Step back in time to 1935 with the first-ever Shell Film Unit documentary, which provides a captivating glimpse into the bustling life at Croydon Airport, the primary international airport serving London at the time.
The film explores the intricacies of airport operations, showcasing the dedicated professionals who ensure the smooth functioning of this vital transportation hub.
Against the backdrop of Croydon Airport, the documentary highlights the essential role of meteorologists at the weather bureau. They diligently record and analyze local and international weather data to offer crucial advice to pilots on their flight routes. A weather board in the airport's main hall displays a real-time summary of the weather conditions, aiding in safe takeoffs and landings.
On the tarmac, skilled engineers inspect a 42-seat Handley Page aircraft, ensuring it is in optimal condition for flight. Meanwhile, a tanker refuels the aircraft, readying it for its next journey. The aircraft is towed to the embarkation point, where a small auxiliary motor starts each of its main engines in sequence. This aircraft is not just for passengers; it also carries cargo and mail, facilitating global distribution.
In sum, this historic documentary serves as a window into the bygone era of Croydon Airport, London's first major airport, which operated from 1920 until its closure in 1959. It not only captures the daily operations of the airport but also preserves the memories of the people and the aircraft that played a pivotal role in early 20th-century aviation history.
For more information about Shell’s Historic Film Archive please contact: filmservices@shell.com
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Shell’s surprising and captivating Historic Film Archive dates from 1934 and covers a rich mix of topics from technology, science and engineering to craftsmanship, motorsport and travelogue.
The Shell Film Unit, responsible for the content, was a highly celebrated part of Britain’s Documentary Movement. Key figures from that movement were involved, including: Jack Beddington, Edgar Anstey, Arthur Elton, John Grierson, Kay Mander, Stuart Legg and Douglas Gordon.
Its films were wide reaching, often screened in cinemas and through the non-theatric film distribution circuit, which brought film to educational establishments and organisations across the UK. While many films covered technological themes related to Shell’s activities, others were entirely unrelated and served purely to educate the general public.
As Shell innovated in technologies that would provide oil and gas products for the world, the Shell Film Unit also innovated in the technological advancement of film, incorporating graphics and different forms of animation as early as the 1930s.
During WW2 the Shell Film Unit was co-opted into war effort, making films for the Ministry of Information’s film division. Its prowess in technological documentary suited the MoI’s need for technical training films.
While the name and the medium has changed many times over the years, the documentary tradition lives on at Shell. Its contemporary film team is part of Shell’s multi-disciplinary in-house agency, Creative Solutions. It continues making award-winning factual content that informs and educates the public, now usually released on social media platforms.