Penna’s Ice Cream makers in Hull ran their business from 1896 to 2004. Francesco Penna the founder, learnt the secret of making ice cream in Brooklyn, New York. He decided to settle in Hull and start his ice cream business in North Street later moving to St Georges Road Hessle Road. This film shows the ice cream vans of a family firm doing their rounds the urban and suburban streets of Hull. The film opens on an out of focus, indistinct form, which then cuts to an ice cream van, parked in...

Penna’s Ice Cream makers in Hull ran their business from 1896 to 2004. Francesco Penna the founder, learnt the secret of making ice cream in Brooklyn, New York. He decided to settle in Hull and start his ice cream business in North Street later moving to St Georges Road Hessle Road. This film shows the ice cream vans of a family firm doing their rounds the urban and suburban streets of Hull. The film opens on an out of focus, indistinct form, which then cuts to an ice cream van, parked in Gillet Street, Hessle Road Hull. The driver/salesman thought to be Francesco Penna looks out of the serving window as two young boys stand at the front of the van with their newly purchased ice cream cornets. Next the van pulls up at another kerb Albert Penna the owner of the firm walks on the pavement towards the camera. Children following already have ice creams in their hand. In another view the driver hands over cornets to other children, while nearby others eat theirs. The children pose for the camera next to the van, and a woman runs up and joins them. The children hold their ice creams up to the camera in a form of salute. The film cuts to a similar view with children standing next to the van looking at the camera, in the background is the window of a typical street or ‘corner’ shop. The ice cream van moves slowly away from the kerb, revealing the trade name of ‘Mr Whirly’ painted underneath the serving window. On the back of the van more advertising, with a plea to ‘try a Mr Whirly’. The van heads off down the road following a horse and cart, then the film cuts to another location and young boys in jeans waiting for their ice creams. Albert Penna stops by and watches the driver serving his customers. Albert encourages the children in the queue to look at the camera. A woman joins the queue while a young girl on the pavement plays with a toddler who is pushing a toy pram. The same location is filmed from a different angle. Albert Penna is still there, as he watches those buying his ice cream, he doesn’t seem tempted himself. All the customers seem to be aware they are being filmed. A closer view show two of the boys eating the ice creams and looking directly at the camera. This particular location seems to have produced plenty of customers for the driver. The number of children who stay close to the van in order to be filmed seems to increase. The driver eventually has time to smile at the camera, as he talks to an older woman who has just bought an ice cream. Eventually the van moves on. Next another location Wold Road West, same ice cream but a different van, this one a Bedford the previous one being built with a Morris chassis and engine. The driver is thought to be Peter Penna. A slogan across the top of the serving window reads; ‘The Best in the Whirld’ Adults seem to be the main customers at this location which is a suburban estate with a wide road and grass verges. The van moves off and moves further along what appears to be the same or similar type of street, it passes a parked Mini before stopping not far from a road junction. An older woman gets served then an eager youngster runs across the grass verge to the van’s window. He reaches up to hand over some money to the driver. The driver puts the ice cream on top of the cone from a pressurised dispenser, and hands it to his customer. The boy walks back across the grass verge. Another street and more customers as a woman walks away with an ice cream cornet towards the camera, and an older woman steps up to the window to order hers. A younger woman runs up to the van to order as the camera moves to the rear of the van which displays the registration number, YKH 548. The girl runs off with her purchases, and the film cuts to a small queue at the window of the van. A young teenager collects his purchase of two ice cream cornets. A little boy reaches up to the counter to collect his ice cream, and tucks into it as he passes the camera. Another woman buys a cornet but does not have far to walk as the van is parked opposite her home. She walks down the garden path and opens the front door. A teenage girl buys two cornets with chocolate flake bars placed in the ice cream. An older woman buys three of the same item. The van moves further on dispensing more childhood memories to a young girl and three boys. The film ends with an indistinct and overexposed section and then goes blank.