Take a trip down memory lane with this rights-free collection of over 100 short documentaries about wartime Britain, made by us during the 1940s.

A young man learns to become a farmer, keen to show the integration of traditional farming with modern science and education.

A Farmer's Boy

The important role played by Lloyd's of London in world shipping, using the '100 A1' rated S.S. Armadillo as an example.

A.1. at Lloyd's

From Stonehenge to the reinforced concrete constructions of the 20th Century, this film takes us on a tour of Britain’s architecture throughout the ages.

Architects of England

The course of history unfolds across the screen. This film explores the history of the empires surrounding the Atlantic Ocean over the last 600 years. 

Atlantic

Keen to strike a balance between modern machinery and traditional hand-made skills, this film shows the production of Scottish wool, in stunning Technicolor. 

Border Weave

Featuring footage of World War One and military training manoeuvres, Britain Shoulders Arms explores the British army as it modernises and goes to war. 


Britain Shoulders Arms

A British Newsreel compilation from various news sources depicting topics such as refugees escaping the Nazis and the work of the Red Cross.

British News No.1

A British newsreel compilation from various news sources depicting topics such as how tanks are produced, and the return of the ‘little ships’ after Dunkirk.

British News No.2

A British newsreel compilation from various news sources depicting topics such as building fighter planes and children being evacuated to the countryside. 

British News No.3

A British newsreel compilation from various news sources depicting topics such as the role of the Royal Navy, and training Local Defence Volunteers.


British News No.4

A British newsreel compilation from various news sources depicting topics such as the RAF in Libya and agricultural efforts to make Britain self-sufficient. 

British News No.5

The University of Cambridge and the life of those who study there. The film shows many famous streets and colleges and typical scenes of university life. 

Cambridge

Cargoes follows the S.S. Ionian, a Royal Mail steamer ship, as she delivers her cargo around the Mediterranean - her final peacetime journey.

Cargoes

Filmed after the start of the Blitz, City Bound is an exploration of the daily commute into London from the suburbs in 1941.

City Bound

A look at daily life in a traditional fishing community, in Cornish fishing village Newlyn Bay, in the south-west of England.

Coastal Village

The art of the potter is centuries old. A Technicolor study of English pottery, the skill of the potter, and the modern mechanised factories of Wedgwood. 

Colour in Clay

As the war rages, allies of Britain keep their cultures alive in their National Houses, set up by the Allied European Governments and the British Council.

Common Ground

Set in Boston, Country Town introduces the viewer to a typical, thriving, market town. It gently explores the changes brought about by the Second World War. 

Country Town

As England battles it out against Australia at Lord’s cricket ground, we revisit some of the greats of the sport’s history along the way.

Cricket

A tour of the Dartmouth Royal Naval College, showing the education and shaping of young men into members of the Royal Navy. 

Dartmouth

A tour of Tideswell, Derbyshire, showing its limestone hills, church and buildings, and the locals who work in the quarry. This film has a French soundtrack.  

NOTE: This film has a French soundtrack.

Derbyshire Village

This film takes us on a journey, examining the motivations of town-builders from the Iron Age to the 1940s, and extolling the virtues of 'modern' planning. 

Development of the English Town

Development of the Rabbit is a study of the gestation period of rabbits - aided by diagrammatic, microscopic, and dissection footage.

Development of the Rabbit

A look at Britain's trade unions: how they operated, why they were so important, and how they affected the lives of their members.

Each for All

Instead of learning sign-language, deaf children are taught to speak and lip-read so that they might interact with others as easily as possible.

Education of the Deaf

Dramatically told, English Criminal Justice takes us on a journey through the principles and procedures of the various courts of law in Britain.



English Criminal Justice

The miners of Britain work day and night to keep the country fuelled in this exploration of the industrial coal-mining process.

Full Cycle

A colourful look at the various types of gardens, from Hampton Court to cottage gardens, to be found in England, a nation of gardeners.

Gardens of England

In the run up to the 1945 general election, this film focuses on the electoral race of one of the 640 constituencies - that of Kettering, Northamptonshire. 

General Election

Good Value shows the skill and craftsmanship in British industry - from cloth weaving to knife-making, generator construction to light-bulb manufacture. 




Good Value

An overview of the free healthcare available for children, and the environmental improvements that led to increased public well-being in Britain.

Health of a Nation

History of the English language demonstrates how language changes over time, and presents England as being multicultural right down to its roots. 

History of the English Language

Hospital School shows us how children were treated, rehabilitated, and educated at The Lord Mayor Treloar Cripples Hospital and College in Alton, Hampshire. 

