WARTIME SCENES AT BARRONIA METALS FACTORY, HEREFORD [Allocated Title]

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  • Title: WARTIME SCENES AT BARRONIA METALS FACTORY, HEREFORD [Allocated Title]
  • Film Number: MGH 6869
  • Other titles: AMATEUR FILM BY TONY WILLIAMS [Alternative Title]
  • Summary: Amateur film shot by Tony Williams, production manager at the engineering company Barronia Metals Ltd, which produced vital components for the fuel systems of aircraft, tanks and ships. The film records scenes in and outside the factory after its evacuation from West London to Hereford (Herefordshire) in November 1940.
  • Description: Reel 1: Views of the construction site at the Barronia Works in Hereford (the former Fryer's Garage), where new workshops were being built ca 1942 as the factory expanded: a ladder is laid across freshly-dug ground, and pipes lie nearby. A tipper lorry marked "Sweetman Coal and Haulage" delivers a pile of sand for making cement. Men in overcoats stand around; one smokes a cigarette. Manager in pinstripe suit looks over plans with workmen. Breezeblocks are delivered ready for placing on the top of brick walls in a workshop under construction. Drainpipe is positioned vertically using a spirit level. Bricklaying and preparation of mortar (a wheelbarrowful is shown), and a ramp for access to the high levels of the building. Laying of concrete foundations for a further building (note fairground in adjacent field). Miscellaneous tasks: mortaring and pointing, cutting pipes, painting window frames, breaking up concrete with pneumatic drill, shovelling of rubble into the back of a lorry. (One of the sheds has a sign saying "Asphalt & Public Works, Building Constructors, Congreve Street, Birmingham 2".) Cement mixing; the man shovelling the cement wears a jacket, tie and hat, and smokes a pipe. Long shot showing the construction of the metal girder frame for a new workshop. Building of more brick walls and breaking up of ground. Panning shot showing the various construction projects. Installation of a large liquid storage tank beneath the floor in one of the workshops; it is lowered into place using joists and pulleys, then covered over and concreted. Access to the tank is now through a cover in the concrete floor. Rubble is moved outside one of the workshops. Bicycle sheds and further construction views. (10 mins 16 secs) Reel 2: Close-up shots of newly cast fuel valve, the main product at the Barronia Works. Inspections by man in white lab coat. Various shots of the workshops during the manufacturing process, work being carried out many by women with their hair in snoods: drilling, construction of caps in metal press, lathe work. Stop motion sequence shows the assembly of a valve. Young men on parade outside the factory; they are dressed in civilian clothes but have LDV (Local Defence Volunteers) armbands. Commissionaires on duty at the main gate of the factory. Demolition of what appears to have been a lean-to boilerhouse: the remainder of the cylindrical boiler is excavated from the foundations and pulled out using a rope attached to a van. General views of works. Brief close-up showing mock-up of an aircraft's cockpit panel, with the "pilot's" gloved hand turning the valve switch. Men and women leave after a day's work; one or two are in uniform, and many wave to the camera. Meeting of the workforce addressed by managing director Major F J Bullen; he is accompanied by two visiting RAF men. Canteen at Barronia; staff line up for tea and copious amounts of cake. Final scenes of the new construction at the factory, both interior and exterior. (14 mins 26 secs) Reel 3: Knight logo and an title card "A Barronia Production"; brief (flashframe) of title ("You are helping to build a 'plane"). General views of the works. Main gate is opened by commissionaire, who stands to attention for the camera. Workmen in a machine shop manually pour molten metal into a small mould using a ladle. Later, the mould is opened and a shining machine part is removed and inspected. Furnace is stoked. Exterior of main factory, and of the workshops where male and female machinists are at work. Lathe. Caps are pressed and displayed for the camera; other machines are shown and there is a demonstration of the assembly of valve parts. Barronia's Home Guard unit undertake drills at the factory, including a gas drill in gasmasks and protective clothing. Workforce leaving the building at the end of shift; many are carrying suitcases (as well as gas mask cases) and several have bicycles. Outside the compound, men get onto a works bus ready to go home, and drives off (exterior view of the factory still showing the signage for "Garage"). Empty work shops; sign saying "Short Week v Long Week, Staying Power Round 2, Feb Mar April" wil a bar chart showing production progress. (8 mins 30 secs) Reel 4: Home Guard practice at Barronia; guard marching. At the rear of the factory, a guard can be seen in the roof. Interior of Home Guard mess room; they sit around tables playing cards before scrambling at an "alert". On waste ground behind the factory, they clamber into a trench system. They fire at an imaginary "enemy"; several of them playing dead. Indistinct views of the area surrounding the factory; Home Guard enter and take up positions on waste ground, where they crawl upon the ground, and mimic firing and throwing grenades at the "enemy". There is also a mock gas attack (the guards quickly put on their masks). Further advances; several drop down "dead". Final scene of the Home Guard marching; one smiles at the camera. (5 mins 32 secs) Reel 5: Shots of baby clothes laid out and also being held up by a smiling woman who then packs them into a case. (This is part of the Barronia staff's charitable help towards the war effort in general.) Smiling men climb up onto the roof of the Barronia factory; brief shot on the roof itself. Workshop scenes: men with pipes and cigarettes at draughtsmen's desks, assembly scenes, production of metal casings. Close-ups of machinists at work, many of whom turn, in a staged manner, towards the camera and smile. It is Christmas time; mistletoe can be seen suspended from the ceiling. Staff walk down a corridor; a man and woman kiss under the mistletoe. Further assembly and quality control shots, as well as packing scenes. Draughtsmen (and woman) smile for the camera. Humorous sequence showing managing director Major F J Bullen at work at his desk, and reading "The Knight", the staff journal; in a stop-motion scene, a variety of hats appear and disappear on his head. Iris out on issue cover. (11 mins 45 secs) Reel 6: (Note that this is in mirror image.) Poster "Edgar St Ground Return Football Team Inter-Works Challenge Shield No 2 Works (Hereford) versus No 3 Works (Ledbury) Saturday April 22nd Kick-Off 5.30pm Referee Mr C R Eacock FA. Proceeds in aid of the Key Hostel for the Forces". Works football match at Hereford United's Edgar Street ground; shots of both halves of the match. Hereford beat Ledbury 2-1. The match took place in 1944. (8 mins) Reel 7: (Some sprocket damage) Scenes outside the works including the new buildings; postman makes a delivery. Very dark interior shots, partly obscured; camera focuses on an inert bomb painted with an RAF roundel, accompanied by an appeal for aid for the RAF. Interior of workshop under refurbishment, and views of building site. (Kodak Safety Film leader) Equipment is set up in a workshop. (Kodak Safety Film leader) Bicycle sheds and further shots of the construction at the factory, which is progressing well compared to earlier reels. New foundations are laid. (Black screen for several seconds.) Captions for Barronia production and title card "You are helping to build a 'plane". (Black screen for several seconds.) An animated sequence with spinning graphics and a poster with an airman saying "You can help to build me a 'plane" (see Art.IWM PST 14277) and "One of Britain's Mightiest Bombers". Staged shots in the draughtsman's office and on the shop floor, including testing of aircraft parts. Outside, scrap iron is put in the back of a lorry; brief cutaway shot of an unidentified aircraft flying overhead. Dog is in attendance. (This sequence is mirrored.) Shot of exterior of the Barronia works and a close-up of a calendar (January 20 ?). Close-ups of hands carrying out various gestures, plus a commissionaire blowing a whistle. Empty workshop. (9 mins 15 secs) Reel 8: Shots of boilers (?) in a yard, and of the new buildings nearing completion. Cut-in shots of aircraft instrument panel (cf Reel 1). More new buildings. (Black screen for several seconds.) Negative sequence showing numerous faces of smiling men and women, followed by negative versions of shots seen in previous reels - scrap clearance, buildings, calendar, hands, empty workshops. (7 mins 10 secs) Reel 9: Lengthy reel of negative material made from several rolls splied together and separated by leader, total running time ca 50 minutes. (First roll) Series of animated captions for use in later film compilations: "Barrocraft's Effort for Britain's Bombed Out Babies", "A Barronia Production", "Mills and Drills", many others - possibly related to the numerous off-cuts on Reel 23. (Roll change) Shots of the factory yard, where expansion was being carried out ca 1942; new brick buildings, foundations being laid and new frames being built. Similar to Reel 10. (Roll change). Demolition of what appears to have been a lean-to boilerhouse (see also Reel 2 above). The remainder of the cylindrical boiler (only partially complete) is excavated from the foundations and pulled out using a rope pulled by a van - see Reel 12. (Roll change) Foundations being laid, further construction. Visit of RAF Men (from Reel 2). (Roll change) Canteen sequence from Reel 2, and larder scenes and workshop-fitting scenes from Reel 22. (Roll change) Football match - possibly Reel 14. (Roll change) Further football scenes, including shot of smiling goalkeeper - see Reel 15. (Roll change) Demonstration of apparatus - see Reel 17. (Roll change) Staff leaving at end of shift - see Reel 18. (Roll change) Casting, moulding and inspection of parts - see Reel 19. (Roll change) Interior views of workshops with inspections - see Reel 20. (Roll change) Workshop with all employees gathered and being addressed by management - see Reel 21. (Roll change) Football match - see Reel 6. (Roll change) Second half of football match - see Reel 6. (Roll change) More football and swimming gala - see Reel 24. (Roll change) Domestic scenes - see Reel 25. (Roll change) Works dance - see Reel 25. Reel 10: 1 min 44 secs. Exterior of the Barronia Works, where new construction is taking place. Views of bicycle sheds, outbuildings and cement mixer. In the background is the metal frame of a large workshop under construction. [Several seconds of black frame.] Further views of factory compound, including a large area full of rubble with bicycle sheds in background. Workman with hand tools. Corrugated roofing panels can be seen stacked on the ground. Exterior of brick shed under construction. Bicycle sheds have a large hosepipe draped across the roofs. Chimney under construction. Brick foundations of a new building are laid; men dig a trench. [Crazing on image] Reel 11: 2 mins 50 secs. Exterior shots of Barronia factory workshop: new brick extension is being built. Close-ups of the unfinished brick walls. Builders at work Another, almost completed, brick shed is shown. Further building shots: bricklayers, chimney under construction, yard and further buildings. [Some crazing.] Reel 12: Demolition of what appears to have been a lean-to boilerhouse (see also Reel 2 above). The remainder of the cylindrical boiler (only partially complete) is excavated from the foundations and pulled out using a rope pulled by a van. The damaged boiler is stored in a newly-built brick shed with corrugated roof. Fighter plane flies overhead (too distant to be identified). Building the foundations of a brick building; concrete floor is smoothed out. (Fairground can be seen behind wire fence in background.) Interior shot of fuse boxes and electrical connections. (Brief water-damaged shots of machine shot and worker with pick.) [Some minor pre-existing sprocket damage.] Reel 13: 2 mins 45 secs. Football match at Hereford United's Edgar Street ground (near the Barronia factory). No goals seen. [Crazing on image and minor sprocket damage] [Possibly Hereford United versus Ledbury] [Box had "canteen" written on it but there is no canteen footage] Reel 14: 2 mins 33 secs. Further football shots: players leave door in standand run onto the pitch. Referee smiles for the camera. Kick-off, match action. An injured player is tended to. Further match scenes: no goals are seen. [Some crazing on image.] Reel 15: 2 mins 48 secs. Football match at Hereford United's Edgar Street ground (which was very close to Barronia's factory). Teams are not known (possibly the Hereford team playing the Ledbury team - similar to Reel 6 above). Match action. Close-up of goalkeeper at half time. Second half (from opposite end) - close shot as goal is scored. [Technical: some crazing and water damage.] Reel 16: 1 min 10 secs. View of large apparatus involving a large wooden bar, piping and a small metal tank. Liquid is pumped into the tank through the narrow pipes. Close-up of a joint in horizontal pipe to which a vertical pipe is attached; workman cranks a handle to loosen the joint, drips are caught in a pail underneath. View of another pipe connection where a seated technician (with notepad and pencil) pumps the handle on a pipe valve and makes notes. Further shot of the horizontal pipe and its connection; the verical pipe is unscrewed and liquid drips out. Pipe screw connector is inspected. [Crazing on film.] Reel 17: 2 mins. Workers arrive for work at the Barronia factory: men and women, several on bicycles, some with lunch boxes and briefcases. One of them is a young disabled man with a stick. Many of them smile at the camera. Motorcycle and sidecar passes. Reel 18: 1 m 25 secs. Workmen in a machine shop assemble a small mould and manually pour molten metal into it using a ladle. Later, the mould is opened and a shining machine part is removed and inspected. (Similar to scene in Reel 3 above.) Confused shot of workshop. [Underexposed in part.] Reel 19: 1 m 20 secs. Underexposed views of interior of a workshop; a technician is seen making adjustments to an unspecified device (hard to see). Technicians in conference. Bandsaw in use. Inspection of valve components. Further workshop scenes, this time featuring women workers. [Water damage.] Reel 20: 2 mins ca. High angle shots show one of the large workshops at Barronia; men in suits enter (management ?). In another area, a large number of staff are gathered near elevated (management) offices. Man stands at the top of the steps and addresses the assembled staff; second man (the managing director, Major F J Bullen) also speaks, and the workers applause. (There is a sign at the top of the steps but it cannot be read.) Staff begin to disperse. Exterior shots of new brick building taking shape. [Some crazing.] Reel 21: Panning shots inside a large larder/food store. On the wooden shelves are jars of preserves, tinned food (Bantam coffee, Casserole stewed steak, Booths and North Crest pilchards, Chelsea minced beef), English tomatoes and apples. Exterior shots of construction: brick building rises. Interior shots of large corrugated workshop (this will be the one whose frame was seen in XXI): interior fittings are being erected, including new benches and small partitioned stalls. Foreman smiles at the camera. Further views of the workshop stalls under construction, and views inside and outside. There are also shots inside an established workshop. [Some crazing] Reel 22: Short titles for insertion into the Ledbury vs Hereford football film (Reel 6). Captions are as follows: "Half Time Score Ledbury 2 Hereford 1". "Second Half". "Final Score Ledbury 2 Hereford 1". Diagrams give the team line-ups, both in 2-3-5 formation: HEREFORD WORKS TEAM Townsend (goal). Lewis (Captain), Williams. Hope, Cutler, Lyons. Powell, Shepherd, Harbutt, Priddy, Thom. LEDBURY WORKS TEAM Mitchell (goal). Barker, Honour. Richards, Smith, J Craddock. Chapman, Smith, M Craddock (Captain), Miles, Merrick. Reel ends with a close-up of the poster, as seen in Reel 6, and uniformed foreman. Reel 23: 2 mins 39 secs. Two sports sequences, presumably featuring the Barronia workforce. Women's football match. Swimming gala in enclosed pool with many spectators: diving contest, men's swimming race, women's swimming display (they swim the backstroke while carrying lit candles). Announcer talking through megaphone. Prizegiving at end of gala. [Variable quality during the swimming gala, also crazing.] Reel 24: Scenes in the garden of a large house (possibly family home of Tony Williams of Barronia): Pekingese, woman having afternoon tea, cat and playful kittens. Reel 25: 2 mins 33 secs. Barronia works dance: couples waltzing, including many female couples, reflecting their predominant numbers among the workforce. Many people are smoking. Some men are in uniform. Other dances including the hokey cokey and the beginnings of a conga. One couple are seen kissing.
  • Alternative Title: AMATEUR FILM BY TONY WILLIAMS [Alternative Title]
  • Colour: B&W
  • Digitised:
  • Object_Number: MGH 6869
  • Sound: Silent
  • Access Conditions: IWM Attribution: © IWM (MGH 6869)
  • Featured Period:
  • Production Date: 1940
  • Production Country: GB
  • Production Details: Williams, C H "Tony"2015-08-281990 (Production individual)
  • Personalities, Units and Organisations:
  • Keywords:
  • Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W Sound format: Silent
  • Technical Details: Format: 16mm Number of items/reels/tapes: 25
  • HD Media:
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    MGH 6869

  • Related IWM Collections Objects:

    2012-12-09 ()
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