In 2011 we began the long process of digitising the film and video recordings within our archive collections.
The Modern Records Centre's archive catalogue contains descriptions and, in some cases, playable online versions of audio-visual recordings in our collections.
Our subject guide identifies digitised recordings by theme and provides links to enable you to play them. Click on the links below to find catalogue descriptions of various types of video recording, and all cine film, in our holdings.
(results can be filtered on categories above) (Items 1442/1-6 cannot currently be viewed for technical reasons)
Selected films and videos
Trade unions and the world of work
'Our film', 1942
This is the earliest film which we have digitised. It was financed and produced by the workers and technicians of Denham Film Studios in order to promote "Anglo-Soviet Unity and Victory over Fascism" (according to the label on the 鈥榗an鈥�).
It features the workers and management of a British factory discussing the formation of a works production committee and ends with a Soviet trade union delegate telling them to get on with it in a vaguely Germanic accent. The actors, composer, musicians and various film companies all gave their services free as a contribution to the war effort.
From the papers of David Michaelson, trade unionist and Communist [MSS.233/12].
'One in five', 1972
The title of this film on the work of the Transport and General Workers' Union (TGWU), which is narrated by the late Bill Owen of Last of the Summer Wine fame, refers to the proportion of British trade unionists in the TGWU at the time. It makes the case for a large multi-sector trade union to match the increasing consolidation in the ownership of industry and to influence government policy in favour of working people.
It looks at the union鈥檚 history and its contemporary work on behalf of dockers, fishermen, workers in new technological industries, white collar workers, professional drivers and others . As well as these general surveys the film also features the sorting-out of 鈥渁 failure to agree on the sausage floor鈥�.
From the archive of the International Transport Workers鈥� Federation [611/1].
'My brother's keeper', 1972
Beginning with an extract from a speech by Tony Benn on the right of the trade union movement to make television programmes of its own, this film on the work of the Transport and General Workers' Union (TGWU) in and around Bristol was produced by HTV in conjunction with the TGWU south-west region. Its title is one of the phrases used by a contributor to sum up the values of trade unionism.
It features workers in the docks, the Rolls Royce testing plant and a road haulage company, the work of the Industrial Therapy Organization in rehabilitating the mentally ill, women workers at Fry鈥檚 chocolate factory, and applicants for accident compensation. The workers鈥� discussions among themselves and with management have something of the 鈥榝ly on the wall鈥� style of which there have been many examples since.
Donated by Ron Nethercott, former TGWU south-west regional secretary and the writer and narrator of this film [744/5].
'In support of the miners'
The strike by the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) in 1984-1985 was one of the bitterest and most significant industrial disputes in living memory.
In this video made by the Union of Communication Workers (UCW), speeches to the UCW conference by Jack Taylor, President of the Yorkshire NUM, and Alan Tuffin, UCW General Secretary (cut with photographs of scenes from the dispute) are followed by comments by conference delegates.
From the archive of the Union of Communication Workers []. Produced by Smith Bundy Video. Sub-titled by MRC, September 2022.
'The Privatisation Show'
This is a game show parody satirising the privatisation of local public services in the 1980s. It was a joint production of the General, Municipal and Boilermakers' Union, the National and Local Government Officers' Association, the National Union of Public Employees and the Transport and General Workers' Union.
If you are of a certain vintage (or just a devotee of cheesey TV), you will detect a resemblance to The Price is Right in the Leslie Crowther era.
From the archive of the National Union of Public Employees (MSS.281/12/33).
'A pound for Labour'
This is part of the campaign by the Union of Communication Workers to persuade its members to contribute to the Labour Party's funds in the run-up to the 1992 General Election.
It highlights issues that are still debated today: large donations to the Conservative Party by business interests, the reliance of Labour on trade union funding, and the privatisation of the Post Office. Labour leader Neil Kinnock is shown strongly endorsing the campaign, but in the end it did not lead to election victory.
From the archive of the Union of Communication Workers [MSS.148/UCW/5/13/D/8]. Produced by Sevenday Productions.
'All for one, one for all. The story of COHSE 1910-1993'
Neil Kinnock narrates this history of the Confederation of Health Service Employees (COHSE) and its predecessors, from the grim conditions in Victorian and Edwardian mental asylums to the merger in 1993 with the National and Local Government Officers' Association and the National Union of Public Employees to form Unison.
The historical consultant for this video was Professor Mick Carpenter of the Warwick sociology department. The COHSE archive also includes conducted by Professor Carpenter with former and current union activists between 1979 and 1984.
From the archive of the Confederation of Health Service Employees [MSS.229/6/C/1994/2]. Produced by Issue Communications.
'A seafarer's tale'
This short animated film, featuring a colourful animal cast, was produced in 1998 by Animus Entertainments of London (now Animage Films Ltd) for the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) to mark the 50th anniversary of the ITF campaign against Flags of Convenience.
