Mitchell & Kenyon in Hull: A Case Study
Cover of Searchlight featuring the A.D. Thomas Show at the
Assembly Rooms, Hull. May 16th 1901. This brief case study served as an introduction to the
Mitchell & Kenyon films of Hull as well as introducing some of the
features of the collection in general. There are to date 30 films in the
Mitchell & Kenyon collection which have been clearly identified as
featuring scenes from Hull.
The two earliest films date from Hull Fair in October
1900. One of these 'Amos & Smith Boiler Works' shows a crowd running
around the corner of building from right to left and features very comic
behaviour by some of the men who are dragging women into shot. The Hull
News featured a comparatively detailed report of the fair that year and
it is interesting to note that the South Africa and China films mentioned
are possibly also Mitchell & Kenyon titles. It is worth noting also
that there are films featured in the report that have either not survived
or are amongst those as yet unidentified in the collection.
The popularity of Hull Fair is undimmed, as it is likely
to be for many a year…..The showman, and the man who gets his living on
the fair ground, is nothing if not enterprising. He can always be expected
to make the most of his opportunities, and the public in this respect are
not disappointed. For instance, the number of shows that offer war
pictures, both in South Africa and China, are too numerous to count,
having regard to the attention one has to pay to one's own safety in a
tour of the ground. The cinematograph plays a wonderful part in this
year's proceedings. 'The Best Show for Local Pictures' is the legend that
greets the visitor wherever his face is turned along this line of 'living
picture' exhibitions. The visitor cannot help being struck with the
announcement that follows: 'Reckitt's girls leaving work at dinner hour.'
This is science served up to the public steaming hot, at a price which is,
to borrow a phrase of the showman, ' within the reach of all.'
Hull
Times. 13-10-1900. p.9.
The year 1900, comparatively early for the Mitchell &
Kenyon collection, sees at least six cinematographs at Hull Fair according
to the Era. This is clearly an important feature of the company's success
as they were able to build on an established fairground bioscope tradition.
Outside the fairground 'Living Pictures' were no longer
strictly speaking a novelty in Hull either. Between March 1900 and March
1901 alone we see films projected by Poole's Myriorama, Edison-Rogers,
West's Our Navy, Paynes, Horace Banks, and Scotts Universal. None of these
shows featured material from the collection but both Poole's Myriorama
and Edison-Thomas were involved with Mitchell & Kenyon at some point.
The next film from the collection was PW 82 'Blundell's
Paint Works' which was filmed and shown as part of A. D. Thomas's first
season at the Assembly Hall, Hull.
A special artist was busy yesterday taking animated
pictures for display next week, and we understand that scenes near
Monument Bridge, Blundell's Paint Works, Reckitt's Blue Works, and Amos
and Smith's Foundry will be shown at the Assembly Rooms.
Hull Times.
20-4-01. p. 8.
It is worth noting firstly that A. D. Thomas filmed the
same scenes as the previous fairground showmen (Monument Bridge) or that
he re-used and re-advertised the film. This possibility is seen in other
cities (e.g. Sheffield). Secondly, there are more films advertised than
have survived which could be explained by there being other film companies
operating whose archives have, as yet, not been brought to light.
The central feature of local film shows, recognition, is
evident in the newspaper reports of the time where the films "…produced
much interest among the audience, not a few of whom recognised friends
among the crowds shown on the sheet." Hull Daily Mail. 23-4-01. p.4. The
following week we read that the films
…form an attractive feature, and although they pass
rapidly before the vision, it is an easy matter to distinguish
acquaintances. The views have been taken at Hull's principal factories and
workshops, and at the Monument Bridge, and it is amusing to hear the
comments of those who know several of the 'pictures'
Hull Daily Mail.
30-4-01.
The A. D. Thomas run at the Assembly Hall was shadowed
by an equally popular run at the Circus by Pictoralia as situation echoed
in Manchester at the same period. The fierce competition between
exhibitors was fuel to Mitchell and Kenyon whose technical expertise and
reliability bore fruit over the following years.
Scene from Hull Fair. Copyright bfi. In April and May the North American Animated Photo Company
under the direction of Ralph Pringle were exhibiting at the Circus in
Hull. Mitchell & Kenyon were filming for Pringle in Hull with at least
15 films in the collection dating from this exhibition. These include
the wonderful series of four films 'Lieutenant Clive Wilson And Tranby
Croft Party'. These show the return in triumph from the Boer War of Clive
Wilson, the son of a local magnate. This event was filmed by a rival film
crew under the direction of Jasper Redfern of Sheffield, who was exhibiting
at the Assembly Hall at the same time that Pringle appears at the circus.
Quite fortuitously the Redfern film crew was caught in action by Mitchell
& Kenyon.
Scene from film of the Return of Clive Wilson. Copyright
bfi. For October 1902 the collection shows no evidence for
Mitchell & Kenyon filming for the fairground showmen although there
were local films being shown on the Walton Street fairground:
Capt Paynes No 1 Royal Bioscope
Local pictures
including: The Opening of King Edward Street, Lady R Trotting Match at
Hull, General French's visit to Hull.
Hull Daily News. 10-10-1902
None of the above films have yet been identified in the
collection but it is interesting to note the number of local films being
made. That month however Mitchell & Kenyon were making films for Sydney
Carter of New Century Pictures. The section 'Life in Hull' capture Hull
Fair itself and were exhibited by New Century Pictures at the Circus,
profiting from the crowds who had come to the fair itself. This exhibition
was to last until the 29th November and re-open on December 20th and run
through Christmas and through the New Year well into January 1903. It
is the most extensive of the early film show runs in Hull. Again it is
worth noting that during this run New Century Pictures show a film of
the Monument Bridge, a title that first appears two years earlier.
An interesting addition to the Hull films are 'Hull Kingston
Rovers v Wigan' exhibited by the Edisonograph (probably still under the
direction of A. D. Thomas) at the Public Hall in Wigan in late October
1902. This meant that Mitchell and Kenyon made a second visit that month
to Hull although the film was shown in Wigan.
One other film in the collection is attributed to New
Century Pictures which features a football match filmed in 1904/5 as it
shows Hull City Football Club. New Century Pictures appear in Hull again
in October 1904 but as yet the game has not been definitively identified.
The exhibition of local films in Hull was not the exclusive
property of Mitchell & Kenyon but theirs is the archive which has
survived. A broad network of contacts, established through their initial
relationship with the bioscope proprietors, stood them in good stead to
develop their business. In Hull, as else where outside their 'heartland'
in Lancashire, their activity declines after 1904.
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