The Yorkshire Film Archive collects, preserves, and shows film made in, or about Yorkshire. Our collections are non-fiction, dating from the 1890s to the present day, and providing a rich and visually compelling record of all aspects of lives, cultures, landscape, industries, major events and everyday activities, many of which are available to watch, free of charge, on our website.
This film is part of Free
Sweet Life
A reminder of the days of loafing out of school and into the sweet shop to buy a quarter of Pear Shapes, as a local Elland family firm makes traditional hand-made boiled sweets.
From the collection of:
Overview
After showing us some of Elland’s places of special interest, including the home of one of The Bachelors, we are taken on a tour of local sweet manufacturers Joseph Dobson & Sons. From boiling up the syrup, to stretching the resultant goo and cutting out the individual shapes, each stage of the process of making boiled sweets is demonstrated and explained. The end product is rows of jars of Rainbow Crystals, Yorkshire Mixtures and Voice Tablets selling at 16 pence a Qtr.
A typical film of Ernest Hardy of Halifax Cine and Video Club, who loved to make local documentaries like this. Here we have the home of the famous Yorkshire Mixture, Joseph Dobson's. Started by Joseph Dobson back in 1850, it is a typical family firm of the period that has managed to stay just that. Joseph Dobson was orphaned at 10, but growing up in York, something of a confectionary hot spot at that time, he was able to take advantage of the growing sweet tooth market. With the development of food science, and technology to match, many of our well known sweets were created: toffees, fudge, candy floss, liquorice allsorts, jelly babies, wine gums and marshmallows, as well as boiled sweets.
Related
Joe Kagan: Just Another Bump in the Road Joe Kagan: Just Another Bump in the Road
Current affairs 1980 38 mins Location: Elland
An intriguing insight into the extraordinary life of Lord Kagan, Jewish escapee from the Nazis, clothier to the Royals, and close friend of Harold Wilson and KGB spy Vaygauskas.
New Plant New Plant
Industry sponsored film 1950 30 mins Silent Location: Elland
A bright future seems to be looming as the mule spun woollen yarns are warped and wefted on the shuttle, while the women mill workers scuttle between machines with baskets of cones.
Opening of the Electric Tramway into Elland Opening of the Electric Tramway into Elland
Non-Fiction 1914 5 mins Silent Location: Elland
A cheer goes up from Elland locals as their first electric tram arrives, with a rousing speech, and the children, dressed as mini adults, get to see the event in their local cinema.
Joanna Scanlan - Exclusive Q&A Joanna Scanlan - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2024 51 mins
Actor and writer Joanna Scanlan talks to Mia Bays, director of the BFI's Filmmaking Fund, about her career in film and television.
Baldwin's N***** Baldwin's N*****
Documentary 1969 44 mins
Horace Ové's striking portrait of the American writer James Baldwin at his sharp-witted best addressing a group of radical West Indian students in 1960s London.
Shoot Your Shot Shoot Your Shot
Drama 2022 12 mins
An emotional stand-off takes flight, as teen best friends Ronit and Brennan come to terms with navigating that fuzzy feeling in their stomachs, all whilst learning to skateboard.
Look Like You Look Like You
Drama 2022 13 mins
While visiting the adoptive family of her eight-year-old biological son, Tara relays advice she gathered from growing up as a queer outcast.
Yellow Yellow
Drama 2023 13 mins
In Taliban controlled Afghanistan, Laili walks into a Chadari store in Kabul to buy her first full body veil from a Talib shopkeeper and face a new future.
Nehemich Nehemich
Drama 2023 23 mins
Banished in a dilapidated village hut during her menstruation, a young girl waits to elope with her lover.