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Holiday (1977) This clip is taken from an episode of Holiday looking at families who spend their holidays in Salcombe, Devon.
In Reel History of Britain, Melvyn Bragg explores British life from the 1900s to the late 1970s through incredible archive films. Travel back in time across the decades with the BBC films below, and Hands on History activities, to learn more about:
Holidays
Holiday (1974)
In this extract, holidaymakers compare the experience of visiting Blackpool with going to Benidorm.
Holiday (1977)
Several families are interviewed about spending their holidays in Salcombe, Devon.
Family Holidays (1978)
Taken from the Near and Far series, this extract follows a family preparing to go on holiday to Guernsey.
BBC News - From Four Wheels to Two (1953)
A clip from BBC News showing a couple on holiday with their caravan. This extract has no audio.
BBC News - Holiday (1962)
Crowds of people use various modes of transport to get to their holiday destination in this item. This extract has no audio.
BBC News - Holidays with Petrol (1950)
People travelling during the Whitsun holiday, after the end of petrol rationing. This extract has no audio.
Housing
Help Yourself to a House (1974)
Taken from the Tuesday Documentary series this item looks at people who have saved money by building their own home.
Rathcoole Estate (1955)
The Ulster Mirror series gives a snapshot of life in 1955 on the Northern Ireland Housing Trust estate at Rathcoole.
Housing problems (1969)
The Money Programme focuses on slum housing, its demolition and the council flats being built as a replacement.
BBC News - Slum Rehousing (1967)
This item shows a family in their new home provided by the slums re-housing organisation, Shelter. This extract has no audio.
Housing in Birmingham (1966)
Taken from the programme Twilight Zone, reporter Michael Barrett looks at the state of housing in Birmingham.
Power to the people (1986)
From the series Housing and Home this item shows how housing co-operatives have helped ordinary people achieve their dream homes.
Schools
The Schools (1962)
This clip shows views from practicing teachers about education.
Archive Film of British School Children
This footage shows what school life use to be like and the lessons pupils attended. The date of the footage is unknown and has no audio.
Government to Cut Grant (1968)
BBC News reports on the effect on schools of potential cuts in government grants to local education authorities.
Chalkface (1989)
Filmed at Houston Primary School in Scotland this clip shows a typical school day.
Also on Hands on History
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Hands on History activities
Bring your family history alive by interviewing relatives or putting on a screening. Try our activities.
Reel History Experience
Come and get hands-on with archive films and equipment, at four live Reel History events.
Reel History of Britain
Through archive film Melvyn Bragg brings alive a social history of 20th Century Britain.
Order activity packs
If you work with groups of children and adults order our history activity group packs.
BBC Schools: History
Find activities and curriculum links for KS2 on Primary History.
A Day in the Life... Evacuee
Join 10-year-old Eric as he is evacuated to the country during WWII. Watch the animation
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