British Council film collection online: British Social History

http://film.britishcouncil.org/british-council-film-collection
Free access to a historic archive of 120 films made during the 1940s which focussed upon how Britain lived and worked. They are therefore fascinating to social historians. The site also includes some background essays on film history and themes from BFI specialists. and case studies – archive letters relating to the origins of the films. http://film.britishcouncil.org/british-council-film-collection/essays
Themes include:

• London, WWII, eg women in wartime propaganda film.
• British Movietone news. http://film.britishcouncil.org/women-in-war-time
•  Local government following a quest to become a councillor. http://film.britishcouncil.org/local-government
• Find out about England’s green and pleasant land in the Green girdle: a 1940s film encouraging Londoners to leave the bustle (shots of the streets seem to belie this!) for the countryside. http://film.britishcouncil.org/the-green-girdle

Each entry has copyright and technical details, some have associated notes and trivia.