![Wendy Freer](/img/default-banner.jpg)
- Видео 107
- Просмотров 125 239
Wendy Freer
Великобритания
Добавлен 21 дек 2008
This channel now belongs to Pudding Bag Productions of which Wendy Freer is the founder. Pudding Bag Productions, founded in 2013, is a community, not-for-profit, heritage group in Leicestershire, UK, which aims to explore and interpret history and heritage through film-making and other digital media. We make mainly historical dramas but also make documentaries and film events when asked by other organisations. Our first drama film "A Town Divided" about life in Ashby de la Zouch during the English Civil War, was Highly Commended in the County Heritage Awards 2014. In the same Awards, we were chosen as Heritage Group of the Year in 2016, won the Bringing Heritage Alive category in 2018 and were awarded Highly Commended for Ann Ayre Hely, A Crimean War Nurse from Ravenstone in the same year.
The Gift
Sir George Beaumont of Coleorton Hall was instrumental in bringing about the first English National Gallery which opened in London in 1824. In the year in which the Gallery celebrates its 200th anniversary, we made this drama to tell the story of Beaumont's contribution to the nation.
Просмотров: 83
Видео
Hastings' Tower
Просмотров 303 месяца назад
In the 1470s, William Hastings of Ashby de la Zouch Castle planned to enhance his home with a magnificent tower - or more than one. After all, he had to outdo the Duke of Gloucester. Plans didn't go as hoped, as this comedy sketch written by Mark Taylor of Ashby Writers' Club shows. Thanks also to artist Di Lorriman for permission to use her cartoon paintings.
The Visit
Просмотров 1183 месяца назад
The Visit tells some aspects of the history of St Hardolph and St Mary's Church in Breedon upon the Hill through a series of characters who come for a guided tour. The visit doesn't quite turn out how they or the guide expected!
Harriett
Просмотров 3803 месяца назад
Life as a Victorian domestic servant is the subject of this film as we tell the true story of Harriett Phillips who was housekeeper at Calke Abbey in Derbyshire from 1865 to 1883. Who is her mysterious "nephew" and what is the secret she kept all through her working life?
Quick Flicks 24
Просмотров 184 месяца назад
Our annual public film screening night, Quick Flicks, is part of Ashby Arts Festival. This year (2024) we will be showing five historical drama films made by us over the past year or so. The event is at Ashby School Theatre, Nottingham Road, Ashby de la Zouch. Doors open at 7pm and films start at 7.20. Free entry. Parking available.
Comrades in Arms
Просмотров 682 года назад
Four soldiers, from different eras, meet in St Helen's Church, Ashby de la Zouch. They find out about each other's experiences, and eventually, why they have been summoned there.
The Return of The Pod
Просмотров 292 года назад
Written by Mark Taylor of Ashby Writers' Club, this is a comedy in which a wife, taken for granted by her husband, has a rather surprising escape.
The Witches of Belvoir
Просмотров 1622 года назад
The true story of Joan Flower and her two daughters, accused of killing the two sons of the Earl and Countess of Rutland with witchcraft.
Dinner at St Helen's
Просмотров 532 года назад
Five historical characters, from different eras, come to St Helen's Church, Ashby de la Zouch, in 2022 in response to an invitation to dinner. They do not know each other, they do not know who has invited them or why.
Heritage and Footpath Project
Просмотров 362 года назад
This film records the Friends of Ashby Bath Grounds successful campaign to save the historic Bath Grounds from development and goes on to show all the aspects of the project that was funded by the National Lottery Fund.
Leave
Просмотров 352 года назад
A comedy by Mark Taylor, set in 2016 at the time of the EU Referendum.
Thomas Pestell, A 17th-century Vicar of Packington
Просмотров 1262 года назад
This drama was made with the support of a grant from the NATIONAL LOTTERY HERITAGE FUND. It tells the true story of the Vicar of Packington (near Ashby de la Zouch) and what happened to him during the English Civil Wars of the 17th Century.
Hinckley and District Hosiery Industry
Просмотров 1,1 тыс.3 года назад
Hinckley and District Hosiery Industry
The Knitting Frame
Просмотров 1283 года назад
An explanation of how the knitting frame or stocking frame works. This film was made by Pudding Bag Productions for Hinckley Museum and shot at Wigston Framework Knitters' Museum and the Leicestershire workshop of Martin Green, framework knitter.
