BRITISH PATHE - the world's first finest digital news archive

The British Pathe website allows you to preview items from the entire 3500 hour British Pathe Film Archive which covers news, sport, social history and entertainment from 1896 to 1970. Just type in what you are looking for and within minutes you could be viewing a little piece of history! A few examples are shown below!

Ryde Becomes the Floating Gin Palace in 1968

Join the Ryde at London's Tower Pier in 1968. See the pearly kings and queens with their jellied eels, visit the casino, dance to the music of Acker Bilk and see the engines!
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Royal Daffodil Returns to Dunkirk in 1950

Join ex-servicemen, former crew and civic dignitaries aboard the Royal Daffodil in 1950 as she returns to the beaches of France to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Dunkirk evacuation.
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Maid of the Loch on Ice in 1959

See rare film of the Maid of the Loch on a frozen Loch Lomond in 1959. This was the first time that the loch had been frozen in twelve years. See people curling on the ice next to the steamer at Balloch.
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Royal Eagle Goes to War

See the well-loved River Thames paddle steamer Royal Eagle in wartime guise in 1943. See rare film of the crew relaxing, the galley and other parts of the ship, the crew singing as well as the anti-aircraft guns and her wartime accommodation!
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Royal Sovereign departs from London in 1919

See the famous Royal Sovereign depart from Old Swan Pier in London as she embarks upon one of her first cruises after the end of the First World War. Watch rare film showing Royal Sovereign at Tower Bridge!
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The Showboat on the Thames in 1932

See atmospheric footage of the Showboat as it embarks on a River Thames cruise in 1932. Watch entertainers on the decks and the Misssissippi atmosphere recreated especially for the River Thames.
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Victoria at Lulworth Cove in 1898

See some of the earliest movie film as the famous Victoria arrives at Lulworth Cove in 1898. Watch the passengers land on the beach via the ramp. See atmospheric scenes of the seaside during the Victorian era!
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Crested Eagle gets a Bow Rudder

Watch rare film footage of the famous Crested Eagle in a dry dock when she had a bow rudder fitted in 1931. Watch shipyard workers undertake this rarely recorded work!
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Dance aboard the Shanklin in 1963!

Go for a lively cruise on the Shanklin from Portsmouth with six hundred teenagers on a memorable Diocesan cruise to the Isle of Wight. See the Royal Marines Dance Band playing and enjoy views of the bridge. Happy memories from 1963!
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Brighton Queen in 1900

Go for a cruise on the Brighton Queen in 1900. Sample what it was like to travel on a P&A Campbell paddle steamer at the end of the Victorian age!
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Crested Eagle on a London Docks Cruise in 1948

Watch the Crested Eagle depart from London Tower Pier on one of her popular London Docks tours in 1948. See her pass the crowded river in its heyday!
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