The Media Archive for Central England is the public screen archive for the East and West Midlands. An independent charity and company based at the University of Lincoln, MACE acquires, catalogues, preserves and makes widely available moving image materials that inform our understanding of the diverse cultures and histories of communities between the Lincolnshire coast and the Welsh border.
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Chain Maker
The Black Country in 1975. Times change but one thing remains constant: John Priest manufactures chains using a forge first lit at the dawn of the Industrial Revolution.
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Overview
The area around Cradley Heath was the UK centre for chain making from the industrial revolution onwards. By 1975 John Priest and his forge were rare survivors, making chains the old fashioned way: entirely by hand. Here we see him demonstrate to Peter Plant of ATV Today how to make a shackle with hammer, fire and plenty of muscle. At the age of 64 Mr Priest was looking forward to retirement with his beloved fuschias providing a more relaxing pastime.
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