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Title: LAUNCH OF BRITISH GUARDSMAN

Reference number: 6779

Date: 1962, December 12

Sound: silent

Original format: 16mm

Colour: col

Fiction: non-fiction

Running time: 10.37 mins

Description: The launch of the 'British Guardsman' on 12th December 1962. Contains lovely opening shots of the Fairfield Yard Gates, Govan; painting the hull for launch; the launch itself; guests arriving and tugs manoeuvring the vessel into dock.

Acknowledgement is made to information provided by Paul Strathdee and Colin Campbell on Clydesite, the Clyde Shipping and Shipbuilding Site at http://tinyurl.com/nala2cb for further details of this ship [URL no longer available - last accessed 3/11/2015]

The British Guardsman was scrapped on 24/11/75. Yard No 796.

Shotlist: slow pan L to R street and front of Fairfield's of Govan - gates with the name 'The Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. Ltd' (0.23) gvs inside the yard, showing a couple of vehicles, sheets of metal piled up, exts building (0.35) c/u company flag against sky (0.42) gvs BP ship 'British Guardsman' in dock, the finishing touches to painting and general checks are made by workmen suspended in a platform high up on the hull (1.24) gvs ship on slipway prior to launch, c/u propellor (2.23) the wooden stocks are removed (2.28) a pipe band marches past (2.44) shot of men on the deck of the ship, looking down at pipes and drums below (2.55) children, looking very cold in duffle coats and hoods, stand by with the rest of the everyday onlookers (3.09) shot of the pipe band marching by (3.21) gvs as guests arrive by bus and make their way to lunch platform, many of the ladies wear fur coats and the men smart dinner jackets or ties (3.47) shot of five press photographers waiting around, some check their equipment (3.58) some men stand around chatting (4.05) [unid.] lady arrives and other VIPs, including Dame Jean Roberts, Lord Provost of Glasgow (4.53) gvs launch (5.12) back in the launch cabin, children look at the hammer used to activate the launch, general chatting (5.47) wider shot of the ship in water and the yard (5.55) gvs people watching and chatting, some wear bowler hats intercut with gvs slipway and ship (7.15) people descend steps (7.25) gvs ship and yard, c/u empty slipway (7.48) c/u button mechanism that activated the launch (7.53) gvs ship as it moves into Clyde (9.36) group of shipyard workers look on, one takes photograph, there is now a tug in front of the 'British Guardsman' (9.58) men pull ropes in bringing ship in to quayside - it docks alongside another ship called 'Glenfalloch' (10.37)