This lovingly created website, by Ampthill resident John Day, contains over 2500 images of the Town.
Why not take a look!
CREATING A LIVING ARCHIVE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS
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Ampthill's Rich History has now
been brought to life, with the launch of
This lovingly created website, by Ampthill resident John Day, contains over 2500 images of the Town. Why not take a look! |
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At
the end of 1999 representatives from various groups, clubs, and societies met
with Town Councillors to consider what the community could do to mark the
Millennium. The outcome was that a Committee be formed to organise the
production of a Video to record the many events planned for 2000. The Ampthill
Millennium Committee then came into being and it worked through the Year 2000 to
produce a digital video record. All the major events were filmed and archived
along with a large amount of donated footage. Training was also given in video
filming and editing to assist some of the 40 organisations that took part in the
project.
In
November 2000, the Ampthill Millennium Video was launched at an event held at
the Wingfield Club, attended by 140 people representing most of the clubs,
societies, organisations and sponsors involved. This video was a 90 minute tape consisting
of Year 2000 events such as the Ampthill Festival, Pram Race, the first Farmers
Market, May Day celebrations etc, plus archive video and Cine footage, plus
photographs of old Ampthill.
Helped
by coverage on Three Counties Radio, a poster campaign, word of mouth, and much
effort by the Committee nearly 500 copies of this Video were sold by Christmas
2000. This showed the communities' interest and enthusiasm for the project. Many
copies were ordered for sending to relatives and earlier Ampthill residents in
Australia, New Zealand, and Tasmania. Special copies were even produced using
the NTSC video system for viewing in the USA and Canada.
Taking
place in parallel with this was the considerable amount of work needed to
convert all the material into completed
films on digital master tapes, and it took until
the end of 2002 to accomplish this. Each finished film includes a title
sequence, plus graphics, music, and voiceover where appropriate. The
end result was 138 separate films on the archive, covering a wide range of subjects
including arts, music, sport, church life, community affairs, history,
charities, and fun and games, over 70 hours in total. During January 2003, the
25 volume sets of standard VHS tapes were produced together with the supporting
colour catalogues for presentation to the Ampthill Library, and the East Anglian
Film Archive, Norwich, A duplicate
copy of the Digital Master Tapes was made for the County Records Office,
Bedford, to store in its vaults.
An
evening in early February 2003 saw the culmination of all this effort with the
handing over of the complete archive to Ampthill Library. On the day after,
Anglia Television News broadcast the story.
At
the time, David Cleveland, Director of the East Anglian Film Archive, Norwich commented
"There are many films in our archive that show a slice of town or village
life, but the Ampthill Video Archive is comprehensive, covering all aspects of
Ampthill life, with flashbacks to earlier times. The future value of this as a
research tool, as well as for enjoyment is immeasurable. It is a collection that
we will keep for future generations. The committee that oversaw this project should be
congratulated for such a visionary idea. But it could never have happened
without the enthusiastic response from Ampthill residents who supplied the raw
material, and the epic work involved in the transferring, editing, and producing
25 handsomely packaged and indexed VHS tapes."
The
work continues. 2001 and 2002(Jubilee Year) is now being edited. More news
later.
All
the films are included in a 25 volume set held in the Local Studies area of the Ampthill
branch of the Bedfordshire County Library. An additional set is in the Reference
Section where most of the tapes are available for loan to Library members. Visitors
to the Library can refer to the fully indexed colour catalogue to select a film to
view on special video replay equipment purchased by the Library Service to
support this enterprise. The
colour catalogue contains a page for each film showing a couple of images
and brief explanation. An extra copy of the catalogue is held with the
Tourism material
in the Ampthill Town Council Offices.
It
is hoped that people will visit Ampthill, a delightful Georgian Market Town, to dip
into the Archive, and spend some time in the town. More information about
Ampthill elsewhere on this website.
In
addition copies of most of the films can be purchased (Some not so because
of copyright considerations). To
obtain a copy please visit the Library or Town Council Office to select the film
from
the catalogue, and make a note of the film reference number, then telephone
(01525) 403758 to order a copy, or alternatively email to jaydee@uku.co.uk.
Current prices are £10 per Tape+£2 postage and packing , and £12 for special
NTSC or Secam versions (For USA, Canada, and France etc) + appropriate postage
and packing depending on the destination.
Recommended
- Ampthill Millennium Video - A 90 minute tape including many shots of Ampthill,
lots of year 2000 events, and vintage cine film and photographs.
Other
best sellers:-
Town
Centre Development. Year 2000. 30 mins.
Vintage
Photographs and Postcards. Early 1900s. 25 mins.
Ampthill
Festival Gala Day. Summer 2000. 35 mins.
Houghton
House - Ghosts. Redborne School Drama. Summer 2000. 52 mins.
Christmas
Lights Switch on. November 2000. 31 mins.
Brick making
- Marston Vale - Cine Film. 1920s and 30s. 30 mins.
The
Ill Fated R101 - Cine Film. 1929. 30 mins.
Addresses:-
Ampthill Library. 1 Flitwick Road, Ampthill & Ampthill
Town Council Offices, 66 Dunstable Street, Ampthill.
EXAMPLES OF SOME IMAGES FROM 'THE AMPTHILL MILLENNIUM VIDEO'
The Future Edward VIII at the 1930 Ampthill Agricultural Show
Funding for this project has been secured from the National Lottery 'Awards for All' Programme (£3985, from Mid-Beds District Councils 'Milestones for the Millennium Awards' Programme (£1000) & from Bedfordshire County Council's 'Millennium' Awards (£500), together with generous donations from local organizations and townsfolk.
Supported by 'The Milestones for the Millennium' Award provided by
&
Bedfordshire County Councils 'Millennium' Awards
&
The National Lottery's 'Awards for All'
AN ADDITIONAL WEB PAGE HAS BEEN CONSTRUCTED CONCERNING THIS PROJECT ON BEDFORDSHIRE MUSEUMS WEB SITE. THE WEB PAGE ADDRESS IS www.museums.bedfordshire.gov.uk/localgroups/ampthill2k.html
FRONT PAGE / HISTORY / AMPTHILL TODAY / FUTURE EVENTS / NEWS / TOWN COUNCIL / LOCAL GOVERNMENT / SHOP & BUSINESS DIRECTORY / SCHOOLS / CHURCHES / CRICKET CLUB / FESTIVAL / MUSIC FESTIVAL / PHOTO'S OF PRESENT DAY AMPTHILL / MORE PHOTO'S OF PRESENT DAY AMPTHILL / HISTORICAL PHOTO'S OF AMPTHILL / MORE HISTORICAL PHOTO'S OF AMPTHILL / AMPTHILL 2000 VIDEO PROJECT / LINKS / YOUTH MATTERS / QUIZZES / MARK SMITH'S HOMEPAGE / LEUKAEMIA & HEALTH LINKS
© Mark Smith 2000
(see My Online C.V.)