Pimlico, London - Rare 1950s film of Thomas Cubitt's stucco streets

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6 жыл бұрын

Some priceless views of Pimlico in London, made during the 1950s.
Many of the buildings and streets in these films have been demolished or redeveloped.
However, there are many streets and buildings still very recognisable today.
These pieces of originally silent film appear to have been either outtakes, film made for atmosphere or just as a recce of the area.
They were made for two 1950s British feature films made in the 1950s.
Most of the clips are connected to the film "Hunted" which starred Dirk Bogarde, and was released in 1952.
Some are connected with the later film "Innocent Sinners" starring Flora Robson and David Kossoff, and released in 1958.
Both these films use extensive outside shots in and around the Pimlico area, and for lovers of this unique "village" in the heart of London, they are well worth looking out for.
These outtakes, however, have an intyerest all of their own, inasmuch as they are often long, lingering, static shots, allowing us to see the people and vehicles of the period going about their daily business.
Other clips are travelling shots made from a car or bus, driving slowly through many of the stucco streets of Pimlico, and are fascinating in their own way too.
I have added a "soundtrack" to jolly the films along.
One of the recordings is of Gus Elen,(22 July 1862 - 17 February 1940) the famous coster music hall star of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century.
He was born at 103 Pulford Street, Pimlico - now mostly lost to the Tachbrook Estate, which was built during the 1930s, and completed in the 1950s.
[N.B.For the music critics:
I'm aware that the music isn't to everyone's taste - what music is - but I chose to find the few songs there are about, or relevant to Pimlico rather than music from the 1950s.
My apologies to those it appears to offend - but after all, most of the buildings of Pimlico itself date back to the early 19th Century.
The film can always be muted! ]

Пікірлер: 117

@shadowbannedbyyoutube415 4 жыл бұрын

Absolutely wonderful.....I'm 71, this was the London of my childhood......If only we could travel back in time, away from the horrific world we now live in.

@eileenpayne6936 3 жыл бұрын

l lived in London and was born at 18 Cumberland Street and it was a great area to grow up and the people were lovely to

@eileenpayne6936 3 жыл бұрын

My name was Eileen Gallagher back then

@qiarnab 2 жыл бұрын

Yes because the 50s was such a great time!! Try telling that to gay people, ethnic minorities, women, people inflicted with mental illness..etc

@leehighland5435 2 жыл бұрын

@@qiarnab Do us a favour, even those people would say it was better, no one likes woke, you PC people are despised by the whole nation.

@brianfaulkner7446 2 жыл бұрын

So so true, my London has long gone 😢, unbelievable

@paulworthington8666 Жыл бұрын

So many beautiful streets destroyed or disfigured by "developers" or "planners". Life used to thrive on the streets and the small local businesses and pubs. Many parts of London and other British cities were urban villages with vibrant local communities. I am glad I was young then. It is so much easier to be old now, when there is so much less to want to live for.

@ronstokes5787 5 ай бұрын

Born 8 Sutherland Row 1947,moved to 25Winchester Street, then Page Street and finally to Churchill Gardens. As a nipper I’ve walked all the streets shone in your extremely good film. Memories galore. Many many thanks

@stephenrichardhamilton6112 Ай бұрын

Me too. I was born in1947 at denbigh place.

@bobspeller2225 4 жыл бұрын

Great memories, I was born in 1947. So this goes right through my childhood.

@monumentstosuffering2995 3 жыл бұрын

Ineffably beautiful . I wish I could go back for a day.

@lon757 5 жыл бұрын

Born at 26 Churton Street in 1952, was so good to see my old town as I remember it, almost had a tear in my eye when I saw Herberts Dairy at the top of the street.. Thanks....

@kevinchamberlain5978 3 жыл бұрын

I don't know the area at all, but it's fascinating to see footage from those days. The world looks a simpler, more sensible place.

@wcstevens7 4 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much. I lived at 22 Charlwood street from 1960 until 1965 it was such a lovely, safe, neighbourhood and I have such happy memories of my time there.

