[Carnivals]

A series of carnivals, pageants and other noteworthy events in Lowestoft c1932-1935.

1) Visit of the Duke and Duchess Of York. The Duke and Duchess arrive at the station. They leave the station in an open back car. There are scenes showing a 'walkabout' around Lowestoft in the rain before the Duke and Duchess leave. There are good crowd scenes including people waiting outside their houses. Someone gives a speech in an older area of Lowestoft. The Duke of York visits a boys camp at Southwold. The Duke, dressed in an open necked shirt, watches sporting events on Southwold common. 2) Lowestoft Hospital Fete. This opens with the band of the Boys' Brigade marching through Lowestoft. The fete is opened by the Viscountess Dunwich. The Mayor of Lowestoft, Mr. Humphreys, takes his seat. There is a display by naval cadets, a fancy dress parade, a beauty contest, and an ugly face competition. 3) A view of Lowestoft harbour. This includes sailing yacht and a battleship in port, a military band and a mayoral procession. 4) A bi-plane flying overhead which appears to be parts of the celebrations for the Silver Jubilee of George V in 1935. The first of these shows a carnival procession shot in various parts of the town. This is a different procession to the one filmed later, but one of the floats mentions Jubilee Week. part of the carnival procession features people in various historical costumes. It appears that a historical pageant was attached to this parade. There is a re-enactment of a Civil war skirmish and then another re-enactment of King George II landing at Lowestoft. This is intercut with scenes from the Jubilee carnival procession. There is a torchlight parade, which also shows the town's illuminations, followed by the burning at sea of a replica of a Viking longboat. The final scenes of the Jubilee celebrations are of a firework display. Part of this is shot in Dufaycolor. 5) The final sequence is of a Remembrance Day Service at the town cenotaph.

Featured Events

A visit by the Duke and Duchess of York; Duke of York Boys Camp, Southwold; Lowestoft Hospital Fete; The Celebrations of the Jubilee of King George V

Keywords

Boys Brigade; Carnivals; Fetes; Jubilee celebrations; King George; Pageants; Royal visits; Remembrance Day

Intertitles

Visit of the Duke of York. Lowestoft. Hospital Fete.The Fete was opened by Viscountess Dunwich. Beauty Contest. So ends Carnival.

Other Places

Southwold

Background Information

During the Civil War Lowestoft declared for the King. Yarmouth supported Parliament. In 1643 Lowestoft was the scene of an abortive rising by Royalists from Norfolk and Suffolk, an attempted coup which would probably be forgotten were it not for the fact that Oliver Cromwell himself seized the town and arrested the gentlemen involved. George II landed in Lowestoft in 1736 after a stormy trip across from the Continent. The King was driven by Mr. John Jex to his house in the High Street. (Published in “Lowestoft: East Cost Port,” by Robert Malster. Published by Terence Dalton Limited, Lavenham, Suffolk. 1982.) Viscountess Dunwich, previously Lady Barbara Grosvenor, lived at Dennington Hall, Woodbridge. She married Viscount Dunwich in 1929. Major Selwyn Wollaston Humphrey was Mayor of Lowestoft from 1920 1922, 1931-1933 and 1934-1935. He was involved in making this film. He also made others that feature in the Archive’s collection.