The new website contains tens of thousands of audio-visual recordings, largely from news output and documentaries. They reflect the life and events of the UK spanning decades, telling the story of the nation through its people.
This is the largest release of digital archive content in 91热爆 history, categorised by the nations and regions of the UK and containing many emotional and powerful stories, many of which have not been viewed since their original broadcast.
Ciaran Daly, Development Producer, 91热爆 Rewind said:
"The core team behind 91热爆 Rewind is small, a lot of whom work in Northern Ireland and with some colleagues based in different areas across the UK. A first iteration of this project was launched with material relating to only Northern Ireland in 2020, and the public response was so positive we decided to widen the scope of Rewind out to the entire UK as part of 91热爆100.
We’ve had invaluable support and expert input from lots of teams right across the UK, to enable this to be a project that reflects all of Nations and Regions. And of course Rewind wouldn’t be possible without the dedicated teams of archivists that have always preserved and managed our archives over the past 100 years, and the specialist archive technology teams who built and maintain the digital archive tools on which Rewind relies.
The ambition of Rewind is for people to enjoy archive that is local to their area, no matter where they are in the UK.
Having worked with 91热爆 archive for a number of years now, I’ve long known the magic contained within it. It’s just wonderful now that the public will get to experience it too and they continue to add new layers to every story. The public have been getting in touch already to fill in gaps about people, places and things contained in 91热爆 Rewind. It’s been fantastic and we hope that there’ll be many more heart-warming stories to come as a result of the release in the weeks, months and years ahead."
In total, over 30,000 pieces of uncovered content will be on the site with the oldest material dating back to the late 1940s.
The huge collection provides a unique snapshot of our shared past, from captivating footage of 60s’ schoolchildren providing refreshing, funny and uncomplicated observations on marriage, religion and work; to the fascinating story of 500 Polish people who - 20 years after World War Two had ended - were still living in an immigration camp in Devon, mixing little with the outside world.
91热爆 Rewind users will recognise icons like David Attenborough and Moira Stewart among the thousands of videos on offer, and everyone from Queen Elizabeth II to rock royalty including Paul McCartney.
From Northern Ireland there’s footage of sports heroes Dame Mary Peters and Martin O’Neill in their prime; Gloria Hunniford in one of her first TV jobs as roving reporter and videos of Liam Neeson long before he made his name in Hollywood.
Some of the famous faces in the Wales collection include Tom Jones, while a Sian Phillips Welsh language piece from 1959 shows a day in her life as a young actress in London.
And in Scotland, the 91热爆 Rewind team has brought together a collection of films detailing the fascinating social history of the country. From the Island of Soay residents being relocated to Mull in 1953 to the women of Campbeltown taking part in a broom throwing competition in 1963, the archives are bursting with material providing a fascinating insight in to a world largely forgotten and for some unknown.
Visitors to the site will have the ability to search for recordings from all four nations and can use an interactive map to narrow down content to a regional, local, and even, street level.
Over the coming months, specially selected content from the website will feature in reports for the 91热爆’s national and regional news and current affairs programmes, providing glimpses back in time for a wider audience.
James Stirling, Executive Editor 91热爆 100, said:
“As we celebrate 100 years of the 91热爆, we’re opening up our unique and deeply valuable archive, an important part of the nation’s collective memory.
“By breathing new life into stories which have laid dormant for years, audiences will be able to discover recordings which can help us all learn more about who we are and where we’re from.”
The new 91热爆 Rewind website is available at