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
Plymouth's Berkertex Textile Factory
Plymouth’s Berkertex Spinning Yarns
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Overview
Driector of the Berketex Textile Factory in Honicknowle Plymouth takes us through the process of dressmaking from design, to samples and mass production. The factory was one of the first and biggest post-war employers to open in the South West, the company employed over one thousand dressmakers and tailors. The factory along with all its workers were featured in an episode of Westward’s programme “Open House”.
The Berketex Factory closed its doors in 1985 following strong competition from abroad. It became cheaper to import materials and clothes and UK mass manufacturing in general declined.
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