Arthur Cheetham (1864 – 15 January 1937) was an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Culture, language and peoples * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England * ''English'', an Amish ter ...

-born

Welsh Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, of or about Wales * Welsh language, spoken in Wales * Welsh people, an ethnic group native to Wales Places * Welsh, Arkansas, U.S. * Welsh, Louisiana, U.S. * Welsh, Ohio, U.S. * Welsh Basin, during t ...

filmmaker, who became the first of his profession to be based in

Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...

. His legacy is a collection of eight surviving films, including one of the oldest extant British football 'shorts' from 1898. Cheetham, along with fellow cinematic pioneer,

William Haggar William Haggar (10 March 1851 – 4 February 1925) was a British pioneer of the cinema industry. Beginning his career as a travelling entertainer, Haggar, whose large family formed his theatre company, later bought a Bioscope show and earned his ...

, are recognised as the only Welsh-based film makers of importance before the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

Life history

Cheetham was born in

Derby Derby ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area on the River Derwent, Derbyshire, River Derwent in Derbyshire, England. Derbyshire is named after Derby, which was its original co ...

in 1864, but moved to Wales in the 1880s, basing himself in

Rhyl Rhyl (; , ) is a seaside town and community in Denbighshire in Wales. The town lies on the coast of North Wales, at the mouth of the River Clwyd. To the west is Kinmel Bay and Towyn, to the east Prestatyn, and to the south-east Rhuddlan ...

. He took up several jobs, including printer, film exhibitor, hygienist and phrenologist. He first began showing films in Rhyl in 1897, and the next year he made his debut movie, of children playing on Rhyl sands. Although not the first person to film in Wales, American

Birt Acres Birt Acres (23 July 1854 – 27 December 1918) was an American and British photographer and film pioneer. Among his contributions to the early film industry are the first working 35 mm camera in Britain (Wales), and ''Birtac'', the firs ...

had filmed in

Cardiff Cardiff (; ) is the capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of Wales. Cardiff had a population of in and forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area officially known as the City and County of Ca ...

in 1896, he was the first person based in Wales to make films in the country. Children playing on Rhyl Sands

Cheetham continued filming until at least 1912, but it was between 1898 and 1899 that he was most active, making over 30 'shorts' which he would then show at local halls he hired for the purpose. Of his films, at least eight survive to this day. The majority of his films were of everyday life, including the self-explanatory ''Rhyl May Day Procession'', ''Mailboat Munster Arriving at Holyhead'', ''Irish Mail Train going through Rhyl Station'' and ''Ladies Boating at Aberystwyth Bay''; all of which were shot in 1898. Of his surviving films, those of special note include ''

Blackburn Rovers Blackburn Rovers Football Club is a professional football club based in Blackburn, Lancashire, England, which competes in the , the second level of the English football league system. They have played home matches at Ewood Park since 1890. Th ...

West Bromwich Albion West Bromwich Albion Football Club (), commonly known as West Brom or The Albion, is a professional association football club based in West Bromwich, West Midlands, England. They compete in the EFL Championship, the second level of the Englis ...

'' (1898), one of the oldest surviving films of an

association football Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 Football player, players who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a Ball (association football), ball around a rectangular f ...

match and ''E.H. Williams and his Merrie Men'' (1899), an important record of a

minstrel show The minstrel show, also called minstrelsy, was an American form of theater developed in the early 19th century. The shows were performed by mostly white actors wearing blackface makeup for the purpose of portraying racial stereotypes of Afr ...

held in Rhyl. Two of his films to include notable people include ''Royal Visit to Conway'' which captures the

Duke Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of Royal family, royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and above sovereign princes. As royalty or nobi ...

and

Duchess of York Duchess of York is the principal courtesy title held by the wife of the Duke of York. Three of the eleven Dukes of York either did not marry or had already assumed the throne prior to marriage, while two of the Dukes married twice; therefore, th ...

on 26 April 1899 and a 1903 record of

Buffalo Bill Cody William Frederick Cody (February 26, 1846January 10, 1917), better known as Buffalo Bill, was an American soldier, bison hunter, and showman. One of the most famous figures of the American Old West, Cody started his legend at the young age o ...

during the showman's visit to Rhyl. Cheetham took his films to the rural communities of the area, bringing to many their first experience of cinema. He opened the first all-year-round cinema in Rhyl in 1906, and in 1908 he followed this by opening the first cinema in Colwyn Bay. By 1920, Cheetham was managing public-hall screenings and running cinemas not only in Wales, but also in the

Manchester Manchester () is a city and the metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It had an estimated population of in . Greater Manchester is the third-most populous metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, with a population of 2.92&nbs ...

area. Cheetham inspired his son, G.A. Cheetham to take up film making. Arthur Cheetham died in

Tring Tring is a market town and civil parish in the Borough of Dacorum, Hertfordshire, England. It is situated in a gap passing through the Chiltern Hills, classed as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, from Central London. Tring is linked ...

, Hertfordshire on 15 January 1937.

Legacy

The

National Screen and Sound Archive of Wales The National Screen and Sound Archive of Wales was established in 2001 in order to preserve and promote the audio-visual heritage of Wales. The archive is funded by the National Library of Wales and the Welsh Government and located at the National ...

have audio interviews with Stanley Cheetham, and hold some work by his son G.A. Cheetham, including his 1923 film ''Unveiling of Aberystwyth War Memorial''. Cheetham is still acknowledged in Wales and his work has been celebrated in several Welsh film festivals, in the 2007 Welsh Classic Film Festival and again in the 2009 Denbigh Film Festival.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Cheetham, Arthur English film directors 1864 births 1937 deaths People from Derby People from Rhyl