It was a bronze medal winner in the the promotion of peace and human rights category at the 41st Annual Film and Video Awards run by the New York Festival.
From the archive of the International Transport Workers' Federation [MSS.159/12/26].
Grunwick remembered
In August 1976, workers in the mail order department of Grunwick Processing Laboratories Limited in Willesden, north-west London, walked out in protest against working conditions and the attitude of the management. So began what eventually became one of the most memorable industrial disputes of the post-war period, a struggle for trade union recognition involving mass picketing, confrontations with the police and the national mobilisation of the labour movement in support of Asian immigrant workers. It was also seen as significant by George Ward, the managing director of Grunwick, and his political allies, who were seeking to curb union power generally. The strikers eventually ended their action in July 1978 having failed to secure union recognition and reinstatement.
In 2007 Chris Thomas interviewed participants in the dispute for The Great Grunwick Strike 1976-1978 - a history, a video which he produced and directed on behalf of Brent Trades Union Council.
Information about the available recordings, including links to unedited interviews, is available through our page on the Grunwick dispute.
Students and their ways
'This is your union', c1963
This portrait of the work of the National Union of Students was made at a time when higher education was beginning a period of considerable expansion. It features the national conference and other meetings, a skiing holiday, dramatic productions, journalism training, a debating tournament, a summer farm camp, Graduate Service Overseas and discounts for members on goods and services.
It begins in a monochrome jacket-and-tie world but there are more informal scenes in colour later on. It is interesting to compare the students' appearance and demeanour with that portrayed in Student life about ten years later.
From the archive of the National Union of Students [MSS.280/157/1].
'Student life' parts 1/2, c1972
About ten years on from the comparatively conformist student world of , this is a more loosely structured film focussing on speeches and noisy demonstrations against the Conservative government's proposal in 1970 to appoint a registrar for students' unions and to restrict their activities. A combination of negotiation and agitation led to the proposal being dropped in January 1971.
Because the National Union of Students was hoping to join the Trades Union Congress at this time, the government's attacks on trade unions and students' unions are portrayed as being linked. References to Northern Ireland and the events in France in 1968 are also used to support the idea of an identity of interest between students and workers against reactionary forces.
From the archive of the National Union of Students [MSS.280/157/5].
'The chosen few', 1963
This film on the shortage of places and the crowded conditions in universities was produced by the Campaign for Education in association with the University College London Union Film Society. It was made to highlight the "desperate shortage" in Britain of qualified people, especially teachers, and concludes with a call by Alan Bullock, then master of the new St. Catherine's College in Oxford, for much greater investment in higher education. Along the way we see young people missing out on university places or contending with inadequate facilities, but also enjoying student life.
From the archive of the National Union of Students [MSS.280/157/4].
'On campus', 1970
This frank portrayal of Warwick University students at work and play begins with the caption: 鈥淭he sixth former entering university often has difficulty in adjusting to a new academic and social life 鈥� students at the 91影视破解版 who have experienced the same problem decided to make this film to help . . . 鈥�
The students' sometimes unenthusiastic voices (and music from the Beatles' Abbey Road) are heard over shots of a comparatively new campus which was typical of those which had been created on 'green-field' sites during the expansion of higher eduation in the 1960s.
The film was directed for the Film Producers' Guild by .
From the 91影视破解版 Archive [UWA/AV/3/1].
10th World Festival of Youth and Students, East Berlin, 1973
A claimed 750,000 young people from all over the world descend colourfully on the German Democratic Republic to show solidarity with those fighting 鈥渋mperialism鈥� in Vietnam, Palestine, Chile and elsewhere.
As well as a lot of parades, music and dancing, there is a visit to the memorial at the Buchenwald concentration camp, a tribute ceremony to Soviet soldiers killed 鈥渓iberating Europe from Fascism鈥�, and supposedly free debate after which 鈥渟ome doubters from capitalist countries had to do some rethinking鈥� (23:57).
Look out for cameo appearances by Erich Honecker, leader of the GDR from 1976 to 1989, and Yasser Arafat, chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organisation and later first president of the Palestinian National Authority.
From the archive of the National Union of Students [MSS.280/157/7].
VIPs
Blair and Clinton come to Warwick
A record of the visit to the university on 14 December 2000 by Prime Minister Tony Blair and President Bill Clinton.
Expectant crowds; security checks; celebrity guests; a choral concert; helicopter arrivals; 'pressing the flesh'; speeches by the Vice Chancellor on Warwick, by the Prime Minister on relations between the UK, Europe and the US, and by the President on the "global information age".
Clinton was soon to stand down after eight years in office, whilst Blair, having come to power in 1997, had another six and a half years of an often controversial premiership ahead of him.
