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
Last Cooper
The last apprenticed cooper in the Royal Navy’s Royal William Victualling Yard undergoes a trusso, an ancient rite of passage.
In partnership with:
Overview
Clive Gunnell reports on Robert John Knight, the last apprenticed cooper of the Royal Navy’s Royal William Victualling Yard in the Cooperage Plymouth. A cooper makes staved vessels such as casks, barrels, tubs, churns, firkins, puncheons or butts aided by hoopers. The apprentice enters the unfinished barrel at the shout of trusso and exits as a qualified cooper. The Worshipful Company of Coopers exists as a trade association and guild since its 1501 Royal Charter.
The Coopers’ Company is governed by bylaws granted by Act of Parliament approved in 1741 but these are still a form of delegated law enforceable today. The Company had the power to view and gauge all containers used for the storage of consumables. Coopers supplied vessels for victualling stores on board ship such as food, drink including ale, rum and port, cargo and ammunition and historically a cooper was a rating in the Navy under the Purser. Coopering’s decline as a craft in the last century when containers were replaced by aluminium has not marked its end; cask storage is still popular in the brewing and drinks industry and making something of a comeback. Since 2000 women are admitted to the Coopers’ Company.
Related
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
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
Field Gun Practice at HMNB Devonport Field Gun Practice at HMNB Devonport
Current affairs 1962 2 mins Location: Plymouth
Gunboat Crews practise the Royal Navy’s field gun drill in preparation for competition.
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.