My Childhood
Date: 1972
Director: Bill Douglas
Production Company: British Film Institute (BFI)
Stars: Stephen Archibald, Jean Taylor Smith, Karl Fieseler, Hughie Restorick
Location(s): Edinburgh (Scotland)
Region(s): Scotland
Storyline:
An autobiographical account of a young boy from an impoverished family who strikes up a friendship with a prisoner of war.
Additional Information:
Screen captures uploaded by Phil Wilkinson
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We are aware that there are films on the site that were added when the criteria for the inclusion of locations was very different from today and, as a result, there may be scenes missing from some productions. Please do not forward additional screen captures to us but bring the detail to our attention, for we do, and are, 're-addressing' these older entries as time allows.
- Capture 1
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It's 1945 in a Scottish mining village. Nearby, prisoners of war work in the fields. And this is Newcraighall Colliery near Edinburgh, also known as 'Klondyke', which closed in the 1960s.
- Capture 2
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Tommy (Hughie Restorick) leaves school as Granny (Jean Taylor Smith) waits in the playground. Newcraighall Primary School on Newcraighall Road, Newcraighall to the south-east of Edinburgh.
- Capture 3
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Pausing from collecting coal, Jamie (Stephen Archibald) looks down at children meeting their fathers as they leave the mine.
- Capture 4
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Taking a break from working the land, Helmuth (Karl Fieseler) eats food with the other prisoners of war.
- Capture 5
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Tommy stands over a grave before taking the dead flowers.
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As he walks back home, Tommy passes Jamie’s father (Paul Kermack) in the street. Second Avenue in Newcraighall.
- Capture 7
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The youngster watches as the man walks towards the cottage-flat where his Mother (Helena Gloag) is waiting at the door. Facing the western part of Main Avenue from Second Avenue.
- Capture 8
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Tommy runs after his Father (Bernard McKenna) as he cycles away from Granny's house.
- Capture 9
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Carrying the battered cage, Tommy hurries downstairs after rescuing the budgie from Granny. The properties once stood on Third Avenue in Newcraighall.
- Capture 10
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Tommy makes his way back into Granny's flat. Newcraighall is seen in 'My Ain Folk' and 'My Way Home', the second and third films in the Bill Douglas trilogy about his early life.
- Capture 11
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Jamie watches as his Father walks home. The area has been extensively rebuilt and buildings to the north of Newcraighall Drive now occupy the site of these streets.
- Capture 12
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Tommy points to the flat next door to where Jamie's Father lives. Looking towards the Main Avenue from Second Avenue.
- Capture 13
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Watched by Jamie, the older men walk through the village. Looking from Main Avenue into First Avenue, Newcraighall.
- Capture 14
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Jamie's Grandmother looks through the sitting room window at her grandson. Looking eastward along Second Avenue.
- Capture 15
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Granny and Jamie visit his Mother at the asylum. Steve Randall identifies this building as St. Joseph's School for Boys at Tranent, East Lothian which, at the time of filming, was a 'List D' school, formerly an Approved School. The school closed in 1997.
- Capture 16
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After Granny passes away, Jamie climbs the steps of a footbridge as a train approaches. The bridge takes the footpath running between Newcraighall and Brunstone over the now lifted line between Niddrie Junction West and Monktonhall Junction.
- Capture 17
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Having jumped into one of the loaded coal wagons, Jamie looks back at the bridge. In the left background can be seen the rooftops of buildings on Whitehill Street, Newcraighall Road whilst Newcraighall Colliery is in the right distance.
- Capture 18
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The train carries Jamie away.