Archive footage of Stevenage from the 1950s has been uploaded to video sharing website YouTube.

The Comet: Harold Macmillan speaks to a Stevenage family in 1959Harold Macmillan speaks to a Stevenage family in 1959 (Image: Archant)

The videos are just a few of the 85,000 released in April by news service British Pathé.

They include shots from 1959 of Stevenage town centre, a newly-built Monkswood Way housing estate and a visit to the town from then Prime Minister Harold Macmillan.

The release of vintage news reports and cinemagazines is part of a drive to make the archive more accessible to viewers all over the world.

Alastair White, general manager of British Pathé, said: “Our hope is that everyone, everywhere, who has a computer will see these films and enjoy them – these videos make for some really fascinating viewing.

“This archive is a treasure trove unrivalled in historical and cultural significance that should never be forgotten. Uploading the films onto the internet seemed like the best way to make sure of that.”

Two videos, each approximately two minutes in length, can be found by searching ‘New Town (1959)’ and ‘PM sees new towns (1959)’ on YouTube.

Pathé News was a producer of newsreels, cinemagazines, and documentaries from 1910 until 1970 in the UK.

Visit www.britishpathe.com for more information.