Warwick Trading Company

An actuality and reportage film. This film captures Lord Frederick Roberts (British Army rank Field Marshal) departing England for South Africa on 23rd December 1899, where he commanded British forces for a year in the Second Boer War. The ship in this film is the RMS Dunottar Castle. Going with Roberts is his chief of staff, Lord Kitchener, whose future role as Secretary Of State for War during World War One awaits him. This film was produced and distributed by the Warwick Trading Company, a London based company at its peak at this time, involved in the majority of British films.The Warwick Trading Company specialised in travel, reportage and actuality films and had substantial catalogues. Charles Urban had taken over as managing director in 1897 and was in that role when this film was produced. According to the BFI programme entry, the company had a large amount of resources already in South Africa. This meant they could capture historic moments as part of its Boer War coverage.

King Edward VII's coronation ceremony.

Aristocracy, army, elephants and more mark the start of the 1903 Durbar.

A scene from Charles Dickens' Bleak House.

A cleverly conceived picture of a little boy and girl with building blocks. The little girl has erected a pretty structure, which the boy proceeds to demolish with pokes of his fingers. When the demolition of the house is completed, the film is shown in reverse, and the little building comes back to its original form in a most marvellous manner.

Spectators on the quayside at Southampton wave farewell as the crowded troopship Roslin Castle moves away to the right of the picture. Large numbers of troops on board wave back to loved ones and the crowd including thr 2nd Battaliion West Yorkshires. Date: 20th October 1899.

One of the earliest films to be shot in India apparently shows the Calcutta ghats - or does it?

An early short about fox hunting

A ‘phantom ride’ taken from the front of a train passing through the Devon town of Barnstaple.

Watched by crowds, Sir Redvers Buller, Lady Buller, the Mayor of Southampton and others walk along the gangway leading to the ship towards the camera. Sir Redvers pauses to be introduced to one of the ship's officers before embarking. According to BFI programme notes, the filmmaker William K.L. Dickson can be seen bottom left, attempting to introduce himself to General Buller as he passes. Film companies were in competition to film reportage of the Boer War and Dickson was one of those filmmakers keen to do so.

A man reads a newspaper whose moving letters form 'Bill Bailey has come home'.

Film showing the Viceregal party entering Delhi on lavishly decorated elephants, as part of the Coronation durbar of 1903.

An actuality film of the 1900 Paris Exhibition, shot from a boat travelling down the Seine.

Footage from the Boer War.

A view from the rear of a ship; A hypnotic study of the wake of a ship at sea.

A “phantom ride” taken from the buffers of an engine on the London and South West Railway through the Ilfracombe area: the reservoirs, Morthroe, Ilfracombe Incline and station.

The Passing of the Armoured Train - A large group of British soldiers are seen digging entrenchment's under the supervision of officers. A brief second shot shows an armoured train going past. The first film of British troops at the front taken during the war.

The famous Polytechnic Harriers, one of Britain’s premier athletic clubs, who would later open the 1908 London Olympics, running a paper chase – a gruelling cross-country race in which the “hares” lay a paper trail for the “hounds”.