Jump to content

Flower of Gloster - to be released on DVD in Sept. 2015


ChrisJBrady

Featured Posts

Network on Air is now showing it as no longer available - Amazon say it is available for pre-order but don't give a date - HMV say it is available for pre-order with a release date of 1st January 2018

 

http://store.hmv.com/film-tv/dvd/the-flower-of-gloster-the-complete-series

 

I can't wait that long!!!!

 

Cheers Graham

There was a bit on the News Group (remember them) about it

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Got my hopes up then only to see them dashed painfully to a standstill ....... like the time I didn't take the corner at the bottom of the straight at Rugely.

 

You know the one, past the moorings where it turns sharp right under the road, with a pub on the other side?

 

This is more disappointing though ...... I can still hear the introduction music.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, bloody frustrating! Only been waiting 47 years to see it again!

Anyhoo, When I last looked on the Network sit, it had dissapeared, so I emailed them - this is the less than helpful response:

 

Dear Customer,

Thank you for getting in touch with Network.

We’re sorry that The Flower of Glocester continues to be delayed. This
title is part of a batch of ITV titles that are still in the process of
being cleared, as we announced a few weeks ago.

We appreciate many of our customers will be disappointed, and we are too,
but we will bring it to market just as quickly as we can.

Many thanks for your continued support
Dave

 

I am not aware of any announcement.

And by the by Flyboy, this TV series has nothing to do with Temple Thurstons book 'The Flower of Gloster'.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Mods - please allow this post - which is not a sale pitch - but some exciting and long awaited news. Thank you. CJB

 

===

 

Flower of Gloster - 2 x DVD release - Sept 2015

 

This is a very long awaited 'lost' t.v. series that started many folks on the long path to holidaying / living on the canals.

 

The gods in their ivory towers must be listening ...

 

http://networkonair.com/shop/2225-flower-of-gloster-the-the-complete-series-5027626436841.html

 

"The first Granada Television series to be filmed in colour (though initially transmitted in black and white), this popular children's adventure featured a star who is 72 feet long and painted in cheerful shades of red and yellow! She is The Flower of Gloster, a converted canal barge which over the course of the series winds her way from Wales, through the inland waterways of England to the Pool of London at Tower Bridge.

 

"When their boatyard owner father is taken ill, ten-year-old Michael, his twelve-year-old sister Elizabeth and elder brother Dick decide to deliver a narrow-boat to a buyer on his behalf. During their 220-mile trip, they make new friends but also encounter all kinds of danger and difficulties, played out against the changing pattern of the British countryside."

CJB.

===

 

That link is now saying "product no longer available"!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, bloody frustrating! Only been waiting 47 years to see it again!

Anyhoo, When I last looked on the Network sit, it had dissapeared, so I emailed them - this is the less than helpful response:

 

Dear Customer,

 

Thank you for getting in touch with Network.

 

We’re sorry that The Flower of Glocester continues to be delayed. This

title is part of a batch of ITV titles that are still in the process of

being cleared, as we announced a few weeks ago.

 

We appreciate many of our customers will be disappointed, and we are too,

but we will bring it to market just as quickly as we can.

 

Many thanks for your continued support

Dave

 

I am not aware of any announcement.

 

And by the by Flyboy, this TV series has nothing to do with Temple Thurstons book 'The Flower of Gloster'.

I never said it was. I have a copy of this book and it's a good read. I just thought others may be interested.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's good news, thank you for letting us know.

Which boat "played" the Flower of Gloster?

 

 

 

This info. from another board:

"Professional canal boater Alan Jones reported some year's back: "Chocolate Charlie (Atkins) told me that he was the skipper of the 'Flower of Gloster' for all the series. The narrow boat was the 'Jupiter' which was built of wood by Woods in 1934 as a prototype for what became the Star class and was number 56 in the GU fleet. (See 'The George & The Mary' by Alan H. Faulkner.) Charlie said the boat, hired from its then owner, was not in good condition and he was always afraid it would sink at any time.

