Please select a video from selection below.
Some of the footage featured in this section was taken originally from 16mm.
We hope you enjoy these rare clips from the past.
The first series are by the Beckenham Cine Society to mark Beckenham’s Charter.
The 2nd series of videos document the Crystal Palace Fire.
If you feature or know anyone who is in any of the episodes from Beckenham 1935 please get in touch.
**On a mobile device such as a phone or IPAD double tap the video for a full screen.
This film was made in 1935 by the Beckenham Cine Society to mark Beckenham’s Charter; it reviews the public services that were provided within the Borough.
In this section there is footage of both the inside and outside of the old Town Hall that made way for Marks and Spencer’s car park in 1992. Images include a full Council Chamber meeting. Observations are made of the Council's road laying skills along with the workings of the Churchfields depot. It is fascinating to see old cars, steamrollers and what dustcarts looked like in 1935.
Roads featured are Wickham Road and way with the shops and the Chinese Garage. Cars drive down an almost empty High Street. You can even catch a glimpse of The Regal Cinema.
This is the first in a series of 5 parts.
Electricity is the first feature with Beckenham’s electricity station that was adjacent to Churchfields Park. Council workmen toil away with cables and lighting. Salesman or saleswoman from The Electricity Showroom in the High Street (now the M&S building) display the latest mod cons to would be customers.
The maternity home in Croydon Road was managed jointly with Penge Urban District Council and catered for 300 births each year. Mothers bring their children along to the Town Hall Welfare Centre for check ups.
This is the second in a series of 5 parts.
The Public Health Department deliver milk by horse and cart to Marian Vian. Footage features the inside the classrooms, science labs, woodwork shop and canteen. There is a physical education demonstration on the schools playing field and playground.
Includes rare footage of Beckenham Baths with the diving board in place.
This is the third in a series of 5 parts.
Continuing with Beckenham Baths and the water slide. The behind the scenes of the workings of the pump and filtering rooms.
Beckenham’s parks are showcased with Kelsey Park, Croydon Road Recreation Ground with bandstand, bowls, cricket, putting and tennis. Gardeners working on their allotments.
The old fire station with a crew on a demo in the yard and the engine going at speed along Bromley Road.
The episode ends with the Beckenham Cottage Hospital with its 50 beds.
This is the fourth in a series of 5 parts.
The town’s transport with trains departing from Beckenham Junction and buses travel through the High Street past St. Georges Church.
Into the High Street with some of the shops like Woolworth, Deen’s, Wymans & Sons, The Express Dairy, Thorntons Corner, and the chemist Timms & Kirk.
Some of the private sports grounds namely Morgan Grenfell. London Transport, Midland Bank, Cyphers, Beckenham Rugby Club, Lloyds Bank and Beckenham Hockey Club are given a very quick tour.
Beckenham Tennis week comes to town at Beckenham Cricket Club with crowds rushing in to get the unreserved seats. Packed crowds strain to get a view of some of the matches.
Floats from the annual Wickham Fair glide past The Swan Public House.
The Beckenham Flower show is opened by Miss Bowes-Lyon, hosted once again at Croydon Road Recreation Ground.
The film comes to an end with words from Sir Joseph Stamp, Mayor of Beckenham.
This is the last in a series of 5 parts.
The Crystal Palace Is On Fire.
Many thanks to Melvyn Harrison of The Crystal Palace Foundation for permission to use some footage from the The Crystal Palace is on Fire DVD.
To mark the 60th anniversary of the Crystal Palace's destruction by fire on the night of 30th November 1936, The Crystal Palace Foundation produced a 55 minute video (now out of print) packed with rare archive film footage telling the story of the world famous Victorian building. This has now been made into a DVD with another of their videos - Crystal Reflections.
Written and presented by film historian John Huntley of the London Film Archive, the fully chaptered DVD spans the full range of entertainment and sport at the "People's Palace", as well as the dramatic night when it burned to the ground in a blaze seen across London and the South-East.
The DVD shows this drama as well as happier times of brass bands, dog shows, cup finals, W.G. Grace, fireworks and much more. Black and White and Colour, 76 minutes (in total).
Both productions are on the same DVD and have been fully authored and chaptered.
To purchase a copy of this collectors item visit The Crystal Palace Foundation.
This is the first in a series of 4 parts.
This is the second in a series of 4 parts.
This is the third in a series of 4 parts.
This is the last in a series of 4 parts.
Thank for these videos, the fire of Crystal Palace really helped me with my project. Are they ever going to rebuild at the site. I remember reading something in the news?