Ashby de la Zouch the Spa Town. Part 1 The Royal Hotel
Просмотров 9214 года назад
Ashby de la Zouch the Spa Town. Part 1 The Royal Hotel
An Interview with Anthony Harris of Pat Collins Fairs Ltd.
Просмотров 9 тыс.4 года назад
An Interview with Anthony Harris of Pat Collins Fairs Ltd.
Freedom of the town of Ashby de la Zouch
Просмотров 644 года назад
Freedom of the town of Ashby de la Zouch
2:06 this should have been a big, stout actress, like Hope Emerson... but this here is certainly a wonderful actress and one loves her Hannah immensely!
I really enjoyed that - thanks for sharing!
Robert nundi!!!! How dare you!
Not so grand in 2023.
I used to work at stard soap . Now a housing estate. Sadly isn't it the way of the world. Who ever shot the video thank you.
I'm currently writing a book, set in 1912, in an upper class home. You've given me some ideas. Thank you!
See the thing is now there are tons of varieties and brands of The same item. Back then the store only carried one “toothpaste” only One “rice” only one brand of “raisins” there wasn’t endless variations and options to choose from. That’s why it so easy to use this list back in the day.
What a fascinating story from mr harris. I've seen him on a few occasions at the goose fair when i did a bit of casual work for william percival and i could listen to him all day long. Not many people like this man left ❤
The story about Kate is an.old murder mystery most foul story appearing in many murder mystery magazines
About 40 years ago I was 16 homeless and living in Hood park, Anthony Harris gave me a job, and I had a few years traveling and loved it. Thank you, Anthony. aka Jockey
Thanks Wendy - I've just found a pair of snakeskin Equity shoes that look 1920s ish in my grandmothers collection. Glad to find out more about this interesting company
Thanks Rose. It is quite a few years since we made this film so it’s nice to know people are still enjoying it.
Great video, thanks for sharing what happened in England. We have a documentary on French service :)
Thank you, glad you enjoyed it.
I remember my grandma used to make us bed socks, when she was working. I remember the noise of all the sewing machines.
Thanks for commenting Rachel. Yes, I imagine all those machines made quite a racket!
I came across this video after a recent obsession with Upstairs Downstairs. So glad I did, so informative and well made. Thank you!
Thank you for commenting. Glad you enjoyed it.
My great- grandmother worked as a domestic servant in a posh house and had 3 illegitimate children ( it is thought) by the son of her employer! 🤭
Thank you for commenting Anna. Sounds like your grandmother was an interesting woman.
@@BarkingFree yes! Very controversial for the time and I would have loved to have met her!
Thanks for posting - brilliant
Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for commenting.
My great grant uncle, (who was an amateur but excellent photographer) lived, with his wife and daughters, in a large manor (upstairs) and had an army of servants. We found a lot of photos of his servants, and what was intriguing was the number of male servants in positions which might have otherwise been female job. There was also a massive number of photos of two Butlers. Some photos were so insanely well staged it looked like there were made for some fashion magazine, and it was obvious that those Butlers had been hired for their looks. Then one day i found a little niche in my GG uncle's closet (I mean the room not the furniture) This was a very well hidden niche and this was only because i was planning on having it refurbished that using an echo machine i found this hollow space in the wall and inside of it were two large metal boxes one filled with letters and the other with photos, and the letters were clearly letters between the Butlers and my GG Uncle about their affairs and sexual encounters. While the photos were basically an expression or illustrations of those letters, ranging from romantic to pornography (and i do mean porn, not just naked Butlers on a chair in all their manhood, but my GG Uncle on his knees pleasing the Butlers and vice versa, or the Butlers pleasing each other or my GG Uncle . However by the read of those letters it was clear that this was a true love (or lust) triangle and that they did like each other a lot. Most photos were taken in this closet which i guess originates the expression "being in the closet", and they never came out of it. It was both shocking and embarrassing because you don't really want to find photos of your relatives in these compromising positions, but i mostly felt bad for him and his wife, as well as the Butlers of course. My GG Uncle died prematurely after being killed by a bear whom he ironically had rescued from one of those horrendous zoos of the time (he was a massive animal lover and vegan which was rare in those days). And i wonder if his death was a relief or a curse for his wife, who might have known what was going on under her roof. Had he grown older, i guess he would have disposed of those photos at some point so that nobody would have ever found them, because he obviously kept his secret until way beyond his death, and carried it to his grave. But the interesting almost eerie thing about it is that it was me, his great grand openly gay nephew who found those photos and letters. I have taken those photos and letters to my bank and placed them in a safe there, so nobody in my family will find out about it as i assume my GG uncle would have wished and i went to his grave with my partner and the graves of the Butlers (one of them married and had kids) and we had a glass of wine with them there and a chat to let them know that things have changed and that, had they lived in our day and age, their lives would have been quite different. We toasted also to my GG Uncle excellent taste in men, because those Butlers were even more handsome than Thomas from Downton. I now live in his house with my partner and our kids (and no servants) which gives a whole new meaning to his house now. I originally wanted to transform his closet into a kid's bedroom, but after seeing the photos and what took place there i decided to turn it into my home office instead. I imagine how many houses have those scandalous stories tied to them and how interesting it would be to uncover them and make a documentary about them.
