The Yorkshire Film Archive collects, preserves, and shows film made in, or about Yorkshire. Our collections are non-fiction, dating from the 1890s to the present day, and providing a rich and visually compelling record of all aspects of lives, cultures, landscape, industries, major events and everyday activities, many of which are available to watch, free of charge, on our website.
This film is part of Free
Metal Craft
Steel workers in Guiseley craft fine kitchenware for the masses.
From the collection of:
Overview
Armed with tools of the trade, these skilled metalworkers have decades of experience transforming sheets of aluminium into shiny pots, pans and kettles at the ‘Metalwork Company’ in Guiseley. Following the meticulous process, workers are cogs in a long production line of employees who are meeting the ever-growing demands of a ‘70s market, obsessed with electronic and fine finish kitchenware.
Approaching the 1980s, a cosmos of gadgets and gizmos was landing into British homes and consumers were becoming thirstier for technology which would make life easier, particularly in kitchens. The ‘Metalwork Company’ churned out 1,000 electric kettles and 12,000 pots and pans every week to home and abroad, supplying to some big high street name brands including British Home Stores.