Home movie of civil defence exercise in Coventry in 1954

[Melisandre]

In April 1954 the Labour controlled Coventry City Council led by Sidney Stringer voted to withdraw funding for civil defence work arguing that there was no effective defence against the new H Bomb. On 30 May the Midlands region civil defence went ahead against their wishes and organised an exercise in the city. Amateur cameraman Len Bass was on hand to film events which include mock casualties and scenes of Stringer protesting on the street with a loudspeaker.

http://player.bfi.org.uk/film/watch-cov ... cise-1954/

[rebbonk]

Good find

[dutchman]

Yes it is!

Melisandre tells me the opening scene was filmed in Stoney Stanton Road. The street where the vehicles are parked though is Priory Street and the huge building in the background is the former Triumph works. The decorative-looking building from which they're practicing rescuing survivors is the Bishop's Palace in Priory Row which was later pulled down to make way for the new Cathedral.