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Norwich - Tramway Ride Through Principal Streets (1902)
 

BFI

Main image of Norwich - Tramway Ride Through Principal Streets (1902)
 
35mm, 125 feet, black & white, silent
 
Production CompanyWarwick Trading Company

A journey through Edwardian Norwich.

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This startling 'phantom tram ride' through the streets of Norwich vividly captures moments of the city's daily life at the very beginning of the 20th Century. The most exciting element of this film is how filled with activity it is, brimming with fascinating detail in every shot. We see a world before motorcars dominated the road, where horses and trams pass easily down the street. The roads have been scarred by the wheels of carts and carriages, with uneven grooves gouged alongside the tram tracks. Pedestrians in Edwardian clothing hurry along the pavement, busy with their daily routine, oblivious to the fact that their every move is being recorded and that their images will survive a century and more later.

The mistiness of the print works to the film's advantage, infusing it with a captivating ghostly quality. Watching a city of long-dead people come alive is both an eerie and exhilarating experience.

Christian Hayes

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Video Clips
Complete film (3:11)
GALLERY / SCRIPTS / AUDIO
SEE ALSO
Phantom Rides