Sons and Lovers

Establishing shot of the colliery where Paul Morel's Father and Brother work. Brinsley Colliery in Nottinghamshire, where D. H. Lawrence's father also worked.

The headstocks are preserved in their original location.

Miners talk at the pit head as they wait for the lift to ascend. Brinsley Colliery, Nottinghamshire.

Although coal reserves at Brinsley had been exhausted in the 1930's, the shafts were kept open until 1970 to access other pits.

Establishing shot of the village where the Morel's live. A currently unconfirmed location however, Betty Gill advises that Brinsley, Eastwood and Underwood were all used as locations.

A lamplighter extinguishes a street light as miners make their way home from the night shift. Wellington Street, Eastwood in Nottinghamshire.

The same street now.

The lamplighter moves on. Wellington Street, Eastwood.

Much of the film is shot around areas familiar to Lawrence. His birthplace is just two streets away from this location.

Early morning sees Paul Morel (Dean Stockwell) running towards Willey Farm to visit Miriam.

The aspiring artist passes wooden barns and outbuildings belonging to the farm.

Paul and Miriam Leivers (Heather Sears) look over the countryside towards Nottingham.

Miriam and Paul discuss their aspirations.

When the mine alarm sounds, Paul runs with the villagers towards the pit. Steve Randall discovered that this long demolished bridge stands on the Pinxton arm of the Erewash Canal in Pinxton, Derbyshire.

An accident at the pit brings villagers from their homes. From the back of houses on Mansfield Road, Brinsley with the wheels of Brinsley Colliery just visible above the trees.

The location now.

Gertrude Morel (Wendy Hiller) appears from her house. Wellington Street in Eastwood.

The same houses.

Wives and mothers make their way to the mine.

Dread fills the womenfolk's hearts as they gather in the street. Wellington Street near Nottingham Road.

Looking onto the southern end of Wellington Street.

The crowd grows as the alarm continues to sound. Wellington Street, Eastwood.

The right hand side of the street has been rebuilt.

The villagers hurry through the mine's spoil heaps and buildings. Brinsley, Nottinghamshire.

Taken standing in a muddy field around the former Brinsley Colliery.

Paul arrives at the pit head to discover that his brother, Arthur, has been killed in the accident. Brinsley Colliery at Brinsley.

The same location now.

After Arthur's funeral, Paul, his father Walter Morel (Trevor Howard), brother William Morel (William Lucas), his Mother and neighbours make their way home. Wellington Street, Eastwood in Nottinghamshire.

Looking southward.

The neighbours leave the Morel's to enter their house. Wellington Street, Eastwood.

Wellington Street again.

Mrs Morel and Paul see William off at the station. Likely to be Longmoor Downs station on the Longmoor Military Railway in Hampshire.

Paul and his Mother leave the station. Unconfirmed location on the Longmoor Military Railway. The railway was also seen in many other films including 'The Great St. Trinian's Train Robbery', 'Runaway Railway', 'The Rescue Squad' and 'The Magnificent Two'.

Children and neighbour, Mrs Anthony (Edna Morris), admire a 'contraption' as Paul comes home to find that Mr. Henry Hadlock has bought one of his paintings. Wellington Street, Eastwood, Nottinghamshire.

Wellington Street once more.

Paul tells Miriam about selling the picture and Mr Hadlock's offer of sending him to London to train as an artist.

A religious Mrs. Leivers (Rosalie Crutchley) advises her daughter after she runs from an almost passionate moment with Paul.

A panoramic view of Nottingham seen from the Castle to establish Paul Morel's destination. On the left, the church with the tower is St. Mary the Virgin and the spire belongs to the Unitarian Church, now a 'Pitcher & Piano' branded bar.

The same view now, with added rain.

Paul walks up Drury Hill in Nottingham to start work at Thomas Jordan & Sons. Drury Hill ran between Broad Marsh and Low Pavement before being demolished to make way for the Broadmarsh Centre in the late 1960s.

