Ted Parsons was a keen amateur filmmaker of the 1940s to 1960s. Ted’s films feature life in and around the Victorian regional city of Wangaratta post-war. This was a period of prosperity and optimism largely due to a successful textile industry that took Wangaratta from a small country town to major rural city, declared in 1959.
Ted captures the many sporting and social events, venues and clubs, holidays and travel along with scenes of everyday life. The collection also shows the broader issues faced by country people such as the regular flooding events around the Ovens and King Rivers.
Wangaratta’s success story as a manufacturing town traces the path of post-war migration and the accompanying growth of Australia’s economy, which makes these films particularly interesting.
The Ted Parsons Home Movie Collection has been donated to ACMI by the filmmaker’s grandson Barry Parsons. The films have been made on 16mm film.
Works in this group
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Works in this group have been digitised and are viewable by following the links below.
Collection
In ACMI's collection
Credits
Collection metadata
ACMI Identifier
B2003557
Subject categories
Agriculture, Business, Commerce & Industry → Victoria - Rural conditions
Amateur & Student Films → Amateur films
Anthropology, Ethnology, Exploration & Travel → Victoria - Rural conditions
Anthropology, Ethnology, Exploration & Travel → Victoria - Social life and customs
Anthropology, Ethnology, Exploration & Travel → Wangaratta (Vic.)
Economics, Philosophy, Politics, Religion & Sociology → Country life - Australia
Economics, Philosophy, Politics, Religion & Sociology → Victoria - Economic conditions
Hobbies, Recreation & Sport → Outdoor recreation - Australia
Measurements
Approx running time 3.6 hours (7,800ft)
Materials
12 x reels 16mm film (6 x 400ft, 2 x 800ft, 1 x 1000ft, 1 x 1200ft, 1 x 1600ft)