Bank Holidays | Celebrating the traditional British day off
Flashback | London August Bank Holiday
A BBC news crew spend the day with holidaymakers around London.
CHANNEL | BBC Television Service
FIRST BROADCAST | 01 August 1949
DURATION | 19 minutes 09 seconds
FIRSTBROADCAST
1949
Synopsis
In a London still visibly recovering from the effects of World War 11, an intrepid BBC news team set off from Alexandra Palace to spend the day visiting the capital's main attractions and speaking to the people they find there. There is an eerie lack of traffic and the devastation around St Paul's Cathedral is quite shocking. It is only when the team reach Hampstead Heath fair in the evening that there is a sense of people really letting their hair down.
Did you know?
The Blitz in London lasted from September 1940 to May 1941. In all, about 20,000 people died and one third of the housing stock was damaged or destroyed. St Paul's was saved by the diligent efforts of volunteer firewatchers who dealt with each incendiary device as it landed.
Associated subjects
Related BBC Links
More like this...
Flashback | London August Bank Holiday
A BBC news crew spend the day with holidaymakers around London.
News | A March Easter
A rainy Easter weekend appears not to have dampened the spirits of the nation.
News | Holiday Weekend: The Lighter Side
Festivals of light welcome bank holiday makers.
News | August Bank Holiday
Fun, frolics and some wacky ways to spend the August bank holiday.
News | Christmas Comes But Once a Year
The last bank holiday of the year is greeted with gusto.
News | 1952 Gets a Noisy Welcome
Wild celebrations for a weekend New Year's Eve.
News | Bank Holiday Round-up
From deckchairs to funfairs, a round up of bank holiday activities across the country.
News | No-Passport Trip to Boulogne
Adventurous travellers venture out on an exotic, passport-free day trip to France.
Children's Newsreel | Easter Monday Walk
Girls and boys parade and race at Easter.
News | Easter Traffic
The great Easter getaway begins and traffic problems commence.
Panorama | Bank Holidays
Just how bad will the bank holiday traffic be 20 years from now - in 1984?
24 Hours | Welsh New Year
A unique welcome in the valleys for the New Year.
News | Holiday Crowds Ignore Recession
Holidaymakers defy the credit squeeze.
Nationwide | Southend Holiday
A pun-filled report on a bank holiday weekend in 'the Cockney Costa del Sol'.
Scarborough Bank Holiday
How the day went on a warm May bank holiday by the sea.
News | Britain's first Official May Day Bank Holiday
The new holiday is met with disgruntlement and half-heartedness.
Nationwide | Scarva
The annual 'Sham Battle' celebrations take place in Northern Ireland.
Bank Holiday Fair
Remembering the magic and excitement of the Hampton Court fairground.
South East at Six | Carnival Preparations
Notting Hill Carnival: 'it's a get-together thing'.
News | Notting Hill Carnival
A colourful children's procession takes place at the carnival.
Regional News | St Patrick's Day
Shamrocks and Mass feature on this regional bank holiday.
Newsnight | May Day
The government plans to abolish the May Day bank holiday.
Gridlock: Bank Holiday Hell
Nick Ross presents a jam-busters' guide to beating the holiday traffic.
Documents
News Transcript: Bank Holiday Round-up
From deckchairs to funfairs, a round-up of bank holiday activities across the country.
Children's Newsreel Transcript: Easter Monday Walk
Girls and boys parade and race at Easter.
Children's Newsreel Transcript: May Day in Devon
A May Queen is crowned in Devon.
bbc.co.uk navigation
BBC links
BBC © 2013 The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more.
This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so.