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A Day at an Engineering Works (c.1926)

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Engineering works

This clip chosen to be PG

Clip description

A steel saw, made from a plain steel disc without teeth, cuts through the girders using only friction. A man turns a wheel which pulls the disc through to cut the girder. The cut girder is then lifted by a crane and guided away.

A guillotine machine cuts through large plates in one stroke of its blade. Four men and a crane help guide the large sheet into the machine which then cuts it into sections. The camera captures this from two angles.

In another area of the workshop, a man wearing face protection demonstrates the electric welding process. A pan of the blacksmiths’ workshop follows. The camera then pans across workers standing at a battery of high-speed drilling machines.

Curator’s notes

by Poppy De Souza

As well as providing an historical record of the Perry engineering works, footage such as this provides a vivid snapshot of the working conditions of the past. Common to the times, the lack of protective clothing and safety measures is something that can come as a shock to contemporary viewers. The machinery used in this clip is also an example of what was probably modern for the 1920s.

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australianscreen is produced by the National Film and Sound Archive. By using the website you agree to comply with the terms and conditions described elsewhere on this site. The NFSA may amend the 'Conditions of Use’ from time to time without notice.

All materials on the site, including but not limited to text, video clips, audio clips, designs, logos, illustrations and still images, are protected by the Copyright Laws of Australia and international conventions.

When you access australianscreen you agree that:

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  • You may embed the clip for non-commercial educational purposes including for use on a school intranet site or a school resource catalogue.
  • The National Film and Sound Archive’s permission must be sought to amend any information in the materials, unless otherwise stated in notices throughout the Site.

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ANY UNAUTHORISED USE OF MATERIAL ON THIS SITE MAY RESULT IN CIVIL AND CRIMINAL LIABILITY.

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