Ashbourne Football Aka Shrovetide Football (1963)

Ashbourne, Derbyshire. Twice a year on Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday all the men in the town play football through the streets. There are two teams those born north of the Henmore Brook are the upards, the others are the downards. C, U road sign to Ashbourne. Shots of the town centre. Shopkeepers are shown boarding their shop windows up in preparation for the game. Shots of 70 year old Percy Chadwick making the ball for the game from shoe leather and cork dust. John Roberts is shown painting the ball with the year and a Union Jack. Various shots of crowd filled streets. The ball is thrown into the crowd and the men scramble for it. M, Ss of children and women watching. Men are shown scraping over the ball as it goes into the brook, under a bridge and through the high street, where a lorry is trying to drive through the throng. Cuts exists see separate record. FILM A VIDEO FROM BRITISH PATHÉ. EXPLORE OUR ONLINE CHANNEL, BRITISH PATHÉ TV. IT S FULL OF