Group From 1933 To 1940

G.P.O. Film Unit

Categories: Cinema

A subdivision of the former General Post Office, (The equivalent of the modern British Telecom/Post Office/Royal Mail). Headed by John Grierson, it was set up to produce documentary films mainly related to the activities of the G.P.O. Probably most famous of these were Harry Watt's and Basil Wright's 'Night Mail', featuring music by Benjamin Britten and poetry by W. H. Auden. It became the Crown Film Unit, under the control of the Ministry of Information.

Credit for this entry to: Alan Patient of www.plaquesoflondon.co.uk

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
G.P.O. Film Unit

Commemorated ati

GPO Film Unit

G.P.O. Film Unit, later Crown Film Unit, pioneers of documentary film making,...

See other memorials in this area

Other Subjects

Montagu Pyke

In 1908 Pyke converted two shops at 164-166 Edgware Road into a cinema. This was a success and he created more, naming each one the Cinematograph Theatre. By 1910 he had 5 cinemas, each an independ...

Person, Cinema

1 memorial

Hanif Kureishi

Novelist, playwright and screenwriter. Born in Bromley, Kent. He started his career as a pornography writer, but progressed to writing plays for several London fringe theatres. His novels include '...

Person, Cinema, Literature, Theatre

1 memorial

Will Hay

Comedian and actor. Born William Thomson Hay at 23 Durham Street, Stockton-on-Tees. His career started in music-halls and concert-parties. He went on to work with Fred Karno, developing his schoolm...

Person, Cinema, Science, Theatre, Australia, New Zealand, USA

1 memorial

Sir Ian Mckellen

Born Burnley, Lancashire. Versatile stage and film actor with a repertoire ranging from the classics through science fiction films and pantomime to Coronation Street. He ‘came out’ in 1988 and ha...

Person, Cinema, Seriously Famous, Theatre

4 memorials

Herbert Wilcox

Film producer and director. Born Herbert Sydney Wilcox at Norwood. He fought in the Royal Flying Corps in WW1 and entered film production in 1922. Formed the British and Dominions Film Corporation ...

Person, Cinema

1 memorial

Previously viewed

Western Postal District - men lost in WW1

Group

1 memorial

World War 1

We'd always assumed that this war was known as the Great War until WW2 came along at which point it was renamed as World War One or the First World War. But the term was first used in print in 1920...

Event, Armed Forces, Tragedy

403 memorials

Sam Coley

Person, Benefactor

1 memorial

Louise Soloway

Sculptor. Born and educated in London. The picture shows her at the Mendoza unveiling in 2008. See Topic Asia for more information.

Person, Sculpture

1 memorial

Octavia Hill

Housing reformer and co-founder of The National Trust. Born at Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, her father's eighth daughter (yes, really). She believed that social housing should be small houses (rather...

Person, Gardens / Agriculture, History, Property, Social Welfare

9 memorials