@meijiturtle3814 3 жыл бұрын

Fascinating. I spent a bit of time around Pimlico in the late 1950s as a schoolfriend lived in the area.

@patrickpayne8272 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for SUCH A BEAUTIFUL post....ah!!!.... London....how it used to be...where everyone knew there place and manor

@stephenrichardhamilton6112 Жыл бұрын

I was so pleased to see where i was born in 1947. It brought back memories of childhood.

@tedkelly4663 4 жыл бұрын

Lovely film and memories when I lived in Winchester Street.

@juliathompson6433 4 жыл бұрын

Seen this on passport to Pimlico great video...but today it jumped out of no where and while watching, it hovered on Ashley’s Truck store brought a tear as I remembered a friend of mine Ken Williams who worked there as a young man in the 60s I just heard last wk he’d died in 🇯🇲 Jamaica RIP Ken really nice fella x

@DariusDavies 6 жыл бұрын

wow they knocked downs some amazing buildings!

@booth2710 3 күн бұрын

yes but they knocked down a lot of slum buildings as well

@theprior46 2 жыл бұрын

Fascinating time-machine this wonderful footage. I was aged 4 to 14 in the 1950s and in North West London. It's amazing to see how fast the traffic flowed then and how pedestrians happily jay-walked across roads and very few crossings available. I think Belisher Beacons were a new thing back then. Great to see Standard Vanguard cars and early Morris Minors, then in one shot a very "swish"! looking streamlined Bristol car sped past. Excellent film.

@MaxinMaxin-fj5pn 6 жыл бұрын

Some great footage here and thanks for sharing. Made me feel nostalgic as I too grew up in Pimlico in the 50's

@marje8249 Жыл бұрын

Wonderful 😌 Take us back to these quieter times 🙏

@user-sy5du1nn8k Жыл бұрын

Lovely, evocative scenes from everyday life in London. Well presented with helpful captions and great popular tunes of the era.

@SexyMofugger 6 жыл бұрын

I grew up on Tachbrook street early 1970s so I was gob-smacked to see all those streets I know like the back of my hand but in a 1950s scenario. The corner shop and the Constitution pub I know were already there!

@wcstevens7 4 жыл бұрын

Clear Visions Media ..I believe that The Constitution pub. Was also called HENEKEYS.

@alangaughran 5 жыл бұрын

Born in 1949 I grew up on the Churchill Gardens, Pimlico estate from the age of one and remained there for more than 25 years (ignoring college in Brighton). While I knew every street shown - right down to the signs and shop windows (Sunlight Laundry is etched on my brain) there do seem to be some oddities in the footage. We used to walk and play freely as children. I got to know intimately the entire area between the river at Pimlico to north of Soho and Oxford Street, Chelsea in the West and beyond the Tower in the East from about age seven. I never saw a tram anywhere. Trolleybuses yes, trams no. By the time I was seven I had free reign and never saw the tram lines (although I think I saw remnants under worn tarmac in Vauxhall Bridge Road once). I think some footage must be pre-war as I feel sure there were bombed gaps in some places during my childhood that did not show in the footage. The big bombed hole (used to store water to put fires out during the war) in Belgave Road (now built over) was there well into my twenties. Also, I also believe some footage is post-fifties. The houses in Pimlico were almost all covered in peeling paint at that time. At every corner there was the following painted notice: "PUBLIC SHELTERS IN VAULTS UNDER PAVEMENTS IN THIS STREET" with a black arrow pointing along the road. At each entrance to the under-pavement coal cellars was a similar sign: "SHELTER" with an arrow pointng down. While there seem to be some of these in the footage many houses don't seem to have these wartime notices. Also, the white painted pillars seem too plentiful for the fifties auterity period. Nevertheless, this footage is priceless. I know that the songs are all "Pimlico-related" but they give a false impresion of the time. Bill Haley, Elvis, Cliff Richard and the Shadows, Marty Wilde, Tommy Steele would have been far more accurate. Pimlico was a perfect place to grow up - part of London, but separated from its worst extremes. It did not change for the better with the coming of the Victoria Line, suffering an early phase of gentrification followed by the franchise manipulations of the Westminster City Council under 'Lady Porter' just because that disgraceful Thatcher woman could not bear the fact that Westminster was very non-Tory.

