[William Darbyshire Home Movies: Reel 4]

William (Billy) Darbyshire (1903–1979) was a film enthusiast and traveller who emigrated with his parents from England to Australia in 1911. It may have been this early trip that influenced a young Billy to travel the world later in life and film his travels as he went.

First travelling to Africa for work and to various destinations whilst in service during WWII, Billy would continue to travel after the war throughout Asia, Europe, Africa, the Pacific and North America. It was in this period, during the 1960s, that he purchased an 8mm movie camera which resulted in a collection of films that capture his travels, taking in the sites of the world from Asia to Europe and Africa to the Americas.

The films were originally made using Standard 8mm film. The quality of the film can be a little challenging as it is jumpy, damaged and scratched at times.

In this film, Billy travels to Macao, China and Hong Kong in the 1960s. The quality of the film can be challenging at times (shaky, sometimes dark and damaged) but it is well worth it for scenes of the busy waterways and street life around Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and Macau. Billy particularly focuses on the many different watercraft such as passenger and cargo ships, ferries, row boats, houseboats and plenty of wonderful traditional junks.

Selected highlights list:
00:00:46:00 scenes filmed from a train as it travels past cultivated fields, farmers, bullock teams, field hands
00:01:25:00 traditional house by as river
00:01:19:00 young children working on logs at a timber mill
00:02:12:00 field workers closer to the camera
00:02:30:00 small, covered junks on the water in a harbour
00:02:45:00 busy port
00:03:05:00 large group of moored, small house boats with mountains in the background
00:03:22:00 children playing on a beach
00:03:50:00 ferries and traditional sailing boats as well as large ships
00:04:29:00 large ferry
00:04:55:00 traditional junk sailing by a large modern ship
00:05:45:00 city residential apartment buildings with mountains in background.
00:06:18:00 city streets, shops and signs, including one for ‘Coca Cola’
00:08:07:00 new and old watercraft
00:08:75:00 colourful passenger ferry
00:08:35:00 lovely traditional junk in full sail
00:09:30:00 a child points at the camera while playing with friends
00:10:00:00 international shipping
00:10:30:00 wonderful striped canvas tent bathing boxes followed by scenes of locals relaxing at the beach.
00:12:52:00 another notable traditional junk sailing by the camera
00:14:11:00 vegetable sellers in low lying boats