Philip Trevelyan, 1967, 30 mins
The Ship Hotel - Tyne Main, Philip Trevelyan’s 1967 documentary about a Gateshead pub on the banks of the River Tyne, remains one of the best films ever made in the North East of England. Philip was friend of Amber’s Murray Martin and the film was a major influence on Amber, along with Philip’s cult classic The Moon & The Sledgehammer (made in 1971 about a family living in a wood in Sussex). Given its full title in the film itself, it has become known simply as Ship Tyne Main. The location, Tyne Main, took its name from the local colliery. The pub is now known as The Schooner.
The film captures the sheer cultural richness of a Sunday lunchtime at the pub, the extraordinary singing, the dominoes, the crack, the carryings-on. Using minimal drama alongside the documentary, the film sees young Tyneside poets Tom and Connie Pickard in the mix of customers.
The British Film Institute are currently preparing a DVD of this film. Check with them for when this becomes available, or check the Amber website, where the release will be publicised. For other Amber DVDs visit our online shop.
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