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Rare photographs of Second World War filmmaking revealed
To mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day, Historic England’s Archive has released a collection of photographs capturing behind-the-scenes stills of RAF film productions.
The collection was put together by Dorothy ‘Knicky’ Chapman (below), who was part of the first intake of the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) at the No.2 School of Photography in Blackpool. There, women were trained as photographers, primarily to aid in aerial reconnaissance.
After training, Knicky was posted to Pinewood Studios, which was the heart of military filmmaking at the time. During her time there, she captured how some of the films, including The Big Pack and Operational Height were made. These films were integral to the military’s propaganda campaign, which aimed to bolster public morale and increase international support for the Allied Forces.
Blue plaque unveiled for John ‘Jack’ Leslie
Historic England have recently unveiled a blue plaque at 8 Glendower Road in Plymouth, where footballer John ‘Jack’ Leslie (1901-1988), the first Black captain of an English Football League team, lived with his wife and daughter at the height of his career. Leslie captained Plymouth Argyle FC, and in 1925 he was also the first Black footballer to be called up as a reserve for the England team. Unfortunately, this offer was quickly rescinded, possibly due to racial prejudice.
New head of Historic England
On 29 April, it was announced that Claudia Kenyatta and Emma Squire will become joint Chiefs Executive of Historic England once the current head, Duncan Wilson, retires in October.
Claudia has been the Director of Regions for Historic England since 2018, and before that was a Director in the Department for Culture, Media, and Sport (DCMS). Emma has shared the role of Director of Regions with Claudia since November 2023, after having spent nearly six years as Director of Arts, Heritage, and Tourism at the DCMS.
Commenting on their appointment, Claudia and Emma said: ‘We are absolutely delighted to be appointed as Chief Executive of Historic England at such an exciting time for heritage. Historic England is an amazing organisation, with expert and dedicated staff and a strong track record of supporting and celebrating the historic environment. We’re looking forward to leading the organisation through its next chapter, and making sure that heritage plays its full role in supporting people, communities, and places.’
Text: Rebecca Preedy / Photo: Historic England