Hospital School

How a Bicycle is Made showcases the design and manufacture of Raleigh bicycles, as told by a designer to a father and son.


How a Bicycle is Made

A cross-section of how various people across Britain spend Saturday - the day divided between work in the morning and recreation for the rest of the day.

Island People

The breeding of famous strains of British cattle, including Ayrshires bred for milk, Herefords bred for beef and Shorthorns.

John Bull

A famous excerpt from William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar - Act III, Scene 2 -
The Forum Scene. The growing ambition of Caesar is a source of major concern.


Julius Caesar

An overview of Scotland's great inventors including Macadam, Watts, Murdock, Nasmyth, Telford, Henry Bell, Alexander Bell, Simpson, Ross and a host of others. 

Land of Invention

A typical school day for the three children of the Brown family at nursery, junior, and senior schools, and the principles behind their education.


Learning To Live

The BBC provides an enriching Schools broadcast that teaches children about other cultures, and brings into a village school a breath from the world outside.

Lessons from the Air

The manufacture of optical lenses, and their many uses throughout the different industries; from microscopes to spectacles to full use in the war effort.

Let's See

Three Canadian soldiers visiting London discuss the experiences of Britain that they have been writing home to loved ones about.

Letter from Britain

This film follows farmer John Blunt as he seeks to become a councillor in his local borough, and the work of the local council once he is elected.

Local Government

Chronicling London during the midst of World War II, London 1942 illustrates the changes in daily life brought about by the pressures of war.

London 1942

The docks of the River Thames, the precautions being taken during the war, and the markets of London. ‘There is no sleep for the greatest port in the world’.

London River

A station worker takes a young lady to the cinema inside Waterloo station itself to see a film about the workings of the station.

London Terminus

Britain has attained a leading position in the manufacture of glass. This film showcases the traditional and modern manufacture of glass and its applications. 

Looking Through Glass

A study of the architecture, arable farming, and crafts found in and around a typical lowland village - Lavenham in Suffolk. 

Lowland Village

Famous excerpts from William Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Act II, Scene 2, and Act V, Scene 1 - murder and sleep-walking scenes.

Macbeth

An experimental account of the historical growth of personal freedom and civil rights in Britain using prints, animated sequences, and re-enactment. 

Magna Carta

The British were pioneers of crop rotation. A Technicolor film on the principles and practicalities of crop rotation, illustrated with diagrams and models.

Make Fruitful the Land

A market town is the centre of the life of its surrounding countryside. A typical market day in the old town of Newark, Nottinghamshire.

Market Town

A description of the Mersey from its source in the Derbyshire hills, through the Manchester Ship Canal to its estuary below Liverpool.

Merseyside

Canterbury Cathedral accompanied by choral songs and a sermon by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr William Temple, on the history of the cathedral. 


Message From Canterbury

Morning Paper follows the production of an issue of The Times during the Blitz, from the daily editorial conference to the printing presses.

Morning Paper

A look at the education and vocational training of the visually impaired, how they are educated and taught to find their way about the world. 

Out of the Night

A look at the facilities and character of Oxford University, and the varied experiences that are associated with studying there.

Oxford

Following the recuperation and treatment of Frank Thompson, this film shows the varied services available to sufferers of tuberculosis at Papworth.

Papworth Village Settlement

Piccadilly Circus, in peace or war, is the hub of the world. A look at Piccadilly Circus, Regent Street, Leicester Square and Soho during wartime.

Piccadilly Roundabout

An amusing look at the production of a picture magazine, following the journalist 'Jim' as he investigates a town planning story in the north of England.

Picture Paper

The development and manufacture of plastics and their many uses in the everyday world, from the powder to the rolling and moulding of the finished article. 

Plastics

An amusing and informative introduction to the manufacture of cables for transmitting electric power, set to a jaunty musical score.

Power Lines

Power on the Land demonstrates how advances in technology and machinery have helped modernise agriculture to meet the need for increased food production.

Power on the Land

This film follows the production of a steam locomotive. The engine is followed through the boiler-shop, the machine-shop and the assembly-shop. 

Power to Order

This film is a Technicolor introduction to the manufacture and design of woven and printed cotton fabrics, which are presented in a stunning fashion show.

Queen Cotton

A look at the communities and industries, including paper, chemicals, coal, steel and shipbuilding, that line the banks of the River Tyne. 

River Tyne

The Flying Squad of New Scotland Yard works to solve the mystery of some stolen crates of tea, telling the story of the tracing and capture of motor thieves.

Routine Job

Royal Road takes a look at the public-facing activities of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (the Queen Mother) during the Second World War. 