Not quite the exact location as this is all that's left of the higher end of Drury Hill. The street sign is still in place.

Panning with Paul from image sonlo026. The now lost Drury Hill, Nottingham. However, under Drury Hill lay a network of caves that were saved from destruction when the Broadmarsh shopping centre was built. In the caves can be found the original basement walls of the last remaining buildings on Drury Hill.

Roughly the same location but not the same angle.

A clock strikes quarter to nine as Paul enters the offices of Jordan & Sons to see Mr Pappleworth. The tower of St. Mary & All Saints church at Wycombe End in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire located by Steve Randall.

Antony Blair was up early for this comparison.

Paul arrives at Willey Farm in darkness.

A group of suffragettes campaign in a Nottingham street. This is a matted shot as there are no canals from where this angle of the Castle can be seen . . .

. . . and it's Copper Mill Lane, Maple Cross near Harefield in Middlesex identified with help from Betty Gill. The building on the extreme right still stands as 'The Coy Carp' public house.

Mrs. Bonner (Ruth Kettlewell) speaks for women's rights with Clara Dawes (Mary Ure) supporting her. Alongside the Grand Union Canal at Maple Cross near Harefield. The centre of Harefield can be seen in 'Circus Friends', 'Stranger in Town' and 'The Hostages'.

A quieter moment.

Paul sketches Clara Dawes. The location near Harefield was also seen in 'The Firefighters'.

Copper Mill Lane crosses the Grand Union Canal (Grand Junction Canal Main Line) by the bridge to the right.

A bystander agrees with Clara's views on 'free love'.

Next to the Grand Union Canal, Copper Mill Lane, near Harefield.

Paul approaches Clara. Maple Cross, Harefield. More location information by Betty Gill can be found in a ReelStreets blog from 27 April 2006. See Header Section of this film.

The same location now, I think! The buildings in the screen shot are part of Royal Quay which has been redeveloped.

After Paul shows Clara the sketch she agrees to walk with him. The buildings to the left are a back projection of an unidentified location. A location now identified by Phil Richards, 9-11 Windsor End, Beaconsfield, Bucks. A location that Phil visited for 'Bachelor of Hearts'. (RL)

Phil provides this shot to support his identification. (RL)

Paul and Clara get to know each other better.

Alongside the Grand Union Canal at Maple Cross near Harefield.

Clara tells Paul that she and her husband are separated. Maple Cross, Harefield.

The location is about a mile north of Black Jack's Lock, seen in 'The Bargee' along, what was on this day, a very muddy towpath.

Paul tells Clara that he is interested in her.

The Grand Union Canal at Maple Cross, Middlesex with Copper Mill Lock in the left background.

The pair continue to talk alongside a Nottingham canal.

The Grand Union Canal and Copper Mill Lock are to the right and the River Colne to the left. Maple Cross at Harefield, Middlesex.

Paul accompanies Clara home. Looking from Low Pavement towards Broad Marsh with the railway's Weekday Cross Junction Signalbox in the centre background. The train is heading north into Nottingham Victoria station. The area has been redeveloped.

This is about the same location now. Weekday Cross, Nottingham.

Whilst taking a trip to the seaside, Paul and Clara run along the beach . . . .

. . . . towards Grand Pier, Weston-super-Mare, Somerset.

The couple share a tender moment. This is a back projection but included to show the other side of the pavilion at the end of Grand Pier in Weston-super-Mare.

The same location now.

A walk along the beach on a rainy day.

Marine Parade with the Grand Atlantic Hotel on Beach Road to the left. Weston-super-Mare in Somerset.

Estranged husband of Clara, Baxter Dawes (Conrad Phillips) waits for Paul at the fictional Bestwood railway station. Longmoor Downs station on the Longmoor Military Railway, Hampshire. The railway closed in 1969.

Paul Morel leaves for London. Although a station was provided in the area where the story is set, it was named Bestwood Colliery at the time of the story and closed to passengers in 1931. This is Longmoor Downs station on the Longmoor Military Railway in Hampshire.