This is a gem indeed.

It's a miracle we can see it at all.
Lots of colour.

You see white tablecloths on long tables set out on an open verandah running along the front 'deck', and numbers of rickety-jerky old folks all dressed up in their finery, heading bit by bit up the three steps into the old Harbour House that burned-to-the-ground, and a lot of cheerful old folks bearing their loaded plates heading out of the Harbour House, to sit down at an array of long tables out the front, in the shade under the trees (orchard-like). Lots of hats and forking and knifing. If only there was sound, what wonders you might hear!

The rickety jerkiness is the present gait of this old film footage; the folks seem fit as a fiddle, for the most part.

Some do look as if they are being interviewed, so sound might once have been part of the film, and who knows, even recoverable? Perhaps the archives could record a running commentary by those who were present back then (lots of little lads and lasses about, as well as the old codgers).

Then there's the marching band, and a vast parade of children all dressed up and receiving something - bottles of pop and an ice-cream each?

Then much general milling about in the sunshine, on a landscape of lawn surrounded by greenery, some seated on the rising ground around the edges, many seated on hundreds of chairs set out in formal rows on the grass in the sunshine, and others standing, more milling about, everyone arranging themselves for the speechification to begin.

I seem to have missed the speeches...

It says THE END but follows with a panorama of the harbour setting, followed in turn with more feasting...Ê- I keep looking down at the keyboard to type, so maybe I missed a lot before; sometimes it seems to be simplyÊbits of repetition of the film already seen, interspersed with bits I swear I've not viewed before! Definitely not seen earlier.... Ah, and here are a line-up of important people in suits taking turns to speak (silently), perhaps certificates being given out to seated ancients (I know they applied for pioneer status), some of whom are being redirected hither and thither.

What a LOT of people there are!

What a lot of lawnage there is for them to mill about on, an impression of vast acreage to march about in, harbour view (everywheres surrounded by water or trees), HORDES of children, HORDES of the elderly.

An overall impression of such togetherness and gaiety.

Beautiful weather.

Accession Number
Date
Media		Audio