. And 4s in 1962 and the very fi rst Hercules nett was delighted to view the old
the online collection for Swindon C130s in 1967. Their recognisable news coverage. “I started my gas
is absolutely fascinating - www. shape is familiar in the skies over fi tter and plumbing apprenticeship
britishpathe.com/workspace. Swindon today. in the railway works in 1953 and
php?id=6061 There’s even a 1962 fi lm of a hov- was made redundant in 1962 after
Apart from the booming birth ercraft built at the Vickers factory the Beeching reorganisation of the
rate - which continues to this day in South Marston. railways.
- the site contains reports from Mark Harris of British Pathe, who “The Pathe newsreels were al-
Top left, Princess Elizabeth unveiling
‘inside’ Swindon railway works, lives in Cirencester, put the collection ways an exciting start to a cinema ‘Swindon’ in 1950. Above, breaking up
showing the building of engines together. He said, “Swindon is local visit and I recall the events around
engines inside Swindon works in 1938
and the breaking up of rolling stock to me and I once worked there. The the footage that’s online. Pathe
in 1938, and also a fi lm called ‘Queer town has a rich heritage which is have done an excellent job pulling
Jobs’ showing some of the lesser refl ected in the archive. Whatever together the history of Swindon for The Great Western Railway
known occupations in the factory. anyone says about the town - and all to see on the internet.” in the First World War
There’s a wonderful film of they do - I think Swindon is a very Other video sites covering Swindon: Sandra Gittins’ unique history of
Princess Elizabeth in 1950, includ- important place and this footage www.swindonviewpoint.com - the GWR and its employees at home
ing shots down Regent Street lined shows just how important it was.” original community cable channel and abroad in the Great War will be
with Swindon people, scouts and The Pathe newsreels are certainly featuring 1,000 videos. published on 13 September.
girl guides and servicemen, end- entertaining and time spent view- Read a preview and enter a
ing with shots of the future Queen ing the clips is a rewarding oppor- www.swindonweb.com - present competition to win a copy at www.
naming a locomotive Swindon tunity to put the town’s history into day news coverage online. swindonlink.com

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