HEART OF ENGLAND

Series

Series Name

Mining Review 13th Year

Issue

Issue No.

2

Date Released

Oct 1959

Stories in this Issue:

1. 1SHOWING THE WORLD
2. 2GEORDIE COMES TO TOWN
3. 3HEART OF ENGLAND

Story

Story No. within this Issue

3 / 3

Summary

BFI synopsis: at historic Cole Orton Hall, near Ashby, Leicestershire, a carnival procession and a pageant "The Heart of England" form part of the Annual Fete and Gala in aid of the Mineworkers’ Paraplegic Fund.
NCB Commentary - Cole Orton Hall, once the home of the Beaumont family, is now the Headquarters of South Derby and Leicestershire Area of the National Coal Board. The Beaumonts were great patrons of art; Wordsworth and Coleridge were frequent visitors to Cole Orton, in fact Wordsworth is said to have helped in designing the gardens.
Every year the grounds of the Hall are opened to the public for the Mineworkers’ Fete and Gala. First the colourful procession of decorated floats left the pit yard at South Leicester Colliery. Then through busy streets to Coalville, where the attractions of the procession didn’t exactly help the traffic problem. On through the pleasant countryside, and I mean pleasant, to Ashby and finally to the Hall itself.
Here, there was a full afternoon’s programme of competitions and leisure, brass bands and summer sunshine. The kids could have a ride behind a real pit Loco and Dad seemed to enjoy it too.
As evening came, there was a Pageant - The Heart of England; written by the Area Training Officer and Produced by the Area Assistant Surveyor. It had all the ingredients, the Old Man of Charnwood appearing with appropriate drama. It was a good beginning but unfortunately the weather wasn’t quite as co-operative as the cast of 500. In fact it was one of the summer’s few wet days.
But the down-pour didn’t last long and, for those who waited, the show went on with a spirited rendering of Richard the III by the Burton Shakespeare Society.
And there was comedy.
Next day all was peace but the Mineworkers’ Paraplegic Fund had benefitted to the tune of a £1,000 by all the fun and games.

Researcher Comments

Commentary recorded 7th September 1959.

Keywords

Children; Celebrations and festivals; Performing arts

Locations

England; Leicestershire

Written sources

British Film Institute Databases   Used for synopsis
Film User   Vol.14 No.167 September 1960, p520.
The National Archives COAL 32   /12 Scripts for Mining Review, 1956-1960

Credits:

Production Co.

Documentary Technicians Alliance

Sponsor

National Coal Board