@arikcarlo 4 жыл бұрын

alangaughran Do you think redevelopment was an enhancement to Pimlico or a gentrification eyesore?

@johnhehir508 Жыл бұрын

The Luftwaffe destroyed part of pimlico the post war architects did the rest!!!!!

@grainnedalton3448 4 ай бұрын

amazing how many railing have gone, but also more left than i thought there would be

@paulinerowson13 6 жыл бұрын

Fantastic film, thank you so much for this. Great insights into 1950 and very helpful research for my new crime novel set in 1950 and featuring a Scotland Yard detective who lives in Pimlico but who is often called away to the coast to solve murder cases!

@loushared6602 5 ай бұрын

Have you finished the book yet?!

@paulinerowson13 5 ай бұрын

I've now written four in my Inspector Ryga 1950s series with number five due out this June. @@loushared6602

@orionsstar6326 6 жыл бұрын

What a great footage...So simple life, and its amazing to see how most of the buildings are still around these days. Nice time machine !

@ritaerangey6444 6 жыл бұрын

fantastic footage, such great memories

@brianfaulkner7446 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for posting, that was my London, MAGIC.

@roykemp4941 6 жыл бұрын

An excellent little video , many thanks for uploading.

@rosemarywaldie4958 6 ай бұрын

Loved the last song especially ❤️👏

@DavidWoods-rk8st 2 жыл бұрын

Cor brings back some memorys

@keithfarren6201 2 жыл бұрын

76 now grew up in this area from the 50s to the late 90s ,

@markbrisenden 6 жыл бұрын

Great stuff. Some lovely footage and a great soundtrack. damn gentrification .

@blazemkds 5 жыл бұрын

I've lived here for 21 years. This is really amazing to see thanks for the upload.

@ianbeck741 6 жыл бұрын

Remarkable and moving footage played it through with some Robert Farnon scores seemed more in keeping with the period but real Time Machine stuff

@markbickerton2717 2 жыл бұрын

What a delight

@billmason2785 10 ай бұрын

London is wonderful...

@BlondieAndBeyond 6 жыл бұрын

Amazing, thank you.

@geraldhannibal7654 3 жыл бұрын

Not offended but uplifted. Thank you so much. Best wishes. G

@jimthorne304 3 жыл бұрын

Recognisably London despite many changes. What strikes me is how empty everything is; the pavements aren't crowded, the roads aren't busy, the buses and trams are empty. All this makes me wonder when exactly this was filmed; presumably it was on a weekday as the shops etc. are open, and it looks like it was summer. Two things I especially liked, 1) the 'Reids' dray (Reids was merged into Watney Combe Reid, later Watneys), 2) the 'trafficator' on the vehicle carrying the camera that comes into view in the last minute or so of the film. I don't know when winking lights supplanted 'trafficators' but I do remember my parents not liking them!

@hellahalloula576 2 жыл бұрын

I spent the summer of 2017 and 2019 and 2020 in Pimlico London i loved im back to my country Tunisia 🇹🇳 sure i will come back im 51 i plan to spend the rest of my life in Pimlico

@ramsey633 6 жыл бұрын

great i was born in vauxhall bridge rd but a lot of this had already been demolished when i was living there it looked better then

@josephomalley1526 5 жыл бұрын

Gold !

@jacksugden8190 2 жыл бұрын

Been to Pimlico a few times in the 40 years of living in London, I was north London, so sadly hard to compare these streets with the town now, although the film was excellent viewing, welcomed the chance to have seen this valuable footage.