What an interesting story and what an amazing find. Thank you for sharing.
I remember this although I didn’t take part in it. 😊
Another splendid production. Well done again to all concerned.
Very enjoyable production. Well done to all concerned.
Thank you.
Thanks for the video. I enjoyed it.
What is the little wooden box in a little square alcove in the pink walled room behind the gentleman’s right? Thanks!
What a gentleman you are. Watched your video and loved it. I love in Cumbria and know David Taylor well. Some people really do not know that you showmen are normal everyday good nice people. They somehow associate you with gypsy's. Why I don't know I know quite a few showmen and they are lovely people as I have had a passion for funfairs since I waz a boy and now 53 hence the reason I'm watching this video. And often wondered where the pat Collins came from but you have solved that now lol
Well done to all concerned.
Thank you Wendy for an interesting video. I’m always enthralled when it comes to social history and am interested in reading about Victorian life. Very informative.
Glad you enjoyed it.
I’ve literally been trying to find one similar. I hate using my phone for it and I don’t like wasting paper. Why are these so hard to find? I’d imagine they’d be more popular in this more eco-friendly time.
Is Jimmy Price there yet?
Have been trying to contact you on email address but no joy Wendy...
What email address are you using?
I very much enjoyed this. Just found it and you and the gentleman were interestingly well done. Can any of these books be bought here in the states? I enjoy these types of stories, and find them interesting to hear true accounts of servants. Victorian England is so interesting.
The older books are very hard to find, even here in the UK. I'll have a check and let you know if I find any for sale but they are likely to be expensive.
wonderful! this was so interesting. thank you so much
Thank you for watching and commenting.
I remember them coming to Ashby during the Queens' Silver Jubilee
Thank you for sharing this video. I had the privilege of working for Anthony and his family for many years. He is a true 'one off', a unique human being and a gentleman. Throughout my career I met so many interesting people but none more inspirational than Anthony. He is a man of many skills and his boys are a credit to him and his wife Christina and they will surely carry on the Pat Collins Fair business successfully, having learnt their trade from the 'Grand Master' himself. Long may they tour!
Thank you for commenting so positively. I was so pleased that we managed to capture his story. We are hoping the fair can come this September for our annual "Statutes".
My fully dressed grandmother (1922) stood in her 1st night marital bedroom , staring straight ahead, arms akimbo, like an airplane. My grandfather tells the story wryly, "Beloved, what are you doing? "...to which she continued staring and replied waspishly, " Darling. I am waiting for SOMEONE ON THE STAFF !! to undress me !! What did you say Grandfather ? Cmere, Darlin'... oh, how we loved his telling that story..
How funny!
I really wonder how notorious were the “Sons of households”. Men who were brought up to believe that they were entitled to everything and that they were a superior species to their servants. How did servant women avoid them?
Interesting point.
I found this very interesting. I would love to have a browse around your bookshelves and was reading the titles of the books on your desk upside down.
Thank you. Glad you enjoyed it.
Fascinating…..thank you
Thank you for watching.
