Lady Godiva Rides Again

Dark, rainy views of a grim Midlands town open the film. Looking south over Macclesfield, Cheshire from Bunkers Hill on Churchside with Sunderland Street on the left and Macclesfield Congregational church at Park Green in the top right distance. The shot was reused from 'So Well Remembered' released three years earlier.

Bunkers Hill is now known as Sparrow Park . . . and there are less chimneys in today's view. PW

Equipment at a colliery remains still and silent.

Gloom fills every street.

The greyhound stadium's track and stands are empty. Hanley Greyhound Stadium, with the Totalisator on the left and the Vulcan pottery in the background. The track was located between Sun Street and Clough Street in Hanley, Staffordshire and closed in October 1963.

A Narrator explains "There are no trains standing in platforms 1, 2, 3 or 4 . . . and there will be none for hours and hours because it's Sunday afternoon in our town." Stoke on Trent railway station on Station Road in Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire, seen from the goods bridge.

The tracks were reduced to three when electrification took place in the 1960s, now there are just two after further rationalisation. PW

"The cafés are closed."

"The public houses are closed."

"But the churches are open . . . "

" . . . and the cinemas hope to open shortly." The Rothbury cinema on Franklin Road in Portslade-by-Sea, Sussex which closed in January 1964.

The rain continues, pouring down on the street outside Clark's newsagents. Looking along Albion Hill in Brighton, Sussex with St. Bartholomew's church just visible in the distance to the right of centre.

The background view today features a hotch-potch of modern development, some residential and some commercial. Much of this development has replaced the Brighton Locomotive Works, which would dominate the centre of the screen grab were it less murky. The houses in Buckingham Place, visible here just to the right of the telephone pole, can be made out in the screen grab.

Sylvia Clark (Gladys Henson) looks out of a window above the shop before her sister Marjorie's boyfriend Johnny calls. The corner of Albion Hill and Quebec Street in Brighton.

The ornate street lamp has gone. (PB)

Inside the staff restaurant at Chanters department store, Mr. Buller asks his waitress Marjorie if she's going to the dance where they'll be picking Lady Godiva for the town's Festival of Britain pageant. Bentalls department store on Wood Street in Kingston on Thames, Surrey with one of the gasometers at Kingston Gasworks in the left distance. Seen in 'Curse of the Voodoo' and 'Stolen Face', this part of the store was demolished in the 1980s while other views of Bentalls appear in 'The Dock Brief' and 'The Missing Note'.

Providing this comparison, Peter Bywaters explains "If the original store's façade resembles the grandeur of a palace it's because it was designed by Maurice Webb whose father Sir Aston Webb created the façade for Buckingham Palace. Sadly, it now just looks like a department store."

Carrying headlines about Marjorie being chosen as Lady Godiva, the morning newspapers are dropped off outside her father's shop. Facing north-east at the corner of Albion Hill and Quebec Street.

No longer a shop. A colourful row of houses now in Quebec Street. (PB)

Following the pageant, Marjorie Clark (Pauline Stroud) and her friend Janie (Bernadette O'Farrell) cycle towards the shop. The corner of Ewart Street and Islingword Road in Brighton, Sussex identified by Carol Homewood.

Carol is absolutely correct . . . and it is still a Fish and Chip shop. (RL)

The two young women enter the shop where they tell Johnny and Mrs. Clark that they've been followed by a spiv in a sports car. The corner of Albion Hill and Quebec Street. in Brighton.

The outline of the old shop doorway is still apparent. (PB)

Recruited by Eddie Mooney from Fascination Soap, Marjorie is asked to take part in the Miss Fascination beauty contest being held in the resort of Westbourne. The beach at Brighton with Madeira Drive and Marine Parade King's Cliff beyond the Esplanade.

Photographers, Reporters and Officials await the beauty contestants arrival at Westbourne's station. The Down side bay platform at Shorncliffe station on Station Road in the Shorncliffe district of Folkestone, Kent.

Marjorie, Janie and Johnny West (George Cole) alight from the train as Larry Burns (John McCallum) opens the door of another compartment. The Down side bay platform at Shorncliffe station.

Outside the station Larry Burns and Dolores August (Diana Dors) climb into a decorated car to be taken to the hotel. Railway Movie Database expert Jonathan Horswell identifies this as the roadway on the south side of Shorncliffe station off Shorncliffe Road in Folkestone.

After Marjorie joins Dolores and Larry in their car, Janie and Johnny watch as the procession of vehicles leave them behind. Shorncliffe station was renamed Folkestone West in 1962.

The cars arrive at the hotel. Hotel Metropole on Metropole Road overlooking The Leas in Folkestone, Kent with the Grand Hotel to the right.

Metropole Court now with the Grand on the right. SJ.

Annoyed when Marjorie wins the Miss Fascination title along with £1000, a mink coat and a film contract, Johnny travels to London with Janie. An anomaly, this is Tower Bridge back projected behind a prop Victoria Embankment advises Ian Fuller.

A bit of a dilemma: recreate the backdrop or the foreground? In the end there's only one Tower Bridge whereas there are quite a few lampposts on Victoria Embankment: maybe an interesting Photoshop experiment beckons. SJ

Accompanied by Larry Burns, Marjorie is photographed at Battersea Fun Fair. Battersea Fun Fair in Battersea Park SW11.

After siding down the Helter-Skelter, the pair ride the Big Dipper. Opening for the Festival of Britain in 1951, Battersea Fun Fair endured until 1974.

Larry tells Marjorie about his life in Australia as the two continue their tour of the amusements. Battersea Fun Fair in Battersea. The machine in the foreground is John Collins' Boomerang ride, the only one imported into the United Kingdom from the USA.

Heading home, Marjorie walks to the train where Johnny and Janie are waiting. Christopher Matheson identifies this as Marylebone station on Melcombe Place in NW1. The terminus also appears in 'Violent Moment', 'Life at the Top', 'A Hard Day's Night', 'The Day of the Triffids', 'The Man Outside', 'Carry On Girls', 'Postman's Knock', 'Smashing Time', 'Don't Open till Christmas', 'The IPCRESS File' and 'One of Our Dinosaurs Is Missing'.

This is where the edge of the former platform 2 once ran. PW

Johnny calls to Marjorie from the departing train when she gets off after finding a note from film star Simon Abott. Looking along platform 2 at Marylebone station towards Rossmore Road bridge and the now demolished milk depot that has been churned into blocks of flats. (RL)

The block of flats is all too evident. SJ

On his yacht, Simon Abbott makes adjustments to create a good impression when the Jaguar bringing Marjorie pulls up.

Johnny and Mr. Clark (Stanley Holloway) reach the yacht as Simon upsets Marjorie.

After Marjorie runs from the cabin, Simon Abbott (Dennis Price) appears from below wiping wine from his jacket.

Losing the film contract after Simon is pushed into the Thames by Johnny, Marjorie pawns the mink coat.

Hearing from her Mum that Johnny and Janie have become engaged, Marjorie leaves Miss Jezzard's Hostel for Young Ladies. Emperor's Gate SW7 says Jules Ballantyne who has an eye for "a nice bit of ironwork". (RL)

If it wasn't then it has certainly been turned into flats now. (RL)

Carrying her belongings, Marjorie walks along the street as a telephone call from Australia is answered in the hostel. Jules Ballantyne found Emperor's Gate in Kensington, a street that also appears in 'Hennessy' and 'Sweeney!'.

Pity about that rubbish. (RL)