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
Geest Bananas
New processing plant in Heathfield sees careful handling of bananas destined for consumers.
In partnership with:
Overview
Geest bananas are unloaded from a train cabin onto a conveyor belt to be transported into a holding plant and ripening warehouse in Heathfield, Newton Abbot. The bananas are then sorted packaged and sent to grocers and supermarkets. There are various types of banana but the Cavendish (the family name of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire of Chatsworth House in Derbyshire) gained popularity in the 1950s and accounts for the vast majority of imported bananas into the UK.
The Geest horticultural business was formed by the Dutch Van Geest brothers in Spalding. In the 1930s they specialised in selling flower bulbs and then their first shipment of bananas came to London in 1953. In the 1960s a network of ripening centres opened in Heathfield, Devon, Ardrie in Scotland, St Helens in Lancashire, Spalding in Lincolnshire, Stansted in Essex and other plants in Wiltshire. Geest Bananas was sold jointly to the Windward Island Banana Development and Exporting Company Ltd and Fyffes Group Ltd in 1996. Officially ceasing to sell bananas in the UK in 2001, Geest Bananas Ltd changed to Geest Line Ltd in 2008 and concentrated only on its cargo transport service.
Related
Watch for free
The Bevs The Bevs
News 1962 4 mins Location: Newton Abbot
The delightful Beverley Sisters are interviewed on a visit to Newton Abbot.
Watch for free
Little Poland Little Poland
Current affairs 1964 12 mins Location: Newton Abbot
The Polish community at Ilford Park near Newton Abbot in Devon is testament to enduring relations between Poland and Britain.
Watch for free
Newton Abbot, Devon: 'An Essay in Citizenship' Newton Abbot, Devon: 'An Essay in Citizenship'
Amateur film 1927 4 mins Silent Location: Newton Abbot
An army of infants proceeds to reforest the Milber Pine Woods neat Newton Abbot.
Watch for free
The Devon County Show Post War The Devon County Show Post War
Amateur film 1949 10 mins Silent Location: Stover Country Park
This year's show sees the expansion of electrical items
Watch for free
A Farmer's Boy A Farmer's Boy
Documentary 1945 15 mins Location: Newton Abbot
When it comes to training the post-war generation of farmers, this agricultural college in Devon looks to reap what it sows.
Watch for free
Some of the Glories of Devon and Its Industries Some of the Glories of Devon and Its Industries
Industry sponsored film 1935 10 mins Location: Totnes
Beyond the glorious views, this Devon travelogue boasts a mouth-watering focus on the sweet industry.
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.