Calamity the Cow (Children’s Film Foundation)

Date: 1967
Director: David Eastman
Production Company: Children's Film Foundation (CFF)

Stars: John Moulder-Brown, Elizabeth Dear, Stephen Brown, Philip Collins, Josephine Gillick
Location(s): Surrey

Region(s):

Storyline:

A farmer buys a cow and his children work hard to make her fit and healthy enough for the show ring, but at the last minute the cow is stolen.

Additional Information:

Screen captures by Phil Wilkinson

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At the livestock market, a Herdsman opens the gates at the back of a cattle truck. The Cattle Market in Guildford, Surrey with gasometers of the town's gas works filling the background.

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Another Herdsman redirects a cow as it attempts to go inside a building. Guildford Cattle Market to the west of Woodbridge Road.

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In their Vauxhall Victor Estate, Farmer Grant arrives at the market with his children Beth, Tim and Mike. The Cattle Market in Guildford.

Getting out of the car, John Grant (Grant Taylor) tells Jo (Elizabeth Dear), Tim (Stephen Brown) and Mike (Phil Collins) that they'll look around and see what available. The Cattle Market on Woodbridge Street.

Facing the site of the Cattle Market by John Harwood.

Tim rushes over to a tractor display. St. Saviour's church on Woodbridge Road can be seen to the top, left of centre.

Without encroaching on the land now occupied by the police station, John Harwood positions this shot to capture the spire of St. Saviour's church.

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Running back from the display, Tim trips on the fence and falls into the path of an approaching tractor. Guildford Cattle Market.

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Holding onto Tim after pulling him from the path of the speeding tractor, Jim Lucas (Desmond Carrington) stands with his niece Beth (Josephine Gillick) and nephew Rob (John Moulder-Brown) while telling the driver off. The cattle pens at Guildford Cattle Market.

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After the children stop Ringer (Michael Warren) from hitting a troublesome cow with a stick, the adults intervene. In 1972, Guildford Cattle Market moved to a site to the north of the town before closing in 2013, which ended 700 years of history. Gordon Hawtin draws out attention to the lad on the left, none other than Phil Collins.

Mr. Kincaid (Alastair Hunter) agrees to sell the cow to Mr. Grant rather than send her for slaughter. The site of Guildford's Cattle Market is now occupied by the Divisional Police Headquarters and Magistrates Court.

In John Harwood's comparison, Surrey Police Headquarters and Guildford Magistrates Court now stand where once there were cattle pens.

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Ringer falls on his face when the cow knocks him over. The Cattle Market on Woodbridge Road in Guildford, Surrey.

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With the cow in his trailer, Mr. Grant and the children drive back to Millbank Farm. Anthony Drapper advises that this is the entrance to Slades Farm in the hamlet of Thorncombe Street near Godalming in Surrey.

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Hearing the car approaching, Mrs. Grant (Honor Shepherd) looks up from digging the garden. Slades Farm near Godalming located by Anthony Drapper. The background building is the farm's Grade II listed Granary.

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The children unload the cow from the trailer before naming her Calamity after a comment made by their Mother. Anthony Drapper found Slades Farm which is now an Equestrian and Glamping centre.

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When their parents agree that Calamity can live in the store shed, the children begin to clear out the junk before Beth and Rob cycle up and lend a hand. Slades Farm in Surrey discovered by Anthony Drapper.

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The children take care of Calamity as they prepare her for the County Show. Anthony Drapper identifies Slades Farm at Thorncombe Street to the south-east of Godalming.

While Mike goes on a camping trip, the others take Calamity along to the Village Hall where Mr. Grant is at a meeting about cattle rustlers. Tim Merritt recognised The Street in West Clandon, Surrey, here facing north.

Daren Cahillane advises that the public house to the right is the Onslow Arms.

Approaching the hall, the children look through a window to see Mr. Grant banging his gavel to bring the meeting to order. West Clandon Village Hall on The Street, West Clandon identified by Tim Merritt.

The easily recognisable Village Hall, taken by Daren Cahillane.

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Jo, Tim and Rob arrive at Kincaid's caravan site with a letter from Mr. Grant.

