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When the Wind Blows

1954 , Essex (County)

Cat no. 1166

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A Seven Seas Films production, made for cinema release, celebrating the sailing barge as a working ship.

Credits open over shots of sailing barges on the Thames. At the Port of London, dockyard buildings line the Thames River, with the Tower Bridge central on the skyline. A.P. Herbert provides off-camera commentary, as a sailing ship, barges and lighters are seen on the water, whilst lightermen, dock workers and crane operators load and unload cargo. Using a working model of a sailing barge A.P. Herbert demonstrates how to operate the vessel, hoisting in turn, the topsail, the mainsail, the mizzen, the foresail, and the jib. Seventeenth century paintings illustrate barge designs of this period. Lorries, freight trains and tug boats transport goods once distributed by sailing barges. At Chelsea Harbour, obsolete working vessels converted to houseboats are seen, others, converted holiday boats, are shown with holidaymakers on board. The sailing barge, ‘Centaur’, is loaded with sand at Fingringhoe ballast jetty. Skipper Fred Wilson and his mate prepare the ship and set the sails, with voiceover detailing crew activity as the vessel heads for London. At nightfall, the barge weighs anchor, and the two sailors enjoy a meal in their cabin. The work of the crew continues at daybreak, and the ‘Centaur’ arrives at London docklands to deliver her freight. Boat craftsmen demonstrate the repair and maintenance of boats - laying new planks, and making the decking watertight by sealing with hot pitch; carving the ship’s name on the bough; stitching together and then colour painting a topsail canvas. At Gravesend’s ‘Ship and Lobster’ pub, spectators look out onto the Thames, as sailing barges take part in the annual barge race. A Thames Barge, possibly the ‘Edith May’, is sponsored by Eastwoods Brickmakers. A second barge, ‘Sara’, the favourite to win, takes the lead. Barges round the buoy and head back to harbour.

Featured Buildings

Tower Bridge, London; St. Paul's Cathedral, London; Fingringhoe ballast quay, Essex; the Ship and Lobster pub, Gravesend

Featured Events

The Thames Sailing Barge Race

Other Places

Chelsea Harbour; Fingringhoe; Gravesend; Harwich; London Docklands; Thames Estuary

Background Information

The Centaur was built in 1895, and was capable of carrying up to 140 tons of cargo. Director, Nicholas Hardinge and cinematographer Brian Everett were on board to record the journey to London. The film was shot using Eastman colour 35mm film stock, using a British made Newman Sinclair - a clockwork camera holding 200ft of film, enough to capture two minutes of action, and an Askania - a German camera. The film was made for, and released in cinemas. (Cleveland, D (2009) Films Were Made, Vol. 1, The Region at Work, p158).

  • Production company : Seven Seas Films

  • Producer : Nicholas Hardinge

  • Director : Nicholas Hardinge

  • Editor : Edgar Vetter

  • Camera : Brian R. Everett AIBP

  • Music : Merrick Farran (Composed and conducted)

  • Narrator : A.P. Herbert

  • Script : A.P. Herbert

  • Distributor : Columbia

  • Commentator : AP Herbert

Manifestations

When the Wind Blows

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