This film was shot by Oulton chemist Paul John F. Volter on Sunday 2 July 1950. It shows members of the Oulton Badminton Club on an outing to tourist sites in the Dales.
They started from the Midland Hotel in a coach hired from Bullock and Sons and travelled via Knaresborough and Boroughbridge to Thirsk where they had lunch.
In the afternoon they toured the countryside in the Coxwold area and finished with a picnic and game of cricket in the shadows of Rievaulx Abbey.
After processing, editing, and the addition of captions the films received their first public screening at the Badminton Club’s annual New Year’s Eve party in the Harold Hall. The event also included dancing, games and novelty items but the film show was described as the highlight of the evening.
In 1950 the Badminton Club had 68 members. 41 of them played in the Leeds and District “A” League, where they had finished 5th in the previous season. At first matches were played in the Harold Hall. Later in the 1950s there were two courts at the Drill Hall on Oulton Lane in Woodlesford with sections for juniors and seniors. Lance Ellwood, the son of the landlord of the Old Masons pub was an accomplished player.
In 1950 Mr. Volter was the president of the club. The secretary was A.M.Palmer. The vice presidents were P.C. Higgins and N Sellers. The chairman was W. Hoult and the treasurer, P.G. Thompson. Mr. Volter was also a member of the local rifle club which had a shooting range in the grounds of Oulton Hall.
If you recognise anybody in this film or have any stories please message me, referring to the shot list below. Email bensoh10@woodlesfordstation.co.uk
1. Caption
2. Bus. Man in doorway is the driver Mick Healey who lived on Bernard Street off Eshald Lane. Pan to group. First woman is Annie Volter. Bald man.
3. Group again, women with handbags. One of the men is Cyril Ellis who lived on Greenlea and was a deputy at Water Haigh Colliery. Another is Geoff Wade who worked at the brewery and then ran a general store next to the Ritz cinema. Also in the group is Betty Gelderd, married Colin Firth.
4. Knaresborough.
5. Men. young man in black jacket is Peter Healey, man in white shirt, bald man, women in rear.
6. Long shot of boats.
7. Caption: White Horse of Kilburn
8. Caption: Helmsley Castle
9. Bald man
10. Bald man
11. Castle ruin, bald man
12. Castle pan donw
13. Caption: Rievaulx
14. Cricket long shot
15. Bowler
16. Women fielding, batsman, man in black jacket.
17. CU woman
18. CU same woman and another
19. Group of women
20. CU woman sitting, pan to more women kneeling, child. Includes Annie and Margaret Volter.
21. Trees pan to bus
22. House pan to cottages.
23. Abbey.
24. Caption.
25. Woman
26. Woman
27. Woman: Betty Gelderd/Firth.
28. Woman: Margaret Volter.
29. Woman
30. Older woman in black. Alice Palmer, lived Sunnyside on Quarry Road.
31. Man braces tie specs
32. Young man tie braces: Peter Healey.
33. Jump cut to man with jumper and jacket, moustache. Bill Lawrenson, estate agent.
34. Man with tie. Atkinson, lived Oulton Lane.
35 Man with bat. Williams, family ran shop next ot Ritz cinema.
36. Bald man.
37. Man tie, braces, specs. Gibson. Family ran electrical shop in Rothwell.
38. Men backs to camera, Geoff Wade with cricket ball.
39. Same men.
40. Mr. Volter.