Mystery of the Fenny Poppers

Series

Series Name
British Movietone News

Issue

Issue No.
1902A
Date Released
18 Nov 1965
Stories in this Issue:

Story

Story No. within this Issue
5 / 5
Summary
MOVIETONE CARD TITLE: Mystery of the Fenny Poppers. DESCRIPTION: Every year at the Church of St Martin’s at Fenny Stratford, they celebrate St Martin’s Day by firing miniature iron canons in the ceremony of the Fenny Poppers. These poppers were made around 100 years ago but the origin of the custom is wreathed in mystery. SHOTLIST: GV Fenny Stratford church and cross. MS church warden loads the miniature cannon. CU ditto. CU ditto. MCU vicar smoking his pipe. MCU church warden and assistant pushing the charges into the mini cannons. MS ditto. CU church warden hammers the charges down tightly, onto the gunpowder. MS church warden and assistant position the mini cannon. MS ditto. LS church warden getting the taper rod hot in a brazer fire. MS church warden setting the charges on the mini cannon. MCU ditto. MS church warden hands the taper rod to the vicar. CU two children holding their ears. LS vicar fires first mini cannon. MCU girl holding her ears. MS 2nd cannon fired. MS girl holding taper rod about to fire 3rd cannon. MS 3rd cannon fired. MS another girl about to fire 4th cannon. MS 4th cannon fired. LS 5th cannon.
Keywords
Buildings and structures; Customs and traditions; Weapons
Locations
Fenny Stratford
Card file number
90432
Credits:
Commentator
Leslie Mitchell
Length of story (in feet)
123
Story extras:
Film clip

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Film Archive

Name
AP Archive
Email
info@aparchive.com
Web
http://www.movietone.com
Phone
+44 (0)20 7482 7482
Series held
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How to cite this record

'Mystery of the Fenny Poppers', British Movietone News Issue No. 1902A, 18 Nov 1965. https://learningonscreen.ac.uk/newsonscreen/search/index.php/story/26227 (Accessed 18 Jun 2025)