The British Pathé Collection

British Pathé, the U.K. newsreel archive company, has uploaded its entire 100-year collection - yes, 84,853 historic films - in high resolution to YouTube. The collection is organized under the following categories:

• Entertainment & Humour
• Fashion & Music
• Historical Figures and Celebrities
• Lifestyle & Culture
• Religion & Politics
• Science & Technology
• Sport & Leisure
• Trade & Industry
• Travel & Exploration
• War & Revolution

British Pathé GM Alastair White elaborates: “Our hope is that everyone, everywhere who has a computer will see these films and enjoy them. This archive is a treasure trove unrivaled in historical and cultural significance that should never be forgotten. Uploading the films to YouTube seemed like the best way to make sure of that.” Indeed - and there are bits of indescribably goofy footage in the British Pathé Collection that should never be forgotten as well.



In keeping with the frequent focus on comedy in this blog, here's Stan Laurel & Oliver Hardy in 1947.



And Felix The Cat!



There's a staggering amount of celluloid in this collection, comprising 3,500 hours of historical footage of major events, including extensive newsreel films from both World War I and World War II. Since the collection spans 1896 to 1976, legendary figures from the 20th century are massively represented.