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Sergeant Watkins (Peter Halliday) arrives as Jo hands over the letter.

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The children are sent home by the Sergeant when Ringer tells him that he discovered Tim snooping around the caravans.

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Sergeant Watkins and Mr. Kincaid drive to see Mr. Lucas after his monogrammed tobacco pouch is found in a field from which cows had been stolen.

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Just as one of Kincaid's herd is found in his farm yard, Jim Lucas arrives on the scene.

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Mr. Grant tinkers with his tractor while his Wife hangs out the washing. Slades Farm at Thorncombe Street between Bramley and Hascombe in Surrey, recognised by Anthony Drapper.

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The couple are interrupted when the children arrive to tell them that Mr. Lucas has been arrested. Anthony Drapper identifies Slades Farm at Thorncombe Street.

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Calamity escapes from the store shed and knocks a Painter off his ladder as he tries to shoo her away. Slades Farm at Thorncombe Street located by Anthony Drapper.

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Mr. and Mrs. Grant and the children come out of the house when they hear the commotion to see Calamity dragging the full clothes line behind her. Another view of Slades farm found by Anthony Drapper.

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After Mr. and Mrs. Grant drive away to the County Show with their prize cow Pendleton, Rob runs into the yard to tell Jo, Beth and Tim that Calamity has gone. Anthony Drapper identifies this is Slades Farm at Thorncombe Street near Godalming, Surrey.

Getting onto their bicycles, the four youngsters head for a jewellers shop when they find a watch glass in Calamity's field. Looking through The Pepper Pot shelter at the corner Wonersh Common and Cranleigh Road in Wonersh, Surrey with The Street to the right.

John Harwood sent this in (albeit slightly off angle but then perhaps he would've had to move the BMW Motorrad F900?) but mentions that apparently the pub experienced a runaway vehicle accident a few years ago. (SJ)

The camera follows the children as they turn off the main road. The junction of Cranleigh Road and The Street in Wonersh with the Grantley Arms public house on the right.

Panning right. John H. (SJ)

As they pass the jewellers, Rob signals to turn right. The Street, Wonersh.

Door sign no longer there. John (SJ)

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The children cycle across the road and lean their bikes against a wall opposite the jewellers. Looking westward along The Street.

Ringer arrives at the shop to ask the proprietor to put a new glass in his watch. The Street, Wonersh in Surrey.

Taken by John H. (SJ)

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Attaching a bag of sand with a hole in it to the back of Ringer's Land Rover, the children follow the trail. Tim Merritt explains that this section of road and the junction are on Shere Heath between the Shere and Little London in Surrey.

The same junction captured by Jamie Sturgeon.

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Rob, Jo, Beth and Tim follow the sand to a yard along a lane.

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Realising that they have followed the wrong trail when they come across a truck leaking sand, the four return to the junction where Ringer turned off.

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When the children find Calamity in a pen at Kincaid's camp site, Jo goes to get help from Sergeant Watkins.

After rescuing Calamity, the children ride to the County Show with her in a makeshift trailer. The Square in Shere, Surrey with the White Horse public house to the right.

The tree has grown and buildings next to the pub extended, notes John. (SJ)

Villagers are shocked to see a cow travelling on what looks like a bedstead being drawn by a bicycle. The Square in Shere with Church Lane crossing the background.

The building has much changed but the drain pipe is unmistakable! John (SJ)

Produce is knocked from a Shopkeepers display as they pass. The Square, Shere. The village had appeared in numerous productions including ‘Dick Barton Special Agent’, 'My Wife's Lodger', 'The Ruling Class', 'Bachelor of Hearts', 'On the Fiddle', 'Edna, the Inebriate Woman', 'The Late Edwina Black', 'The Holiday', 'During One Night', 'The Earth Dies Screaming' and 'Monster of Terror'.

"Much changed frontage plus original family owners for 200 years have just sold up. Notice in window to that effect." John; and is that you reflected in the window? (SJ)

Looking towards Church Lane from The Square in Shere, Surrey.

"Just the repainting of the door otherwise unchanged." A final one from John Harwood. (SJ)

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The children arrive at the show ground too late for Calamity to enter the competition.