The Box is a major cultural and heritage attraction and archive, which opened in Plymouth’s city centre in September 2020. Its collection, formally the South West Film and Television Archive (SWFTA), is the regional film archive for the South West of England, comprising the combined programme libraries of Westward Television and Television South West (TSW). It also includes a significant number of donated film collections dating back to the early 1890s.
This film is part of Free
Ladybird' Children's Clothing Company Closure
Ladybird is best, the 20th century's leading children’s brand
In partnership with:
Overview
This film shows work at the ‘Ladybird’ factory based in Plymouth which is soon to close adding to the thousand or so job losses to the South West’s textile industry. Ladybird’s founder, Johannes George Pasold established a knitting and weaving company in Czechoslovakia, producing children’s clothing for the post-war baby boom. Brought to the UK in 1938 by Eric Pasold, the company was aided by a large purchase order from Woolworth’s with whom the brand became synonymous.
The Pasold garments were originally under the brand name ‘White Bear’ the logo similar to that of Glacier Mints, only the UK initially had the Ladybird icon. The Ladybird brand became the most iconic brand of the 20th Century. It bridged the gap between stylish and practical with an attention to sizing never before seen and wartime drab clothes became a thing of the past. Ladybird are credited with the invention of the T-shirt. During the 1980s Woolworths helped to shape the brand into the most affordable high quality children’s clothing brand on the high street, however with Woolworth’s demise in 2009, Ladybird is now part of the UK’s largest online home shopping business ‘Shop Direct’.
Related
Watch for free
Caefelin Laundry, Llangollen Caefelin Laundry, Llangollen
Home movie 1937 20 mins Silent Location: Llangollen
Nellie Boote's laundry in Market Street in operation, the women dashing away with all manner of smoothing irons as clothes are sorted, mended, washed, ironed and sorted again.
Watch for free
For Sheer Perfection For Sheer Perfection
Documentary 1965 24 mins Location: Langley Mill
A mile of yarn and a million loops to make one stocking: the culmination of a four hundred year old craft.
Watch for free
Paper Fashion Paper Fashion
News 1967 6 mins Location: Newcastle upon Tyne
Fashion doesnt grow on treesor does it! Tyne Tees TV was bang on-trend with this brilliant news feature on the hip 1960s cult for a disposable age - paper fashion.
Watch for free
Fancy Yarn Production Fancy Yarn Production
Industry sponsored film 1971 23 mins Location: Greengates
Twisted yarns and empty spindles, everything from Bouclé to Slub yarn, from beginning to end, and all, in the end, displayed on a ‘normal’ model in typical 1970s fashion.
Watch for free
Working to a Pattern Working to a Pattern
Documentary 1980 32 mins
Rag trade revival or sweatshops? In the back streets of Brick Lane, Bangladeshi machinists sew 70s fashions
Watch for free
Winter Fashions have been Modelled in a Park in Exmouth Winter Fashions have been Modelled in a Park in Exmouth
Current affairs 1977 2 mins Silent Location: Exmouth
Wearing Fur gets Hairy
Watch for free
Dingles of Plymouth Dingles of Plymouth
Advert 1960 1 mins Location: Plymouth
A charming regional commercial for Plymouth’s best loved department store.
Watch for free
Millbay Laundry Millbay Laundry
Advert 1960 0 mins Location: Plymouth
Help keep your relationship on track by outsourcing your laundry!
Watch for free
Model Clipper Sailor Model Clipper Sailor
Current affairs 1965 2 mins Location: Plymouth
Former shipwright turns his talents to model-making.
Watch for free
Comely Caviar Comely Caviar
Current affairs 1984 1 mins Location: Plymouth
Reporter tests the theory of caviar heightening libido.
Watch for free
Last Cooper Last Cooper
Current affairs 1967 5 mins Location: Plymouth
The last apprenticed cooper in the Royal Navy’s Royal William Victualling Yard undergoes a trusso, an ancient rite of passage.
Watch for free
Liberté Liner Liberté Liner
Current affairs 1961 5 mins Location: Plymouth
Cruising into the history books SS Liberté makes its final voyage stopping at Plymouth en route to Le Havre.
Watch for free
China O'Brien: The Reunion China O'Brien: The Reunion
Documentary 2024 60 mins
Cynthia Rothrock, Richard Norton and Keith Cooke reunite three decades on from the groundbreaking martial arts classic.
Watch for free
Women in Action Panel Discussion Women in Action Panel Discussion
Inside Film 2024 28 mins
Action Xtreme - the UK's leading action film studio - hosts this panel discussion with four leading women in action cinema - Soo Cole, Jo Rolison, Jadey Duffield and Ioanna Karavela.
Watch for free
Starve Acre - Exclusive Q&A Starve Acre - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2024 24 mins
Daniel Kokotajlo talks to Nia Childs about Starve Acre, his folk horror about a couple digging deep into grief in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales.
Watch for free
Sky Peals - Exclusive Q&A Sky Peals - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2024 30 mins
Sky Peals director Moin Hussain and lead actor Faraz Ayub talk to Tomisin Adepeju about their magic realist drama.
Watch for free
Inside the Archive: The Early Films of Michael Powell Inside the Archive: The Early Films of Michael Powell
Documentary 2024 42 mins
Documentary exploring the BFI National Archive’s role in rediscovering and remastering the early films of Michael Powell.
Watch for free
Inside the Archive: The Riviera Revels Inside the Archive: The Riviera Revels
Short documentary 2024 12 mins
Bryony Dixon, curator of silent film at the BFI national archive, explores the origins of a series of comic travelogues, and Michael Powell's involvement in making them.