@drewskih4005 Жыл бұрын

From pimlico. Family moved to the best part of London (pimlico) in 30's from Scotland. I'm now 30 and my parents and family have all grown up here. Working class, salt of the earth I am a proud pimliconian, it is very interesting to see the comments aswell. Page street Churchill tachbrook ebury old pye st Andrews club.MY PIMLICO.

@AlexWindsor 3 жыл бұрын

Great video, thanks ! I lived on and off in a squat at 2 Moreton Street between 2005 and 2009. The building is now demolished and replaced with luxury flats but some of the building was built by Thomas Cubitt and dated from 1830 I think. I did a bit of research into the local history as well as having a lot of dealings with the council regarding the property as you can imagine. Thanks again for the resourse! Music is fantastic as well.

@robtyman4281 5 жыл бұрын

How many of these nice old buildings still exist? ...more to the point, how many were unnecessarily 'torn down' by overzealous planners in the 1960s? Did anyone notice the 1920s style car at 10:48?!

@MarmiteCrumpets 5 жыл бұрын

I worked for London Transport as a driver on the 24 bus route in the 1980s (when still Routemasters), My understanding was that Pimlico was West of Vauxhall Bridge Rd, though I may be incorrect in that assumption? Certainly that is where all the tramcar scenes are based. Tramways didn't otherwise penetrate the Pimlico area. Despite many of the buildings depicted having long since been demolished, much of the area still appeared familiar in my memory from that depicted on film, although a recent visitrevealed demographic changes since the 1980s. The area then was a mix of great wealth abutting social housing, although I guess the social housing tenants have since been hounded out of the area by property speculators?

@alangaughran 5 жыл бұрын

You are correct. Pimlico sat neatly in the triangle bounded by the river, Vauxhall Bridge Road and the rail tracks from Victoria Station the the rail bridge across the Thames. Since then, I have heard the term extended to Horseferry Road and encompassing Vincent Square, Horticultural Halls and the Tate Gallery. I would argue that this is incorrect.

@wuffothewonderdog 3 жыл бұрын

@@alangaughran Pimlico has been the triangle you describe since the railway and trams were introduced. Born in 1942 I grew up in the Watney tenements in Greencoat Place, which was on the other side of Vauxhall Bridge Road and was always referred to as Victoria. I delivered newspapers around Pimlico in the 1950s and all those streets are familiar to me. We were English, Irish, Welsh, Scottish and happy in those days which were so safe, unlike today, enriched by diversity.

@eileenpayne6936 3 жыл бұрын

I loved Cumberland Street and the people were lovely to Eileen Gallagher

@charlesgraham4622 3 жыл бұрын

The film may be post-war, but the music is definitely pre-war!

@tomcretin1131 15 сағат бұрын

The camera is pointing from Rochester Row across Vauxhall Bridge Road.

@magnah5581 3 жыл бұрын

It didn’t get any better

@effyleven 4 жыл бұрын

A lot of the music was at least 30 years older than the footage. Made me groan. There are different degrees of "old," you know.

@direktorpresident 4 жыл бұрын

The place was built centuries ago. Groan off.

@henrysimpson6964 3 жыл бұрын

Ah, happy days. Parking anywhere

@ORDEROFTHEKNIGHTSTEMPLAR13 2 ай бұрын

i used to live there in St Georges Sq..

@asjalane2289 3 жыл бұрын

Great footage,love the old London street scenes...look closely and you can see JonWhiteley child actor in the distance coming across the road earlier in the movie....wonder why they let the camera run for so long in the last scenes? Could have been for back projection if it's for movie scenes...

@wellersmate 3 жыл бұрын

This is a wonderful collection of various footage of Pimlico. The area appears in a number of 1950s films 😉. The child you saw is from the film Hunted, starring Dirk Bogarde. As I’m born and bread I can watch this sort of stuff over and over!

@tomkent4656 5 жыл бұрын

Probably intended for BP (background projection) mattes.

