Edwardian Britain in Colour: Work, Leisure and Life Before the War | FULL DOCUMENTARY

Edwardian Britain begins with the death of Queen Victoria in 1901 and the arrival of Edward VII. Shown in colour for the first time, this episode moves from coronation celebrations in Accrington to a country that saw itself as the richest and most powerful nation in the world. That wealth rested on work. In the London docks, Covent Garden, the coalfields of Wigan, the cotton mills of Lancashire, the Siemens Brothers Factory in Dalston and the hat trade in Stockport, men and women kept Britain moving through long hours, physical labour and skilled factory work. Children were part of that world too. Many left school young, worked as half-timers, and grew up in conditions marked by poverty, hard labour and illnesses such as rickets. These films also catch brief moments of play, outings and curiosity in front of the camera. But Edwardian life was not only labour. Preston Guild, pleasure gardens, day trips and Blackpool show how leisure became part of working life, even if time off was limited. A vivid look at how people worked, dressed, travelled and enjoyed themselves in Edwardian Britain. Documentary: Edwardian Britain in Color EP1 Directed by: Leo Gizzi, Alison Grist Production: Make Waves Media (2019) #documentary #freedocumentary #edwardianbritain #blackpool #coventgarden #wigan #lancashire #coalmining #cottonmills #workingwomen #edwardvii