"Electric Edwardians": The early days of cinema

When the lights dim for this spectacular collection of vignettes from the earliest days of cinema, try to imagine how thrilling it must have been seeing a motion picture for the first time. Then imagine how you may have felt if you saw yourself — just an ordinary bloke coming up from the mines, taking a break from the steel mill or having a stroll by the seaside — as star of the show.

That thrill remains nearly intact in these remarkable scenes of working-class life shot in the north of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales during the first few years of the 20th century.

The team of Sagar Mitchell and James Kenyon documented the ordinary events of Edwardian masses, then showed the results in makeshift cinemas to the delight of audiences who were treated to their own extraordinary performances.

The selection is divided into four segments titled "Youth and Education," "Workers," "High Days and Holidays" and "People and Places." Ranging in length from a couple of minutes to just 20 or 30 seconds, the bits capture the mugging of children and grown-ups alike as they notice the camera with curiosity, or simply pass it by going about their business.

These marvelously restored clips were discovered in a sealed barrel about 10 years ago, and like the documentary footage left behind by Thomas Edison, they are wonderful glimpses into history and the novelty of cinema. But more than that, they show us how little the throng of humanity has changed in 100 years.

— Ted Fry, Special to The Seattle Times