TO INDIA BY PENINSULAR AND ORIENTAL STEAMSHIP CATHAY, 1934

This film is held by the Imperial War Museum (ID: MGH 4525).

Synopsis

Amateur film with titles, shot by Royal Army Medical Corps doctor Colonel Alexander Simson (1894-1980), records tourist scenes typically witnessed by British officers travelling out to India by ship in the 1930's (Port Said, Suez Canal, Aden, Bombay).

"Edinburgh. Princes Street, Castle, Sir Walter Scott Monument, Dean Bridge and Valley": Busy street scenes. "London. Trafalgar Square, Life Guards Band, Irish Guards, Buckingham Palace": horse, bus and car transport in Trafalgar Square and military ceremonial. "Port Said. De Lesseps Statue, Hawkers, Priests Dope Searching": Street scenes, including cinema poster advertising, bilingually, "Only Yesterday, Pour une Nuit Dernire". Egyptian police pass by. "Passage Suez Canal - Kantara passed on left (East Bank)": Through Canal, passing shipping and train on east bank. "Aden. Last port of call before Bombay. Street scenes": Harbour and land scenes. "Indian Ocean. Bathing, Sunbathing, Deck Games": Men swim in canvas pool. "Bombay. Departure by Frontier Mail for Bannu": Bombay street scenes. On train journey north through Bayana and Gangapur railway stations (south of Agra). Indian gardener planting shrubs, and cow turning well wheel for water, presumably in Colonel Simson's garden at Bannu (North West Frontier Province).

Notes

Title: mistakenly written on film as "TO INDIAN ....."

 

Titles

  • AMATEUR FILM BY COLONEL ALEXANDER SIMSON (Alternative)
  • TO INDIA BY PENINSULAR AND ORIENTAL STEAMSHIP CATHAY, 1934
 

Technical Data

Year:
1934
Running Time:
15 minutes
Film Gauge (Format):
16mm
Colour:
B&W
Sound:
Silent
Footage:
ca 350 ft
 

Production Credits

Production Countries:
GB
cameraman
Simson, Alexander Macdonald (Colonel)