Library and Archives Canada (LAC) has released the last set of heritage films on its YouTube channel. Easy to access, you can now enjoy the following short films:
You can see our previous announcements on Snapshots of Canadian Life, Scenic Canada, and Agriculture and Industry.
The visit of the Prince of Wales to Canada in autumn 1919 was one of the first major cross-Canada events covered by the motion picture newsreels. Library and Archives Canada has preserved silent film of the event, including the film entitled Britain’s Future King.
The Prince’s Canadian tour began on August 11, 1919, when his ship arrived at Newfoundland. It ended on November 10, when he left Canada by train to begin his visit to the United States. His Canadian itinerary took him to many cities across the country. Canadians gathered in cities, towns and villages along the route to see the Prince.
The visit had all the ingredients ideal for media coverage: an itinerary packed with photo opportunities and a public fascinated by celebrity and eager to see its community celebrations depicted in the newsreels and newspapers. Radio broadcasting was in its infancy, so it was up to the newsreels and the print media to report on the visit. In addition, Canada was in the mood for celebrating after the hardship of the war years.
Canadian weekly newsreels carried reports of the tour as it unfolded, bringing to audiences film of such events as receptions with First World War veterans, the opening ceremony of the Québec Bridge, the Prince laying the cornerstone of the Peace Tower of the new Parliament building in Ottawa, and a visit to a British Columbia sawmill.
The Prince viewed films of his trip while he travelled across Canada. Newsreels in Britain and other countries also showed film from the tour. Some of the newsreel companies compiled their footage into documentaries. For example, Pathéscope of Canada Limited issued two films, Britain’s Future King, and The Prince of Wales in Canada.
Son of George V, Edward became Prince of Wales in 1911. When his father died in January 1936, he became King Edward VIII but abdicated 10 months later. After his abdication, he was given the title Duke of Windsor.
Did you know that Library and Archives Canada (LAC) has a YouTube channel where historical films are made available from our holdings?
The latest addition to our YouTube channel is the silent documentary The Tide of Immigration. This film is part of the Canadian National Pictorial Series and was produced by Pathéscope of Canada Limited between 1919 and 1921.
Early 20th-century films depicting the lives of newcomers to Canada are rare, especially film footage of immigrant children who were cared for at the Dr. Barnardo Homes. This compilation of news reels includes varied footage of new settlers and life in Canada during that time period.
Film sequences show Irish immigrants in a knitting factory; people enjoying the scenery at Grand Beach, Manitoba; and other stories for you to discover. Intertitles (text that appears between the film sequences) provide some contextual information.
Discover more! Consult Discover the Collection: Films, Videos and Sound Recordings to begin your online search today!
Questions or comments? We would love to hear from you!
If you’re looking for information about audiovisual recordings in the archival collection of Library and Archives Canada, use our Film, Video and Sound database, which contains details on individual audiovisual recordings that cannot be found in our Archives Search.
If you are looking for published audiovisual recordings, such as commercial film or television production, use Library Search.
*Please consult our clarification regarding this article.
Questions or comments? We would love to hear from you!
In our last article we discussed the Gatineau Preservation Centre. Today, we would like to introduce to you LAC’s Nitrate Film Preservation Facility.
Exterior view of the LAC Nitrate Film Preservation Facility
Did you know that a portion of LAC’s film and photographic negative collection is nitrate-based? The collection consists of 5,575 reels of film, dating from as early as 1912, and close to 600,000 photographic negatives. Because of the potential for nitrate-based cellulose film to combust if storage temperatures are too high, LAC chose to house this material in a facility that provides a stable, cold, dry environment essential for preservation.
Light boxes displaying nitrate negatives, some of which show obvious signs of deterioration
This collection captures some of Canada’s most significant moments up until the 1950s when the medium became obsolete. Among the materials preserved at the new facility is one of Canada’s first feature films, Back to God’s Country, along with works produced by the National Film Board of Canada and photographic negatives from the collections of Yousuf Karsh.
The Nitrate Film Preservation Facility, which opened in 2011, is an eco-designed building with various sustainable features that include a “green” roof, well-insulated walls to reduce energy consumption, high-efficiency mechanical systems to reclaim energy, and technology to reduce water use.
Nitrate Film Preservation Facility work station
The state-of-the-art facility also features a range of technical innovations that meet the current standards for preservation environments and provide the required fire prevention and protection measures. The building is also equipped with 22 individual vaults, specialized monitoring and an exterior buffer zone of land for added security.
For more photographs of the Nitrate Film Preservation Facility, visit Flickr!
Questions or comments? We would love to hear from you!
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