Your video about your grandfather's postcard was very interesting!
Mr. Harris is a true gent and the perfect representative of the industry. I could quite happily listen to him talk for hours. Thanks for sharing this
Thanks Jason. We were so lucky to get to record this interview. I was really pleased that we were able to do it.
Pat Collins the best travelling fun fair show men in the business
No doubt about that my friend, back in the 1970s and 80s I travelled with Anthony Harris, done 12 seasons best days of my life, before all the health and safety could jump on and of the rides do a bit of showing off, Anthony great guy to work for . Would do it all again👍
Where can you get a copy of his memoirs?
There are quite a few different diaries and memoirs mentioned in the film so not quite sure which you mean. Most are hard to find and very expensive but If you want to just dip into quite a few diaries and memoirs I can recommend "Servants' Stories" edited by Michael Higgs which is a compilation taken from a lot of different servant diaries including some of those I've mentioned and is much more reasonably priced and available on Amazon. Full title: Servants' Stories: Life Below Stairs In Their Own Words, 1800-1950. Also look at my replies to Javier Bonilla below when I was logged in as Ashby Venture Theatre.
How interesting!
Thank you. The following is quite a long reply with some recommendations so I will have to break it up into two or three parts.
Their diaries and memoirs are really interesting too if you can get hold of them. Several were published. For example, William Tailor, a footman kept a diary for a year in 1837.
He was obviously quite a lad but also had some artistic skills which he used to make a bit of extra money. This book is available on Amazon and probably elsewhere but expensive!
Hannah Culwick's diaries have also been published. Town and Country by Charles Cooper; Cooper was a butler and lead a surprisingly comfortable life, travelling abroad, taking up hobbies such as fly fishing and photography!
Frederick Gorst in "Of Carriages and Kings" gives a vivid insight into the life of a footman in the vast household of Welbeck Abbey, where the servants were regarded as Royal servants and expected to carry out duties at Buckingham Palace as well as Welbeck.
most servants after the First World War wouldn't return to service. work outside The House paid better, gave better hours, less demanding. These were the men and women no one ever heard, may have seen once in awhile. I think they had very hard lives.
Most of them did indeed and it was the lack of freedom and privacy that drove many into alternative employment. Their diaries and memoirs make interesting and surprising reading though.
If you want to know more, I have written a longer reply above including some recommended reading.
The other replies are from me, Wendy Freer. I just didn't notice I was signed in as Ashby Venture Theatre!
Underrated
Fantastic viewing. Very insightful particularly for people not fully aware of the world of the Travelling Showman. I wish more people were aware of what the industry is about. Excellent interview
When this takes place Sherlock 🕵️♂️ Holmes is 62 years old in 1916 since he was born in 1854
It's not meant to be taken seriously. The storyline was devised by the kids to bring together something that each of them was interested in: trains, Sherlock Holmes, acting, Jack the Ripper and because it was part of a wider project it had to be set during the First World War. Quite a tall order!
just love the way he says la zous or whatever its called now it changes every year.
Yes, it's a betting shop now I think!
@@BarkingFree i moved away 2yrs ago but have always booked ashby fair week off work. think its bet fred now? gutted it was off this year. heres hoping 2021 goes a head xx
0:18 my great 👍 grandad 👴🏻 was born that year
Arigatougozaimasu. Thanks very much this video. I'm now making socks by new machine,but old one is pretty good!
Glad you enjoyed the film. There is a more up to date version of it here: ruclips.net/video/WdVDoLqg2_c/видео.html
great 👍
Thanks Angie.
I’ve met Anthony on a couple of occasions, and he is one of the most kind, generous, and captivating showmen I’ve had the pleasure to meet. I could listen to him for hours. Excellent video 😊👍🏻
Thank you DB Fairground Films. I first heard him speak at our Civic Society in Ashby 16 years ago and I have been wanting to record an interview with him ever since. Finally managed it and I'm so glad that he agreed for it to go online at RUclips.
One of the nicest people that I have ever worked for on the funfairs I spent 24 seasons and a lot of casual before that worked for the Harris family for about five seasons, and in all that time that Man never shouted at me, never abuse me in anyway, full respect for this man and family wonderful people. I have now retired in my 70s and miss it all. I would do it all again..