This week we have accessioned into the Archive a digital copy of a black and white, silent film of Leith Hospital Flag Day, 1938. The original film was deposited with the Scottish Screen Archive by Edinburgh Cine & Video Society (ECVS), the creators, for long term preservation. The film was inaccessible in its original state but LHSA has arranged for the film to be digitised with copies for ECVS & LHSA, and as a result, ECVS has granted the Archive permission to use the film on our website and for other educational purposes. This is a good example of collaborative working between organisations for the benefit of all.
Leith Hospital’s pageants, or Flag Days, were big events in the community and played an important part in fundraising for the Hospital in the days before the NHS. The annual report for 1938 (ref: LHB6/2/70) tells us that £1,621, 15 shillings and 2 pence was raised at that year’s event. The film is less than 2 minutes long and shows people enjoying themselves at parades with floats, marching bands and Penny Farthing Bicycles! We look forward to making it available soon on our website: http://www.lhsa.lib.ed.ac.uk/.