Campsite, Crimdon Park, Durham

Photograph taken 1st August 1946 © Historic England Archive Aerofilms Collection ref: EAW002148

A clifftop campsite at Crimdon. Crimdon was a popular holiday resort for miners and their families from nearby towns and villages. It had a fairground and pavilion and was popular for day trips. The 1970s and 80s saw Crimdon's decline as a resort as the popularity of foreign travel increased. There is still (2012) a caravan park. The area has become popular with birdwatchers.

Location

Durham Crimdon

Period

1940s (1946 - 1949)

Themes

"Wills, Shaw and Friese-Greene Ready to Film". This was a publicity shot for the foundation of the Aerofilms aerial photography company. It was taken at the London Aerodrome, Hendon. Francis Lewis Wills was a former Royal Naval Air Service Observer and co-founder of Aerofilms. Claude Friese-Greene, holding the cine-camera, was technical director for Aerofilms in its early days, but is best known as a pioneering cinematographer. We know very little about Shaw, the pilot, probably an AirCo employee.

Campsite, Crimdon Park, Durham

Location

Period

Themes

Tags