Nitrate format. Short film by Robert Paul and Birt Acres in which a man is pursued by a constable, runs right across the picture, they struggle together and the policeman’s helmet is knocked off, then the pickpocket, by slipping out of his jacket, manages to escape, but runs into the arms of a sailor, with whose assistance he is arrested.

Audio cassette tape. Arthur Melbourne-Cooper visits Sidney Acres, Southend.

Various interviews, eight of them related to recordings conducted by Tjitte de Vries with Brit Acres' and Melbourne-Cooper's descendants and relations.

178E12.10 digitised as part of the British Library's Unlocking Our Sound Heritage project.

Audio cassette tape number T042. Audrey Wadowski with Fred Taylor, Gordon Fisher and Reg Shircliffe, on Birt Acres and Alpha Films, Barnet, St. Albans. Part of eight cassette recordings of Tjitte de Vries of Birt Acres and Melbourne-Cooper relations. Copy from Tjitte de Vries, Arthur Melbourne-Cooper Archive.

This collection contains a small amount of archival items and artefacts which belonged to Birt Acres and his son Sidney Birt Acres. The collection also includes books on early cinema, which were used as research material by Alan Acres, while writing ‘Frontiersman to Film-Maker’, and represent the archive created in the process.

Scrapbook copy of the ‘Black Book’ entitled Birt Acres Film Pioneer 1854-1918 containing photocopies of newspaper cuttings and photographs and typed news reports and some material on the Cinema Veterans annual reunion. Press cuttings collected by Birt Acres wife who continued to update it until her death in the 1950's. Subsequent additions were by Birt's daughter-in-law Phyllis.

Nitrate film by Robert Paul and Birt Acres, filmed on a small wooden stage, showing a brief scene of a boxing bout between a boy and a kangaroo and refereed by possibly the animal trainer or showman, who appears to the left of the pugilists.

Nitrate film by Birt Acres, showing an outdoor boxing match and ringside onlookers. Possibly Acres’ Boxing Match film in August 1896 or Boxing Match/Boxing Contest filmed in 1895.

Business Records related to the film industry.

Small wooden and brass balance and six weights belonging to Birt Acres.

Birt Acres’ chemical balance, collapsible wooden and brass balance with drawer containing different components, weights and tweezers.

Audio cassette tape number T001. Side A: A.M. Cooper visits. Sidney B. Acres, Southend 1956 Side B: BBC interview of A.M. Cooper interviewed by Ernest Lindgren Bush House. Part of eight cassette recordings of Tjitte de Vries of Birt Acres and Melbourne-Cooper relations. Tape N.R. VI and XII. Copy from Tjitte de Vries, Arthur Melbourne-Cooper Archive.

Various items of correspondence related to Birt Acres' business and correspondence about his life and career.

Correspondence between Mr and Mrs A. B. Acres and Dr. Hauke Lange-Fuchs regarding the work of Birt Acres, part of Alan’s research for Frontiersman to Film-maker book. Ring binder containing letters and transparencies.

Nitrate film by Birt Acres, showing partial fragments of of a family group, possibly members of the Acres family.

Copies of the Opening of the Kiel Canal film.

Nitrate films made by Robert Paul and Birt Acres, showing brief scenes of topical events, popular entertainmet, family groups and fiction. These films were part of the repertoire travelled by showman George Williams around the British fairs.

Notebook on making film stock entitled formulae, containing multiple loose notes.

Collection of early films related to the first year of film-making in America and the United Kingdom and nineteenth century magic lantern slides, letter, film catalogues and photographic plates.

Audio cassette tape number T047. Audrey Wadoski with A.M. Cooper, Coton on B. Acres start filming Bertha Randall, mail trains upside down camera, etc. Part of eight cassette recordings conducted by Tjitte de Vries with Birt Acres' and Melbourne-Cooper' descendants and relations. Tape N.R. XV,. Disc 10, Band 15a, WAV, 194 Mb, 37 mins (a+b). Copy from Tjitte de Vries, Arthur Melbourne-Cooper Archive.