Royal Road

A dramatic account of the lifeboatmen of Mousehole in Cornwall, and their efforts to rescue the crew of a foundering ship.

S.O.S.

A look at the lives of Britain's hardworking fishermen, who sail in all weathers through perilous seas, and how their work has been changed by war. 

Sailors Without Uniform

A look at the history of the Sea Scouts and the many skills its members can acquire, including wireless telegraphy, navigation, swimming and life-saving. 

Sea Scouts

A Technicolor film exploring the beautiful scenery and famous buildings around Snowdonia, Wales, from Conway Castle to the Snowdon summit. 

Snowdonia

Song of the Clyde follows the river Clyde with music; from its upland origins, past industrial towns, and through Glasgow, to the sea.

Song of the Clyde

An exploration of the history of St Paul’s Cathedral in London, with a focus on the architecture and individuals buried there, and the impact of the Blitz. 

St. Paul's Cathedral

An informative account of the history, manufacture, and scientific principles behind a steam turbine, used in ships and large power stations. 

Steam Turbine

The backbone of Britain's industrial power lies in her great steel industry. Steel explores the manufacture of steel and the workings of a foundry. 

Steel

From the laying of the keel through to the riveting of steel plates - teams of men work together to build and launch a steel ship.

Steel Goes To Sea

This film demonstrates various ballet steps and the process of staging a show. There is also a short ballet showcasing these techniques.

Steps of the Ballet

Young women embark on a three-year course to become fully trained nurses, gaining experience in a variety of situations within the hospital before graduating.

Student Nurse

An avant-garde piece produced by Len Lye, colours and shapes accompany the popular 1930s tune 'Swinging the Lambeth Walk'.

Swinging the Lambeth Walk

The mechanical power of giant excavators, perfected by British engineers, and the work they do to help Britain’s growth.

Teeth of Steel

This film depicts how people working in industry across Britain continue to operate with defiant strength and unity to support the war effort at home.

The Answer

The Great Game starts with schoolboys being taught by famous footballers, followed by extended footage of the Football League War Cup Finals from 1945.

The Great Game

To encourage city-dwellers to escape the restrictions of war, this film leaves inner-city London for the natural delights of the capital's rural surroundings.

The Green Girdle

Part of the archive’s Junior Biology series, this study of maize, the universal corn, is aided by diagrammatic, time-lapse, and microscopic footage.

The Life Cycle of the Maize

Part of the archive’s Junior Biology series, this study of the newt is aided by diagrammatic and microscopic footage. From egg to tadpole to fully grown.

The Life Cycle of The Newt

Part of the archive's Junior Biology series, this study of pin mould is aided by diagrammatic, time-lapse, and microscopic footage.

The Life Cycle of the Pin Mould

Part of the archive's Junior Biology series, this study of the onion is aided by diagrammatic, time-lapse, and microscopic footage.

The Life History of the Onion


Part of the archive’s Junior Biology series, this study of the rabbit in its natural surroundings is aided by diagrammatic footage.


The Life of the Rabbit

Lighter in nature than many of the films, this is a rendition of the traditional English folksong 'The Lincolnshire Poacher' accompanied by animated drawings.

The Lincolnshire Poacher

A look at the traditional craft of wooden boatbuilding, and the important roles those little ships play, sailing into English history at Dunkirk.

The Little Ships of England

The training and principles of British police officers, their duties whilst on the beat and their role within the community.

The Man on the Beat

An overview of the progressive facilities at a modern coal mine in Scotland, with an emphasis on the steps taken to ensure worker welfare there.

The New Mine

A guide to some of the coastline, countryside and properties preserved by the National Trust. ‘This noble heritage is held in public trust forever.'

The People's Land

Three overseas servicemen take a tour of the Royal Mile from Edinburgh Castle to Holyrood Palace, learning about the sometimes gruesome history of Scotland.

The Royal Mile, Edinburgh

The Second Freedom follows Jack Brown as he goes through life, and explores the various benefits he may receive as a result of National Insurance. 

The Second Freedom

The roles inns have played in England over the years from monastic times to the present day, and the social centres they are today.


The Story of English Inns

A snapshot of life in the Outer Hebrides, this film shows the traditional manufacture of Harris Tweed and the dramatic homecoming of shipwrecked sailors. 

The Western Isles

In the first three days one million children were evacuated. A look at the logistics and positive results of evacuation at the start of the Second World War. 

These Children are Safe

A miner with an injured spine is treated in a hospital before being sent to a rehabilitation centre to make a full recovery.

British Council film archive

Explore the archive

Filter