Long lost historic footage of Hunslet Club activities from the 1940’s to the 80’s have recently come to light and are now available for people to see on the internet.
The remarkable quality films include the opening of the youth clubs current home on Hillidge Road by the Duchess of Kent in 1971, Boys Brigade Parades through the streets of Leeds and the clubs’ national champion winning parade float in 1975.
Three years ago a hoard of old films and audio tapes dating back to the 1950’s was discovered under the club stage. These featured went on to feature in newspapers and on local tv news with many people coming forward to share memories from their youth and shed light on the events featured in the films. Since then copies of further footage of the club dating from the 1940s to the 1980s was donated back to the club and these have been viewed over 35,000 times altogether.
“There has been such incredible community interest in the content of these films” explained Jason Slack, Funding & Marketing Officer at the club, “They have brought back so many memories for people. The fashions and hairstyles may have changed over the years but the sight of children and young people having fun is something you see at the club right through to today.”
One film of the films discovered under the club stage features the Queen visiting the South Leeds RW Crabtree’s printing works in 1958 and is set to be included in an ITV documentary celebrating the Diamond Jubilee in June.
44 films historic films are now available to view on our youtube channel, described and arranged in chronological order to help people identify any that they, relatives or friends might feature in. Go to www.youtube.com/hunsletclub and check out the “Hunslet Club Through The Years” playlist.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5j217DCfDg&feature=player_embedded]
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahWDSIU2XKY&feature=player_embedded]
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NY80OHHZkM&feature=player_embedded]
More on this story from the Yorkshire Evening Post here.
