2uluru Posted September 26, 2019 Report Share Posted September 26, 2019 Just watched this on the Talking Pictures channel. The Prendergast File 1964. Spoof documentary. The Ministry of Public Apathy sends Prendergast to assess Britain's canal network Never heard of this before. You can watch the film here ---- http://www.eafa.org.uk/catalogue/4088 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Lowe Posted September 26, 2019 Report Share Posted September 26, 2019 Thanks for pointing this out I'm going to watch it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sea Dog Posted September 26, 2019 Report Share Posted September 26, 2019 I watched some of "The Two Ronnies" the other night - it was bloomin' cringeworthy and ruined my memories! Thanks for posting, but I'll need more convincing before I watch anything from that era. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stellar2lw Posted September 26, 2019 Report Share Posted September 26, 2019 I bought a copy on dvd from Audlem Mill this summer, worth a watch....... but probably only once! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2uluru Posted September 26, 2019 Author Report Share Posted September 26, 2019 Stellar2lw – interesting view of canals in the mid-1960s. Humour more like the mid-1950s. In colour but on the blurry side. No point judging things from the past by today’s standards but yes, once is probably enough! ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Lowe Posted September 26, 2019 Report Share Posted September 26, 2019 4 hours ago, Sea Dog said: I watched some of "The Two Ronnies" the other night - it was bloomin' cringeworthy and ruined my memories! Thanks for posting, but I'll need more convincing before I watch anything from that era. I like the two Ronnie's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MtB Posted September 26, 2019 Report Share Posted September 26, 2019 4 hours ago, Sea Dog said: I watched some of "The Two Ronnies" the other night - it was bloomin' cringeworthy and ruined my memories! Thanks for posting, but I'll need more convincing before I watch anything from that era. I found them cringeworthy at the time, much of the time.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek R. Posted September 27, 2019 Report Share Posted September 27, 2019 (edited) The 'Four candles' sketch is classic. Buster Keaton is still King of silent comedy. Back to Prendergast - an excellent film showing some locations that many will recognise, Aylesbury basin with the old buildings for one, and whose cafe racer (BSA possibly) on the working boat? Good stuff. A 'spoof', but a lightly cynical dig at authority in the main. Edited September 27, 2019 by Derek R. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Lowe Posted September 27, 2019 Report Share Posted September 27, 2019 The Ministry of Apathy isn't real then, because it seems like it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sea Dog Posted September 27, 2019 Report Share Posted September 27, 2019 8 hours ago, buccaneer66 said: I like the two Ronnie's I thought I did. Turns out I only like "some" of the Two Ronnie's. I think the Greatest Hits might do the job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athy Posted September 27, 2019 Report Share Posted September 27, 2019 13 minutes ago, Sea Dog said: I thought I did. Turns out I only like "some" of the Two Ronnie's. I think the Greatest Hits might do the job. I thought they were wonderful apart from the small one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2uluru Posted September 27, 2019 Author Report Share Posted September 27, 2019 13 hours ago, Sea Dog said: I watched some of "The Two Ronnies" the other night - it was bloomin' cringeworthy and ruined my memories! Thanks for posting, but I'll need more convincing before I watch anything from that era. I don’t know if the Two Ronnies ever did a canal-based sketch but this is a canal forum and “The Prendergast File” is 15 minutes of canal history gold. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rusty69 Posted September 27, 2019 Report Share Posted September 27, 2019 Tut tut you old seadog. You should have only mentioned the one Ronnie, who was clearly in a narrowboat related film. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sea Dog Posted September 27, 2019 Report Share Posted September 27, 2019 14 minutes ago, 2uluru said: I don’t know if the Two Ronnies ever did a canal-based sketch but this is a canal forum and “The Prendergast File” is 15 minutes of canal history gold. I'm sorry - I didn't intend to derail! I will find those 15 minutes. