Record of activities at the 1960 Floral and Musical Fete held in Exhibition Park, Newcastle upon Tyne, between 20th and 23rd July.  This amateur film includes footage of a parade along Scotswood Road, Clayton Street, Northumberland Street and the Haymarket, led by the Mayor of Newcastle’s ceremonial carriage, with floats and marching regiments or bands from many local youth organisations.  At Exhibition Park, the Floral Queen is crowned and various displays take place, such as formation...

Record of activities at the 1960 Floral and Musical Fete held in Exhibition Park, Newcastle upon Tyne, between 20th and 23rd July.  This amateur film includes footage of a parade along Scotswood Road, Clayton Street, Northumberland Street and the Haymarket, led by the Mayor of Newcastle’s ceremonial carriage, with floats and marching regiments or bands from many local youth organisations.  At Exhibition Park, the Floral Queen is crowned and various displays take place, such as formation marching, group exercises, a mummer’s play performed by Cubs and Scouts, St John’s Ambulance first aid demonstrations, dog show and gymkhana.  [Titles over the Coat of Arms of the City of Newcastle upon Tyne] Title: City and County of Newcastle Upon Tyne Title: The Youth of the City take part in Title: The Floral and Musical Fete 1960 Last year’s floral queen arrives at the Claremont road entrance to the fete in Exhibition Park, dressed in a white pencil skirt suit.  She glances across at the camera and waves.  Entrance signs advertise the fete.  People queue and pay at a toll booth. The Mayor of Newcastle, Alderman Mrs G. Robson, makes a speech, clutching a floral tiara.  She crowns the Floral Queen, and a photographer takes a picture.  Portrait shot of the Floral Queen with the Mayor.  The Floral Queen makes a speech.  The audience applaud.  Presentations of bouquets of flowers follow.  The Floral Queen and other women pose for a group portrait. Sea Cadets with a marching band gather in the cattle market and down Scotswood Road.  A shot of three Floral Queens follows. The parade begins, moving down Scotswood Road with the Mayor’s horse-drawn carriage up front, followed by a succession of floats: the garlanded float of the Floral Queen; the Duke of Edinburgh Awards Expedition; the Travelmasters float with a model windmill and sign that reads "[…] were entrusted with the detailed arrangements for the civic visit for the Newcastle Floral Queen to the Netherlands"; the Boys Brigade ( a boy dangling a dead fish); the Northumberland Girl Guides with banner slogan that reads “Guiding Bridges the World"; and the Women's Junior Air Corps (WJAC) with young female cadets.  The IPF float passes by the Marlborough Inn on Scotswood Road.  They are followed by the stunning floral display of the Rye Hill Youth float on which four young women are seated, dressed in full-skirted summer dresses. [Darker footage] Next, a band and cavalry regiment, some mounted on horseback, march past the Golden Fleece pub on Clayton Street.  Spectators line the street.  High angle shot of spectators down Northumberland Street (looking away from Haymarket). Kirton’s shop sign is visible on the left hand side. Three film crew are recording the event from a specially constructed high platform.  Shot of the parade.  Close-up of a banner carried in the parade advertising the fete at Exhibition Park.  The Mayor’s carriage drives by.  The floats pass Haymarket and the Crows Nest Hotel in Barras Bridge.  High angle shot of the Floral Queen on her float, then the floats of Travelmasters (“of 11 Ridley Road”) and Northumberland Girl guides.  The GLB float moves towards camera.  A succession of the other floats drive by.  Various bands and brigades march up Northumberland Street and past the South African War Memorial on Haymarket. The various marching groups start to arrive at Exhibition Park, including the Boys Brigade, Girls Brigade, Boy Scouts, Girl Guides, Cadets and Sea Cadets. The Floral Queen, Mayor and other distinguished guests await the parade in the rain.  The Mayor makes a speech.  A military officer salutes, and a military band plays.  The Mayor, Alderman Mrs G. Robson, reviews the assembled “troops” on the parade ground.  She then departs in the ceremonial carriage.  [Darker footage ends.] The different organisations display their skills at the fete, including a band playing music, sea cadets working with a cannon.  General views of the film crew’s platform.  Cubs and boy scouts make a fire.  Then the scout master rallies his troop with a speech (?). A pig is roasted on a spit.  A small girl enjoys eating a portion. A sign reads: “You could be the driver of the Scaracen by joining 15/16 Hussars. The Northumberland and Durham RAC Reg.”  Children play in and on the tank.  Various shots record the Northumberland Fusiliers in full regalia on horseback. The film then documents a huge number of fruit, vegetable and flower displays.  Close-up of the Newcastle upon Tyne Parks Department logo, possibly on a van.  More floral displays with individual prize-winning entries follow, including one in the shape of an artist’s palette, and a variety of cacti in a group. Girls Brigade members perform group exercises and display their marching and baton skills. A group portrait follows of men and women watching the displays. Many of the organisations at Exhibition Park have stalls where they provide publicity material and promote the group.  These include the Boys Brigade, Girls Brigade, the Newcastle Branch of the Infantile Paralysis Fellowship, and the Dog and Cat Shelter.  A young girl wearing a British Red Cross armband strokes a cute black puppy.  A woman holds and strokes a black cat.  A sign reads “1928 Austin 7, built with spare parts by the members of the Rye Hill Youth Club” and the unusual car is shown. At the stall of the Durham District Association Cyclists’ Touring Club, a girl’s bike is checked.  The Girls’ Life Brigade (GTC) has a stall with a sign that reads “To Save Life”.  St John Ambulance uniformed members demonstrate first aid on a young girl, bandaging her arm. There are also stalls for the Northumberland Girl Guides, Boy Scouts, Wolf Cubs and senior sea cadets, who demonstrate the use of a ship’s steering wheel. A band plays outside near the “Carrick’s” marquee. Children have fun trying out walkie-talkies. Cubs or scouts compete in piggy back relay races, and perform a Mummers play that features a long snake.  A Capstan advertisement can be seen in the background. General views of a show jumping, or gymkhana, event for children. A dog show takes place at the fete.  Entrants hold their show dogs.  The dogs are weighed.  The audience claps as the dogs are put through their paces.  Children in the audience sip drinks. The Floral Queen awards prizes to young people. Further scenes at the gymkhana follow with show jumping and audience applauding. Title: The End The film ends with a shot of a flower bed.