Big Ben’s Birthday

Series

Series Name
British Movietone News

Issue

Issue No.
1565A
Date Released
4 Jun 1959
Stories in this Issue:
  1. 1Big Ben’s Birthday
  2. 2The Derby

Story

Story No. within this Issue
1 / 2
Summary
MOVIETONE CARD TITLE: Big Ben’s Birthday. DESCRIPTION: There’s a special reason for these pictures of the Houses of Parliament. This year of grace marks the hundredth birthday of the world’s most famous clock. Everyone calls it Big Ben (though that’s not really quite correct), and we all set our clocks and watches by it. Eleven o’clock was the historic hour chosen for the ceremony, the birthday celebration, which was attended by Parliamentarians and Government officials. Big Ben, to be correct, is the hour bell, and they used sixteen horses to bring it to Westminster, in 1859. It was Sir Benjamin Hall (First Commissioner of Works, at the time) after whom Big Ben (the bell) is named. Since the end of World War One, the striking of eleven o’clock by Big Ben has indeed acquired special significance. The hour of remembrance through three reigns. Then war again, and Big Ben itself went to war. It became the symbol of Britain’s survival. All through the blitz, the old clock helped to keep London ticking, however hard the enemy struck. When the House of Commons itself was laid in ruins by enemy bombs, Parliament’s clock escaped. Big Ben was still going strong! And to-day, high above the rebuilt House of Commons, Big Ben still tells the time with faithful accuracy. Few of us who listen to the chimes have seen the works, so here they are. They only stopped once because of a mechanical defect ...in December 1944. Big Ben, a hundred years old, with a personality of its own. And a voice of its own, just a little bit cracked! SHOTLIST: CU Big Ben at 11.00 (key). Aerial GV Houses of Parliament. Dissolve to Big Ben. Low angle same at 3.30. CU same at 3.40. GV Houses of Parliament. MS Big Ben at 11.00. GV ceremony. Another same. High angle same. MS Mr Macmillan and party seated. LS ceremony. CU commemorative plaque. Dissolve to drawing - transport of the hour bell 100 years ago. Another drawing - bell being tested. MS drawing of clock face. Dissolve to CU drawing of Sir Benjamin Hall. Dissolve to drawing of Big Ben and bridge 100 years ago. Dissolve to GV Houses of Parliament. Dissolve to GV remembrance service at Cenotaph. MS Big Ben at 11.00. GV crowds. MS King George V LS Big Ben seen through archway. MS George VI. Longer shot Big Ben. GV Remembrance at Cenotaph. MS Queen Elizabeth. LS Big Ben. Closer same. GV river seen from Big Ben. Another same. MS interior hour bell strikes. CU same. CU microphones. GV burning building in blitz. Lower angle same. MS firemen fighting same with hoses. Closer same. Burning buildings. GV pan - bombed House of Commons. Same. Dissolve to GV House of Commons. Interior CU clock face. MS clock mechanism. CU swinging pendulum. MS clock mechanism. Another CU same. MS same. CU mechanism. MS swinging pendulum. MS working mechanism. CU same. CU plaque ‘Fixed here 1859’. LS House of Commons. Closer same. CU Big Ben.
Keywords
Commemorations; Politics and government; Buildings and structures; Vehicles; Fires; Celebrations and festivals; Science and technology; Ceremonies; War damage
Locations
London; England
Footage sources
Library
Card file number
77218
Credits:
Commentator
Geoffrey Sumner
Camera
Samuelson
Length of story (in feet)
311
Story extras:
Film clip

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