Give feedback on this page

Creative youngsters at Ysgol Bro Famau have captured their local history on film, thanks to old cine films dating back to the 1940s and 50s.

Year 6 pupils have been working with freelance community film -makers Lal and Huw Davies on a project to produce an educational resource pack based on the cine films of the late W.H Crawford, made in the Llanarmon yn Iâl and Llanferres areas.

Mr Crawford was a remarkable gentleman who had the foresight and expertise to make a series of cine-films, which contain a substantial amount of material, unusually shot in colour, of rural life at this time.  They include footage of community activities in Llanarmon, Llanferres, Maeshafn and Loggerheads.

Over the past four years, staff from Denbighshire Countryside Service and the Clwydian Range Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty have worked with Mr Crawford’s family to safeguard these films and ensure they are available for future generations. 

They brought the films to the attention of the National Screen and Sound Archive in Aberystwyth who recognised their importance and agreed to digitise the films.

An edited version of some of the original film footage was shown to local groups during 2006 and 2007 and generated considerable local interest. Some contemporary filming was done with local residents and an extensive archive of old photographs, press cuttings and memorabilia has also been gathered.

A number of older residents agreed to be interviewed for the film and were invited to the school to learn more about the film -making process. Pupils then scripted questions and recorded interviews before producing one-minute films based on the memories of their interviewee.

Headteacher Sian Hilton said: “The educational benefits of the project are considerable. It’s an inter-generational skills exchange with the older people supplying the memories and the younger people supplying the technical skills. The children have also developed their investigative and research skills, scripting skills and interviewing techniques and have had film-making training using industry standard digital editing equipment.”

David Shiel, Countryside Officer for the Clwydian Range AONB, said: “The films provide a unique window on life in this area 50 years ago and being able to get the older members of the community to talk to the youngsters about themselves has been fascinating. In making their own films, the children are making something of real value to the school and the community and contributing to the mantle of William Crawford by adding to the film archive of the area.”

Emma, a year 6 pupil said: “I really enjoyed learning about our village.  I loved
hearing about all the naught things they did at school and what they got up to in the holidays !”

It is hoped that the finished film will be broadcast locally later this year.