TRAMP’S BALL

Series

Series Name
Mining Review 6th Year

Issue

Issue No.
11
Date Released
Jul 1953
Stories in this Issue:

Story

Story No. within this Issue
3 / 3
Summary
BFI synopsis: festivity at a colliery village pub, the Winning Post Hotel, at Thorne, Yorkshire. Miners dress up as tramps to win prize.
NCB Commentary - The Winning Post Hotel, in the mining village of Thorne, is a lively spot at the worst of times. The best of times is when they’re holding a function in the evening, like tonight’s Tramps’ Ball. Landlord Maurice Skeels is proud of his house - you won’t find an organ in every pub, but they’ve got one here. Vocal star is Paddy Carlin, Thorne’s own Singing Miner.
With plain clothes guests mixing in with the dressed-up tramps it doesn’t take long for the evening to warm up. There’ll be prizes for the best outfit; this looks a likely winner. Ken James, the resident organist, is in charge of the musical side.
Here’s another well-dressed tramp with his eye on the prizes. By now, the rest of them are working up an appetite, and it’s nearly time for the next musical spot. What for it - it’s another local mining boy, faceworker Bryan Oldknow.
After the fighting, the prizegiving. First prize for the best-dressed tramp goes to Leslie Howe. We’ll be seeing more of him in a minute.
For the runners-up, there are consolation prizes - if you’re persistent enough. But with closing time drawing near, there has to be a lastminute dash to get the proceedings over.
Next morning, the winner collects his prize - a year’s free haircuts at the local barber. Believe it or not, this is still Leslie Howe, 18 year old master-tramp.
Researcher Comments
BFI sources suggest that this story was researched by Brown on the 22nd April 1953 and filmed on the 15th May 1953. Commentary recorded 8 May 1953.
Keywords
Music and dance; Entertainment and leisure; Competitions; Mining; Fashion and costume
Locations
Yorkshire; England; Thorne
Written sources
British Film Institute Databases   Used for Synopsis
Film User   Vol.8 No.87 January 1954, p32.
The National Archives COAL 32   /3 Scripts for Mining Review, 1949-1956
Credits:
Director
Basil Somner
Production Co.
Documentary Technicians Alliance
Camera
Kenneth Reeves
Sound
Kenneth Ross
Sponsor
National Coal Board
Support services
Pamela Brown
Camera
W. Donat

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