The East Anglian Film Archive, the first and largest Regional Film Archive in England, was established in 1976. Since 1984, EAFA has been owned and operated by the University of East Anglia, Norwich (UEA), to support research and work to preserve our moving image heritage. More than 250 hours are freely available online as examples of the wide range of film which attracts interest the world over.
This film is part of Free
Brian Palfrey, Cooper
Making a traditional wooden beer barrel, demonstrated by a Suffolk brewery cooper
From the collection of:
Overview
Master cooper Brian Palfrey shows how he turns fresh timber into the familiar beer barrel known as a 'pin'. He names a succession of specialist tools and devices from the rich vocabulary of the cooper's craft - 'rounding adze', 'jigger', 'inside shave', 'chiv'. He works by eye and by touch, using fire and sharp blades, with confident ease built on years of experience.
Brian Palfrey was apprenticed aged 15 to his father, also a cooper for Greene King brewery at Bury St Edmunds. In 1974 the brewery replaced the wooden barrels with aluminium kegs which could be filled under pressure to deliver the fashionable 'sparkling' beer. Brian Palfrey moved into warehouse supervision, but continued to practise the cooper's craft for museums and history societies. This demonstration was filmed by the East Anglian Film Archive in the Boby Building at the Museum of East Anglian Life in Stowmarket, Suffolk, established to collect, preserve and display the long-established but disappearing skills, equipment and buildings of East Anglia's rural past.
Related
Watch for free
The Mill On The Move The Mill On The Move
Factual TV 1975 25 mins Location: Alton Water (Reservoir)
Before compulsory safety helmets , workers carefully dismantle a historic watermill and move it to a new museum location
Watch for free
The Boys' Brigade The Boys' Brigade
Amateur film 1950 3 mins Silent Location: Stowmarket
Marching band leads Stowmarket Boys' Brigade parade
Watch for free
John Wright Basketmaker John Wright Basketmaker
Instructional 1985 7 mins Location: Stowmarket
A traditional basketmaker shows how he makes a potato picker basket
Watch for free
Stowmarket Boys Brigade at Summer Camp in Norfolk Stowmarket Boys Brigade at Summer Camp in Norfolk
Amateur film 1950 8 mins Silent Location: West Runton
A charming record of the Stowmarket Boys Brigade enjoying the fresh sea air and clifftop views at their summer camp in Norfolk in 1950.
Watch for free
Laura Mulvey in Conversation Laura Mulvey in Conversation
Inside Film 2025 76 mins
Laura Mulvey in conversation, following her BFI Fellowship Award.
Watch for free
George Clooney in Conversation George Clooney in Conversation
Inside Film 2025 74 mins
George Clooney visited BFI Southbank to look back on his life and career.
Watch for free
Chloé Zhao Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025 Chloé Zhao Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025
Inside Film 2025 65 mins
The Oscar®- winning director of Nomadland discusses her unique approach to filmmaking and the inspiration behind the adaptation of Hamnet.
Watch for free
Edgar Wright on The Running Man Edgar Wright on The Running Man
Inside Film 2025 28 mins
The director talks to Mark Kermode about putting Stephen King's dystopian life-or-death gameshow thriller through its paces.
Watch for free
Richard Linklater Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025 Richard Linklater Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025
Inside Film 2025 69 mins
Richard Linklater discusses his remarkable and wide-ranging body of work, including Blue Moon and Nouvelle Vague.
Watch for free
Daniel Day-Lewis Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025 Daniel Day-Lewis Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025
Inside Film 2025 73 mins
Daniel Day-Lewis, the ultimate actor’s actor discusses his career in conversation with Mark Kermode.