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This film is part of Free

Romsey Town Developments

There's watery upheaval in Romsey throughout this remarkable film record from the early 1930s - featuring Saxons, skulls and a helmeted diver.

Amateur film 1933 16 mins Silent

From the collection of:

Logo for Wessex Film and Sound Archive

Overview

This unusual film captures images not normally seen in home-movies. It starts with a Saxon pageant followed by an outdoor religious service in the grounds of Romsey Abbey. This is followed by a fund-raising carnival for the hospital. There follows, unusually, a long sequence showing the installation of the town's sewer and drainage system. Bones are unearthed, new bridges are constructed and a diver has to work underwater while building the new sewage treatment plant.