John Grierson Movies

A silent film by John Grierson. It tells the story of Britain's North Sea herring fishery.

Documentary following an Edinburgh fishing trawler, the "Isabella Grieg".

An overview of the shepherd's life during the lambing season.

Short documentary showing the workings of a large London sorting office.

Humphrey Jennings' first film as a director, a brief overview of the British postal service.

Ambitious documentary chronicling the cultural life and religious customs of the Sinhalese and the effects of advanced industrialism on such customs.

A look at the work of Glasgow's Medical Officer of Health.

A record of an educational experiment in the small town of Chesterfield in Derbyshire.

Short documentary about weather forecasting, emphasising the importance of the GPO's telecommunications systems.

The history and modern day industry of Stirlingshire, Scotland.

Marionette parody of Charlie Chaplin.

Marionette parody of Tom Mix.

The history of Scotland and the factors that have shaped the character of its people.

The building and launch of a new long-wave radio transmitter - just as the TV age is about to be born.

Animated shapes dance to Cuban music. This was one of the first animations to be painted directly onto the film.

Smog was the deadly downside of Britain's industrial might, as this powerful and revealing documentary spells out. In 1937, coal was Britain's...

Short documentary about British education in the late 1930s.

A film made by the British General Post Office (GPO) in 1933, promoting the automation of telephone exchanges.

“Catching up with gossip, inspecting new ducklings, clambering over gates, walking across meadows - the life of a postman appears idyllic, but...

Life on a farm at springtime, including blossom, piglets and ducklings.