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(Visit of HRH the Prince of Wales to Nottingham August 1st 1923)
We see crowds awaiting the arrival of the Prince of Wales and him entering a courtyard and being introduced to several unidentified women. We then see his motorcade leaving the Castle and the Prince being introduced to local dignatories on a platform in Bulwell Market Place.
[Construction of Old Market Square and Council House]
We then see a series of filmed stills showing the construction of the Council House and, a still of an unidentified man (possibly the architect Thomas Cecil Howitt?), and other filmed stills showing Alderman Bowles, Chairman of the Estates Committee laying the foundation stone and the building in various stages of construction. We then see more moving images of, this time taken from the scaffolding looking down and a still of an ornamental frieze with figures.
[Unveiling and dedication of the Nottingham War Memorial, Armistice Day 1927 - Topical Budget newsreel]
We next see images from the ceremony of unveiling and dedication of the Nottingham War Memorial on Victoria Embankment from Armistice Day 1927. We see the monument being dedicated in the presence of town officials and the unveiling ceremony. We also see shots of the crowd standing in silence, wreathes laid on the ground and officials (including Alderman Edmund Huntsman(Lord Mayor), Sir William Board and Alderman Pollard) preparing to lay wreathes. A brief shot following this may relate to the family of WW1 fighter pilot Albert Ball receiving a postumous award.
[Council House Opening Ceremony, 22nd May 1929]
We then see images of the opening ceremony for the new Council House in the Old Market Square on 22nd May 1929, including town officials arriving for the ceremony and crowds gathered in the square. We also see Alderman Ball, Sir Albert Atkey (Lord Mayor) and the Prince of Wales making speeches (which were broadcast live on BBC Radio) and the dedication service.
[Visit of the Duke and Duchess of York]
The following shots show a visit, in wet weather, by the Duke and Duchess of York (later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth) on 3 August 1929. They are greeted by cheering crowds in the Old Market Square and welcomed by the Lord Mayor. They are also seen appearing to the crowd on the Council House balcony and waving goodbye to the crowd from the steps before being driven away by car.
[Opening of the Goose Fair]
The next sequence shows the opening of the Goose Fair (c1927), including shots of local officials on the front steps of the Council House and a procession through a large crowd to a platform at the end of Market Street. We then see the fair officially opened by the Lord Mayor and shots of various stalls and rides and a young boy feeding milk to a baby bear.
[Opening of the Goose Fair, 1929]
We then see the 1929 Goose Fair being opened by the Lord Mayor (Councillor Wesson) from a platform in front of the menagerie. We see various rides and a large white bird (a pelican), plus sideshows. We then see further sideshows at night illuminated with gas mantles and more rides.
Compiled by Basil Harley from newsreels and records made by H. S. Sherwin in the care of the Corporation of Nottingham.
The film was commissioned from the Nottingham & District Film Society by Nottingham City Council for the Festival of Britain celebrations in 1951.
The opening title reads "Some highlights of nearly twenty years of Nottingham civic life". Part one covers c.1923-30.
The scenes of the Prince of Wales visit to Nottingham appear to have been removed from "Visit of HRH the Prince of Wales to Nottingham August 1st 1923" for inclusion in this compilation.