Electric Edwardians Skip to content PEOPLE Search Please fill out this field. Magazine Subscribe Manage Your Subscription Give a Gift Subscription Get Help Newsletter Sweepstakes Subscribe Search Please fill out this field. News News Crime Human Interest Politics Entertainment Entertainment Celebrity TV Movies Music Country Awards Sports Theater Books Royals Lifestyle Lifestyle Style Fashion Beauty Parents Home Health Food Travel Pets Tech PeopleTV Shopping Shopping People Tested Podcasts Podcasts Me Becoming Mom People Every Day People in the '90s Cover-Up Subscribe Magazine Magazine Subscribe Manage Your Subscription Give a Gift Subscription Get Help Newsletter Sweepstakes Follow Us News Crime Human Interest Politics Entertainment Celebrity TV Movies Music Country Awards Sports Theater Books Royals Lifestyle Style Beauty Fashion Parents Home Health Travel Pets Food Tech PeopleTV Shopping People Tested Podcasts Me Becoming Mom People Every Day People in the '90s Cover-Up Subscribe Entertainment Movies Electric Edwardians By Tim Purtell Published on July 11, 2006 04:00 AM Share Tweet Pin Email At the beginning of the 20th century, filmmakers Sagar Mitchell and James Kenyon were contracted to make what were essentially home movies of working-class men, women, and children in various British cities that would be shown in town halls, fairs, and cinematographs. (Cleverly plugged with ”see-yourself-on-film” ads, the shows had a built-in audience.) Mundane events make up Electric Edwardians such as schoolyard exercises, a temperance parade, crowds of workers leaving a factory, or a trolley ride down a main street were shot with a straightforward artlessness that invites us to take in every inch of the frame as if peeking through a time machine. Of course, the fashions are fascinating (everyone wore a dizzying array of hats and caps), but it’s the energy of the subjects transfixed by the camera or, in the case of the boys, mugging and laughing, that gives these clips an enduring poignance. EXTRAS Commentary, more clips, and a terrific doc about the British Film Institute’s restoration of the 800 Mitchell/Kenyon negatives (of which this DVD is just a sample) found in a basement in the early 90s. Related Articles The Best New Fashion Launches to Shop Right Now Pet Owners Swear by This 'Quiet' and 'Gentle' Electric Dog Nail Trimmer That's on Sale for Just $17 Oscars Set Designer David Korins Teases an 'Electric,' 'Future-Forward' Look for 2022 Ceremony See the 'Spider-Man' Casts Side-by-Side with the Other Actors Who Played Their Characters Sarah Michelle Gellar and Selma Blair's Friendship Photos Through the Years The Cast of 'Armageddon' Then & Now 'Coming to America:' See the Cast Then & Now Mel Brooks' Life in Photos The Best Jane Austen Adaptations to Watch While You Wait for the New 'Persuasion' Movie Actors Who Have Played Elvis Presley in Movies and TV Shows 2022 Tribeca Film Festival: Katie Holmes, Jon Hamm and More Pose for PEOPLE's Photo Booth The Cast of 'Grease 2' : Where Are They Now? The 2022 MTV Movie & TV Awards: See Every Star Arriving on the Red Carpet Celebrities Who Have Tested Positive for Coronavirus A New Career in a New Town: Finding David Bowie's Berlin Ian McKellen's Life in Pictures PEOPLE Newsletter Follow Us News Entertainment Royals Lifestyle PeopleTV Shopping Podcasts About Us PEOPLE Tested Editorial Policy Careers Privacy Policy Contact Us Terms of Use Advertise Do Not Sell My Personal Information PEOPLE is part of the Dotdash Meredith publishing family. We've updated our Privacy Policy, which will go in to effect on September 1, 2022. Review our Privacy Policy Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies