Public Domain Mark
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Credit
Coopers Berkhamsted. Public Domain Mark. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Coopers Berkhamsted.
- Date:
- 1934
- Videos
- Online
Available online
About this work
Description
This film shows footage of workers from Cooper, McDougall & Robertson, manufacturers of agricultural pesticides etc. in Berkhamsted, interspersed with witty captions. The Wellcome Trust acquired the plant in 1959, though sold it again in 1992. Mainly we see them enjoying various leisure pursuits including reading the paper, playing cricket, fishing, playing tennis, watching performing animals at a Christmas circus, celebrating Christmas day, playing bowls, women exercising in bathing costumes, the Royal wedding the Duke of Kent and Princess Marina, and at the Imperial Fruit Show. There are small glimpses of life at work in the factory, and at the end of the film there are some filmed portraits of some of the workers whose self-consciousness at being scrutinised by the camera is touching. 8 segments.
Publication/Creation
UK : National Film & Television Archive, 1934.
Physical description
1 encoded moving image (45 min.) : silent, black and white
Duration
00:45:16
Copyright note
Copyright owned by Wellcome Trust
Terms of use
Unrestricted
Public Domain Mark
Language note
In English
Creator/production credits
Amateur film made by staff members of Cooper, McDougall & Robertson.
Contents
Segment 1 The workers walk through the gates of the plant, and are also shown leaving their houses in the morning. The captions are ironic, such as 'The office staff hastens back to work', describing the workers sitting in the sun reading newspapers and smoking. The clocking out machine is shown, as well as a cricket match. Time start: 00:00:00:00 Time end: 00:05:39:10 Length: 00:05:39:10
Segment 2 A man fishing in the canal is shown, as well as workers playing tennis. The company secretaries pretend to be upper class, dressed in fine clothes and arriving to work in cabs. Time start: 00:05:39:10 Time end: 00:12:18:03 Length: 00:06:38:22
Segment 3 There is a slapstick, office decorating scene. A shot of what looks like a bonfire and the canal in Berkhamsted. A circus comes to town near Christmas, and scenes of action from inside the Big Top are shown. Next, scenes of families at home on Christmas. Time start: 00:12:18:03 Time end: 00:17:29:01 Length: 00:05:10:27
Segment 4 The staff play boules. A man tends his roses. Various road scenes are shown, with cars driving around and a train leaving the station. More tennis is shown. Time start: 00:17:29:01 Time end: 00:24:01:20 Length: 00:06:32:18
Segment 5 The staff swim in the rain and perform dives. They play leapfrog and wrestle in the water on inflatable horses. The Royal Wedding parade is shown, with a large crowd of people watching. Time start: 00:24:01:20 Time end: 00:29:29:16 Length: 00:05:27:25
Segment 6 The bowling green is shown again. The office boys are seen; one is pushing another in a basket on wheels. More swimming scenes. Time start: 00:29:29:16 Time end: 00:35:17:07 Length: 00:05:47:20
Segment 7 More swimming scenes, and a scene with a female secretary pretending to be the manager, and her male manager pretending to be her secretary. Time start: 00:35:17:07 Time end: 00:39:17:05 Length: 00:03:59:27
Segment 8 More swimming scenes. Scenes from a fruit show. The last images are filmed portraits of various staff members, and brief glimpses inside the factory. Time start: 00:39:17:05 Time end: 00:45:16:15 Length: 00:05:59:09