Arthur Cheetham

Cheetham, along with fellow cinematic pioneer, William Haggar, are recognised as the only Welsh-based film makers of importance before the First World War.

[2][3][4] Cheetham continued filming until at least 1912, but it was between 1898 and 1899 that he was most active, making over 30 'shorts' which he would then show at local halls he hired for the purpose.

The majority of his films were of everyday life, including the self-explanatory Rhyl May Day Procession, Mailboat Munster Arriving at Holyhead, Irish Mail Train going through Rhyl Station and Ladies Boating at Aberystwyth Bay; all of which were shot in 1898.

[3] Of his surviving films, those of special note include Blackburn Rovers v West Bromwich Albion (1898), one of the oldest surviving films of an association football match[5] and E.H. Williams and his Merrie Men (1899), an important record of a minstrel show held in Rhyl.

[7] The National Screen and Sound Archive of Wales have audio interviews with Stanley Cheetham,[8] and hold some work by his son G.A.