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Electrical Exhibition (c. 1930s)
 

Synopsis

Warning: screenonline full synopses contain 'spoilers' which give away key plot points. Don't read on if you don't want to know the ending!

An amateur travelogue shot during a family visit to Liverpool and Southport in the 1930s. The title refers to an industrial exhibition, probably held in Southport, which the Andrew family, from Bolton, visit in the latter part of the film. The film starts with some short Liverpool street scenes featuring two children and their mother, followed by a brief shot of the Victoria Monument in Derby Square. Panoramic views taken from the Overhead Railway feature Victoria Tower in Salisbury Dock, ships in dock, the façade of a warehouse, a vast complex of dockside buildings and a large crane operated by a group of dockworkers. Views of Liver Building and Pier Head Landing Stage from a ferry on the Mersey. Scenes on beach at New Brighton: children playing on the beach; views across the river of the industrial skyline of the northern docks. Shots of New Brighton pier and Fort Perch Lighthouse. Travelling shot from a train bound for Southport. Children and families enjoy a swim at Southport Lido. Children in dress perform dance routines to adults in a park or garden. Scenes at the Electrical Exhibition: the exhibition site, an escape artist and a water diviner.