JOHN BAMFORD, G.C.

Series

Series Name

Mining Review 6th Year

Issue

Issue No.

9

Date Released

May 1953

Stories in this Issue:

1. 1JOHN BAMFORD, G.C.
2. 2DERBY RAM
3. 3ENQUIRE HERE
4. 4DEEP BREATHING

Story

Story No. within this Issue

1 / 4

Summary

BFI synopsis: story of the young miner hero awarded the George Cross at Buckingham Palace. He is seen on a visit to London with his family.
NCB Commentary - Buckingham Palace, London. A misty spring morning, with the only splashes of colour the uniforms of the guardsmen on sentry-go. Inside, the Queen is holding an investiture, and the first to be honoured is John Bamford, Geogre Cross.
16 year old Bamford has won the supreme badge of civilian courage for rescuing his young brothers from their burning home. In doing so, he was terribly burned himself. The Carnegie Fund, too, has given him its highest award for gallantry.
John Bamford came to London from Newthorpe in Nottingham, where he works at Moorgreen Colliery, and at London’s Hobart House NCB chairman Sir Hubert Houldsworth was on the doorstep to greet him.
In four crowded days John, together with his mother, sister, the local vicar and his best pal, did the town. One afternoon the Thames Division of the police took their turn at entertaining him. From Waterlook Pier, the only floating police station in his world, a police launch took the party on the river. The familiar landmarks were all new to John - it was his first trip South - and there was plenty to see on the trip to Greenwich and back, not least the control desk of this fast power boat.
Modest and quiet, John Bamford doesn’t talk much about himself. All he’s waiting for, he says, is the day when he’s fit enough to get back again to his job in the pit.

Researcher Comments

BFI sources suggest that this story was filmed on the 11th March 1953. Commentary recorded 7 March 1953.

Keywords

Celebrations and festivals; Mining; Accidents and disasters; Awards and honours

Locations

London; Buckingham Palace; England

Written sources

British Film Institute Databases   Used for Synopsis
Film User   Vol.8 No.87 January 1954, p32.
The National Archives COAL 32   /3 Scripts for Mining Review, 1949-1956

Credits:

Production Co.

Documentary Technicians Alliance

Camera

Eric Pask

Camera

John Reid

Sponsor

National Coal Board