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The Boy and the Bridge (1959) - Film locations

Posted: Mon Oct 21, 2019 2:02 am
by matheson
boy and the bridge 8.png
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I recently saw the film 'The Boy and the Bridge' (1959)
which contains numerous location shots in SE1 and a
few in SE16. But this scene, perhaps at a real street market,
I cannot place and wonder if anyone knows it?

Re: The Boy and the Bridge (1959) - Film locations

Posted: Tue Oct 29, 2019 2:37 pm
by Northernman
I don't know... This looks like a film set and not a real market, but I could be wrong.

Re: The Boy and the Bridge (1959) - Film locations

Posted: Fri Nov 01, 2019 4:19 pm
by matheson
Yes, the market may not be real but the location is real. The unreadable road junction sign in one shot is real and the buildings behind the stall holder in another shot are clearly real buildings. This location existed and perhaps some elements of it still exist. Those are some substantial buildings, probably flats to the left, behind the man selling those tins of Lyons products.
lyons.png

Re: The Boy and the Bridge (1959) - Film locations

Posted: Sat Nov 02, 2019 3:10 pm
by nuttyboy pat
The location of these scenes are the Caledonian antiques market situated in Bermondsey Square. The buildings behind are Abbey Buildings on the left and John Feaver's tin factory on the right. The road junction is Abbey Street and Tower Bridge Road.
Have heard about this film and would love to see it, any ideas if its available???

Hope this helps.

Re: The Boy and the Bridge (1959) - Film locations

Posted: Sat Nov 02, 2019 7:55 pm
by kiwi
Hi nuttyboy pat, well done, I’m with you on that. This is what I thought at first but looking at the picture I thought on the right above the mans head it looked like a railway bridge with the railings running along. I could’n remember John Feavers, or any pictures I have seen of John Feavers having any railings on their roof,wrong. Comparing the two pictures you can see in the market picture the railings on the top of John Feavers roof (left) and also the white brickwork on the roof of Abbey Buildings is in both pictures. I could have saved a lot of time trying to work this out if I had asked you first as I know you lived in Abbey Buildings at one time, still we got there in the end.
The film is available,probably on Youtube?
Ray (Kiwi).
ABBEY STREET  1 X.png
ABBEY STREET  2 X.png

Re: The Boy and the Bridge (1959) - Film locations

Posted: Sun Nov 03, 2019 9:39 pm
by matheson
First of all many thanks to Nutty Boy Pat for finding the location. I viewed this film on the BFI (British Film Institute) iplayer. It cost £2.50 but was money well spent for the great locations shown in the film. I've been told that they have a viewing area somewhere, in SE1 I believe, where you can view for free.

Thanks too to kiwi for the shot of the market, flats and John Feavers. I guess that the market must have been where I've marked a red number '1' on this map.
market.png

Re: The Boy and the Bridge (1959) - Film locations

Posted: Mon Nov 04, 2019 12:06 pm
by nuttyboy pat
Hi Matheson

Yes, sometimes the Square was used for the market stalls as an over spill, but the main market was above the Square in the shaded part which was a car park for most of the week.
Thanks for the info on watching this film. Have just finished watching it and boy what a treasure this film is! I do remember when I was a kid growing up in Bermondsey that one of my mates uncle was an operator on the bridge and sometimes he would give us a little tour of the Tower, so imagine how I felt watching this film. :D :D :D :D

Happy days

Re: The Boy and the Bridge (1959) - Film locations

Posted: Wed Nov 06, 2019 3:01 am
by matheson
Hello nutty boy pat,

Glad to hear that you located the film and enjoyed it.

You may have noticed in the film that the boy passes an outdoor food truck or trailer called 'BARNEYS'. Any idea where that could have been? The boy also has a scene by 'A.L. Harris & Sons Ltd'. They had two addresses, 3 Coxson Place, SE1 and 82 Neptune Street, SE16. I guess the scene was SE1 but I wonder if you spotted it and can identify it?

Re: The Boy and the Bridge (1959) - Film locations

Posted: Thu Nov 07, 2019 10:49 am
by nuttyboy pat
Sorry, have no idea. Most of the scenery seems to around Tooley Street and Tower Bridge Road!

Once again, thanks again for the tips on seeing this film. Will be looking out for it on the Talking Pictures film channel (freeview ch81) as they play most of the early B&W and Ealing films etc and will give you a tinkle if I see it!

Nuttypat

Re: The Boy and the Bridge (1959) - Film locations

Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2021 11:44 pm
by ducati dad
Coxson place is off Fair street and Neptune street is off Lower road.