 

"Grenada TV employed a young Oxford graduate to oversee the education of the young actors during the voyage and the filming. She gave a fascinating talk about it to Worsley Cruising Club"

 

Alan Jones

 

====

 

THE FLOWER OF GLOSTER (1967)

 

www.televisionheaven.co.uk/shows_fi_to_fu.htm

 

"The first drama series to be filmed in colour by Granada Television (two years before ITV's regular colour service began), The Flower Of Gloster was about four youngsters who crew a narrow-boat from North Wales to London and their adventures on Britain's inland waterways. In fact, the series was largely experimental in more ways than one, the tales being a mixture of plotted storylines, natural history and improvisation.

 

"The lead characters played themselves (all the character first names were the names of the actors) and any chance to take in a place of historical interest on their journey (Woburn Abbey, Stoke Bruerne Museum - which portrays the heritage of 200 years of inland waterways) was taken up by the series producer Bill Grundy. This all mixed in rather oddly with the fictional tales of haunted forests and 'bovver' boys.

 

"The plot involved Richard Doherty (Richard O'Callaghan), eldest son of Jim (Jim Doherty), a boatyard owner from Wales who is unable to deliver a new barge to London when he breaks his leg in an accident. So Richard takes the helm and is accompanied by his sister Elizabeth (Elizabeth Doherty) and they are soon joined by their young brother Mike (Mike Doherty) and their friend Annette (Annette Roberston), and for 13 weeks they traverse the waterways of west England passing towns, cities and villages.

 

"Chris McMaster, who the following year would bring a different type of children's action/adventure series to the screen when he devised Freewheelers, wrote the series. The name of the boat and series title was inspired by Ernest Temple Thurston's evocative account of a springtime journey by barge around the canals of Oxfordshire, Warwickshire and Gloucestershire, 'The Flower of Gloster' first published in 1911.

 

"Producer Bill Grundy went on to television notoriety when he interviewed the Sex Pistols on live television, inadvertently kicking off the whole punk rock era, and ending his own TV career."

 

====

 

Additional info.:

 

"The film was shot on 16 mm with the sound on a separate tape.This required a special projector which we called a double header. When chairman or secretary of the Manchester Branch of IWA I approached the local Granada studio with a request that they show an episode at the branch meeting. They were surprised to learn that the projection room at the largest of the theatres in the Roscoe Building was equipped with the the right equipment. Arrangements were made to pay for the professional projectionist and on the night 400 members and friends enjoyed the episode shown in glorious high definition colour and sound. Presenting the episode with a full description of it making was Stuart Hall. This was certainly the largest ever Manchester Branch meeting.

 

"it is possible that the film still exists in some dusty Granada vault but it is doubted that in the present circumstances it will ever see the light of day, or be rebroadcast."

 

Chris Potter

 

====

 

 

The Flower of Gloster (1967– )

Trivia
Showing one item
The "Flower of Gloster" was "played" by the narrow boat "Wanderer" (originally "Vulture", built 1904).
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 7 months later...

Amazon have just emailed me to confirm a release date of the 23rd January 2017 -

 

Me too.

 

 

 

You beat me to it, looking forward to recieving mine!

 

Tim

 

Got mine on order earlier this year

Edited by Johnboy770
Link to comment
Share on other sites

First mooted nearly two years ago but which were unavoidably detained because of rights issues, we're exceptionally pleased to announce that both 'The Flower of Gloster' and 'Probation Officer’ are finally heading for long-awaited release early in January 2017. We're making them available immediately as special priced pre-buys for a limited period.

When Michael, Dick and Elizabeth's boat-yard owner father has an accident, they decide to deliver the newly converted barge "The Flower of Gloster" to its new buyer. The group embark on an epic 220 mile adventure from Wales through the inland waterways of England to the Pool of London at Tower Bridge.

http://networkonair.com/shop/2225-flower-of-gloster-the-the-complete-series-5027626436841.html

https://gallery.mailchimp.com/39e50a4be75baf0b22aef04ec/images/8a16dfaf-d61e-4a62-a67d-6aa8804a6e59.jpg

CJB

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If that trailer clip is anything to go by - I won't be ordering. Inane stupidity can be seen in all walks of life as it is, ham'd up for a film I can live without. A sacrilege to the book title.

You aren't wearing your charitable hat this morning, then?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If that trailer clip is anything to go by - I won't be ordering. Inane stupidity can be seen in all walks of life as it is, ham'd up for a film I can live without. A sacrilege to the book title.

I think most people on the forum are more interested in the scenery etc, rather than a story line.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.