The British Pathé Archive

The 2013 Isle of Man TT Festival begins today. British Pathé has more than 50 films from previous Tourist Trophy and Junior TT contests, all of which can be viewed here. 

Image: The 1930 race.

Donald Maclean, one of the “Cambridge Five” who were uncovered as Soviet spies, was born on 25^th May 1913. British Pathé has material related to his defection.

Image: Newspaper announces the disappearance of his wife.

A weird special effect shot found in the archive puts the Statue of Liberty in London’s Trafalgar Square: http://www.britishpathe.com/video/special-effect-shot Do we like the idea?

Lion v Man. Upsetting hunting scenes from 1955 in South Africa: http://youtu.be/vbhU76kUGMM

“Ballad Of The Bard” - transport yourself back a few decades with this film of Tony Sheridan and Bobby Patrick’s Big Six reinterpreting Shakespeare for the 1960s in Stratford: http://www.britishpathe.com/video/ballad-of-the-bard/

Gallery - 10 Dangerous Daredevils. These thrill seekers were reckless and some even lost their lives: http://www.britishpathe.com/gallery/daredevils/0 Image: Chief White Eagle hanging from a plane by his locks in the 1920s.

New gallery - 10 Dangerous DareDevils. These thrill seekers were reckless, heroic, crazy, gallant, extraordinary and some stunts were so dangerous that people even lost their lives. Click here to view.

Michael Douglas plays Valentino Liberace in the new Soderbergh biopic “Behind the Candelabra”. You can watch the real Liberace in these films.

British driver Grover-Williams wins the first ever Monaco Grand Prix in 1929: http://www.britishpathe.com/video/another-british-triumph/

Steven Soderbergh’s Liberace biopic, Behind the Candelabra, has been lauded by critics at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival. Michael Douglas stars as the pianist Valentino Liberace and Matt Damon plays his long term lover, Scott Thorson.

Watch this 1968 clip of the real Liberace shopping in Carnaby Street: http://www.britishpathe.com/video/liberace-in-carnaby-street

2013’s Chelsea Flower Show opens today!

British Pathé has some of the best Chelsea Flower Shows from throughout the 20th century, including star-studded and Royal days out at the event. Click here to view.

20 Acts Of Terror: Gallery of Terrorist Atrocities from 1919 to 2005 using contemporary news footage from the archive. http://www.britishpathe.com/gallery/terrorism/0

Image: Terrorist attack, Liverpool 1920.

Twenty Acts Of Terror: Gallery of Terrorist Atrocities from 1919 to 2005. http://www.britishpathe.com/gallery/terrorism/0

Image: IRA attack on Ulsterbus Depot, 1972.

Incredible Boer War material from the archive, 1899-1900: http://www.britishpathe.com/video/boer-war-material-reel-2

Today, celebrations mark 70 years since the Dambusters Raid. You can see the bouncing bomb and footage of the Dambusters themselves in this collection.