Join this lunchtime talk to hear what 27 boxes of archived files can tell us about the cinematic & cultural history of the mid-20th century.

PLEASE NOTE: This talk has been postponed from 25 June and will now take place on Thursday 8 October.

Among the sprawling archive of the former Greater London Council held by The London Archives are 27 boxes of Film Viewing Board Files (catalogue reference GLC/DG/EL/01). These are records of film censorship from 1922 to 1985.

The files do not cover every film released in this period, but their variety is impressive. The files include folders on seminal works of early cinema 'The Cabinet of Dr Caligari', cult classic 'The Killing of Sister George', blasphemous film 'The Life of Brian', films banned by their own directors such as 'A Clockwork Orange', and the scariest film ever made, The Exorcist.

This illustrated talk explores what this rich series of records of film censorship tells us about the cinematic and cultural history of the mid-20th century.

About the Speaker

Tom Furber is an Engagement and Learning Officer at The London Archives. He is a historical magpie who enjoys nothing more (in his professional life at least) than delving into the vast collections of The London Archives to bring out its trinkets and treasures to share with our visitors.

Tom is also a doctoral candidate at Royal Holloway, University of London, and a fellow of the London Centre for Public History. His research focuses on inclusive engagement practice in archive settings.

What to expect

The talk will last approximately 45-50 minutes followed by Q&A.

Please note this talk takes place in person at The London Archives.

About The London Archives:

The London Archives is a free public archive focusing on the history of London, from 1067 to the present day. We preserve and share millions of historical manuscripts, maps, photographs, books which tell the story of the city.

You can find us in central London in Clerkenwell, close to Farringdon Station - details on our Getting to The London Archives webpage.

Description supplied by the event organiser.