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek R. Posted September 27, 2019 Report Share Posted September 27, 2019 (edited) 1 hour ago, Sea Dog said: I'm sorry - I didn't intend to derail! I will find those 15 minutes. Just in case you were expecting to see either of the Ronnies in the PO's film link - you won't. But it's an excellent piece of filming - and acting, as is the narration. Classic 1960's. David Hutchings even gets a Look in. I'm hopeful someone can put a name to the grab driver at Brentford. Edited September 27, 2019 by Derek R. Typo 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek R. Posted September 27, 2019 Report Share Posted September 27, 2019 2 hours ago, buccaneer66 said: The Ministry of Apathy isn't real then, because it seems like it We have many Ministries; Noise; Bluster; Deceit; Obfuscation; not forgetting The Ministry of Utter Gloom (as depicted by Giles, the cartoonist). Churchill had a Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29635592-churchill-s-ministry-of-ungentlemanly-warfare But I digress. let's not go there, here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rusty69 Posted September 27, 2019 Report Share Posted September 27, 2019 Well, I liked the glimpse of Winkell, but only cos it was our first mooring. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Lewis Posted September 27, 2019 Report Share Posted September 27, 2019 Thank you for posting this 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark99 Posted September 27, 2019 Report Share Posted September 27, 2019 (edited) Excellent. This is not about the comedy but gold dust historic canal film. What was the Willow Wren bote(s) shown? I saw Malta? There was Guccc #240. And others. Edited September 27, 2019 by mark99 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dav and Pen Posted September 27, 2019 Report Share Posted September 27, 2019 Nice film. I was on the work party when that was filmed, didn’t realize at the time as there were often reporters about and odd film crews. good to see old Jack James at Stoke Bruerne and the pub in those days. Willow wren loading wheat for Wellingborough and the Lime juice barrels on the quay. Lot of history in that film even if it was meant to be a spoof. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magnetman Posted September 27, 2019 Report Share Posted September 27, 2019 (edited) Nice film. Edited September 27, 2019 by magnetman 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dav and Pen Posted September 27, 2019 Report Share Posted September 27, 2019 Meant to add that this was the year of the winter big freeze when the canal was stopped from Christmas and This accelerated the end of long distance carrying. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LEO Posted September 28, 2019 Report Share Posted September 28, 2019 Brilliant film, some good GU scenes, Aylesbury basin particularly. Mid 60's I used to 'avoid' school dinners and walk to Jackson's bakery near the basin, get some grub and eat by the basin. Often a working boat was in the process of being converted into a house boat, The nearby Aylesbury Brewery was still in operation, great sites and smells. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris M Jones Posted September 28, 2019 Report Share Posted September 28, 2019 If it was all filmed about 1964 I would say some of the boats are: British Waterways butty BORDESLEY (240) Willow Wren (ex Fellows Morton & Clayton) motor towing hired British Waterways butty SATELLITE loaded Willow Wren motor RAIL (ex Grand Union Canal Carrying Co HADLEY) with butty running light Blue Line motor MALTA (Ex Barlow's still in their livery) with butty running light Willow Wren motor REDSHANK (ex Grand Union Canal Carrying Co READING) loading grain at Brentford 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete harrison Posted September 28, 2019 Report Share Posted September 28, 2019 (edited) 3 hours ago, Chris M Jones said: If it was all filmed about 1964 I would say some of the boats are: British Waterways butty BORDESLEY (240) Willow Wren (ex Fellows Morton & Clayton) motor towing hired British Waterways butty SATELLITE loaded Willow Wren motor RAIL (ex Grand Union Canal Carrying Co HADLEY) with butty running light Blue Line motor MALTA (Ex Barlow's still in their livery) with butty running light Willow Wren motor REDSHANK (ex Grand Union Canal Carrying Co READING) loading grain at Brentford I agree with the above, and the exF.M.C. Ltd. motor running with SATELLITE is QUAIL under Mark Harrison's command. Mark Harrison swapped in QUAIL for CURLEW in November 1964. British Waterways Board traffic records for 24/08/1964 list MALTA still being under Jack Monk (for Blue Line), but shortly afterwards he moved to Seymour-Roseblade edit - clearly this film also features the 'Knobstick' motor BERGEN as a pleasure boat conversion - owned by Hugh Symons who played Samuel Prendergast in this film. Edited September 28, 2019 by pete harrison 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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