@douglasvick9703 Ай бұрын

Watch The Film."""Passport To Pimlico""""...Wonderful....

@markselby9352 2 жыл бұрын

Does anyone know much about the Moreton Triangle? I’ve always been interested in it’s history

@racine09 Жыл бұрын

seems like a less hectic time

@johnandrew3350 Жыл бұрын

Was the Film Passport to Pimlico actually filmed in Pimlico? Also how big is Pimlico?

@billmason2785 10 ай бұрын

Google size

@booth2710 3 күн бұрын

No passport to Pimlico was actually filmed mostly in Lambeth

@Max-trek 3 жыл бұрын

I didnt get to see my old school Churchill Gardens in lupus street. I wonder if its still there?

@wellersmate 3 жыл бұрын

It was my Primary School too - and yes! It’s still there. Check it out on Google Earth!

@Max-trek 3 жыл бұрын

@@wellersmate Did you live in tatchbrook estate?

@wellersmate 3 жыл бұрын

No Churchill 😉

@Max-trek 3 жыл бұрын

@@wellersmate yeah Churchill gardens estate. I had friends there

@koont666 5 жыл бұрын

Subbed

@philipcubitt 2 жыл бұрын

How did they ever cope? NO double yellow lines, bus lanes, traffic lights, cycle lanes, speed cameras, yellow boxes, pedestrian crossings, parking meters, Luxury .....

@stevejeffries1603 3 жыл бұрын

Take your pick Then or now?

@davepx1 2 жыл бұрын

It's a good question: I'm a modernist who values heritage and can get as nostalgic as anyone for just this kind of scene: that world's part of me too, through my mum and the films we used to watch (and I still do). But then I I think of how limited people's lives necessarily were: only the BBC (still just radio, for most) or cinema or local varieties for information & entertainment; limited educational opportunity (still the case today, for far too many); regular international travel the preserve of the rich; no computers or internet! (yes, I know most of it's tat, but it's invaluable for quickly grabbing data that would have taken weeks to gather back then - or footage of 1950s Pimlico.) So I'd take today without hesitation, for all its abominations. But we didn't have to throw so much away: imagine if we'd preserved the best of that world (decent shopfronts! Real cars! Trams!!) alongside our mod cons rather than replacing it with dismal identikit boxes. The world had to change, but we didn't need to make it bland and ugly for the sake of it.

@robtyman4281 5 жыл бұрын

Anyone wanting to find out when in the 1950s this film footage was shot? ...there are two clues. First is a Morris Minor (15:20) introduced in 1954, and the second are (original) Routemaster buses which appear throughout this footage. They were introduced in 1956 - so this footage is from 1956 or later. There are also still a few (the last ones) trams left in London. They went in the early 60s. So this footage is probably late 50s! Most of the footage seems to relate clips from the later film.

@briansantilli245 4 жыл бұрын

The footage is between 1951-1953, as I was a schoolboy crossing Vauxhall br rd when the trams stopped running during these years.

@wuffothewonderdog 9 ай бұрын

@@briansantilli245 The trams ceased to run in London in 1951.

@davidfrancis949 6 жыл бұрын

what songs boys an girls

@tuikai2631 3 жыл бұрын

i lived in charlwood st

@JamieJobb 3 жыл бұрын

Jump back just a couple years and you get this view from "Passport to Pimlico" kzfaq.info/get/bejne/h7B1o89jzM62lYE.html

@MrDaiseymay 4 жыл бұрын

As a none Londoner (never been) Pimlico , is a name I only know from Films and books. The houses still look impressive, but I expected more squares and 'Circuses'. of Georgian style.

@Max-trek 3 жыл бұрын

Yes there are squares but they did not show any. st georges square is beautiful

@davepx1 2 жыл бұрын

It's grander to the north as it becomes Belgravia, humbler to the south: the finer houses are 19th- rather than 18th-century: until then it was mostly undeveloped. And the area south of Lupus Street was largely redeveloped after the war (some bomb damage, mostly not).