UK Government: Public Record Films

CD 1

1900-2011

This is an artificial accumulation of films that have been selected for permanent preservation as public records. Generally, these films are considered to be public records because the United Kingdom government played a role in their creation. Typically, this would have involved a government department or agency being either the producer or the sponsor of a particular film.

The films address a broad variety of subjects relating to life in the United Kingdom and parts of the (former) British Empire, such as: health and welfare (including HIV and AIDS), science and industry, transport, crime prevention, food and farming, the environment, communications (including the postal service), household finances, culture and heritage, and migration.

NOTE: If you wish to view films from the BFI National Archive, please cite BFI catalogue references found in the 'Former reference (Department)' field when contacting The British Film Institute with your request.

Some films are available online from the BFI Media Player.

For National Coal Board films, see COAL 105

For a curated selection of digitised public information films, see INF 32

For Crown Film Unit productions, see INF 33

For Ministry of Information and Central Office of Information films see INF 34

Public Record(s)

English and Miscellaneous

1435 film(s)

Film preservation rules apply that may restrict access. For further information about accessing BFI National Archive collections, please visit http://www.bfi.org.uk/archive-collections/searching-access-collections

Open

Topics

Archives and libraries

Migration

Disease

Food and drink

Films that have been selected for permanent preservation were transferred directly to the British Film Institute who hold selected films with the legal status of public records on behalf of The National Archives.

Films which covered subjects of particular interest or films which were in themselves innovative were selected for permanent preservation.

Since the development of moving image film, the government has taken a keen interest in it as a means of communicating with the public. Many government departments and agencies - not just the Ministry of Information and its successor the Central Office of Information - have produced or sponsored films for public information and marketing purposes.

Film-making has often involved government bodies collaborating with one another, as well as with other organisations in the public, private and charitable sectors. Information about the provenance of individual films may be complex or unclear.

Government departments producing or sponsoring some of the films include: Admiralty; War Office Cinematograph Committee; Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food; Empire Marketing Board Film Unit; General Post Office Film Unit; Films Division, Government of India; Colonial Film Unit; Road Research Laboratory; Metropolitan Police; Health and Safety Executive; and Department of Transport.