They Took Us to the Sea

This gem of a half-hour documentary, follows a group of wide-eyed kids from bomb-damaged Nechells to the front at Weston-super-Mare.

In 1961 John Krish was commissioned by the NSPCC to make a film about the seaside outings they organised for inner-city youngsters. The result is this gem of a half-hour documentary, which follows a group of wide-eyed kids from bomb-damaged Nechells to the front at Weston-super-Mare where they taste the joy of donkey-rides and toffee-apples.

To accompany the film, the Media Archive for Central England have compiled a selection of home-movies from the 30s through to the 60s, all featuring Brummie coastal escapades. Chris Upton will also be present to talk about the changing face of the Birmingham holiday and the lost tradition of ‘factory fortnight’.