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John Grierson
Born in Deanston, Perthshire in 1898 Grierson has been described as the father of documentary filmmaking. In 1929 he directed the film Drifters, a stirring account of the British herring fishing industry, which laid the foundations for documentary filmmaking in Britain. In his role as head of the film units at the Empire Marketing Board and the General Post Office in the 1930s Grierson nurtured a generation of British filmmaking talent. In 1939 he moved to Canada where he became the first head of the National Film Board of Canada and is credited with playing an important role in the development of Canada's film industry. He also contributed to the development of Scottish film as a member of the Films of Scotland Committee. In the 1950s and 60s Grierson was a familiar face on Scottish television as the presenter of This Wonderful World, a programme which presented his selection of the best documentary films from around the world. Grierson died in 1972 in Bath, England, aged 73.
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The John Grierson Archive has been established in the University of Stirling through the generous donation by Mrs Margaret Grierson of all her late husband's papers and documents to the University and through similar donations from many other sources. The aim of the Archive is to collect and preserve, for information and study, all data relating to John Grierson's life and career. The Archive's collections are available for consultation by researchers and all those interested in the history of documentary film and mass communications.
Page last modified on 15 June, 2006
