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.
This film is part of Free
Hop picking
The end of the line for Herefordshire's hop pickers. It's 1966 and the traditional seasonal job for hundreds of Black Country workers is fast becoming a thing of the past.
From the collection of:
Overview
"Where does the noble hop come from?", asks ATV Today reporter Lionel Hampden. Well, it's often not from Kent's 'Garden of England' but the hop fields of Herefordshire. This film records the testimonies of the seasonal workers who poured in from the Black Country to handpick this crop. But, as they reveal, by 1966 this way of life was becoming a thing of the past, as falling prices and new mechanical methods of harvesting signal the end of an era.
Related
Watch for free
In Herefordshire and Round About In Herefordshire and Round About
Amateur film 1967 5 mins Silent Location: Hereford
A leisurely amble through the historic landmarks of Herefordshire.
Watch for free
Look Round Hereford 1960 Look Round Hereford 1960
Home movie 1960 4 mins Silent Location: Hereford
The ancient and modern bring life to Hereford's historic city centre.
Watch for free
The Production of Cider The Production of Cider
News 1969 7 mins Location: Hereford
No longer a cottage industry: by 1969 Bulmer's of Hereford was producing cider on an industrial scale.
Watch for free
Dale: The Building and Opening of Hereford Cattle Market Dale: The Building and Opening of Hereford Cattle Market
Home movie 1956 10 mins Silent Location: Hereford
The centenary of Hereford Cattle Market sees a new extension and a parade of noble beasts through the city's streets.
Watch for free
The Wye Country 1952 The Wye Country 1952
Amateur film 1952 21 mins Silent Location: Llangurig
From source to estuary – the way of the Wye and the beautiful border country
Watch for free
The Wye Valley The Wye Valley
Documentary 1948 15 mins Location: Ross-on-Wye
The scenic wonders of the Wye are revealed in glorious colour on this journey from mouth to source.
Watch for free
Getting it Back: The Story of Cymande - Q&A Getting it Back: The Story of Cymande - Q&A
Inside Film 2024 22 mins
The director of a documentary about British funk pioneers Cymande joins the band at BFI Southbank to talk about the film.
Watch for free
The West Case The West Case
Action and Adventure 1923 28 mins Silent Location: Tilbury
Plotting world domination, Devil Doctor Fu-Manchu steals plans for a new aero-torpedo in this earliest surviving thrill-a-minute serial instalment.
Watch for free
Enter the Scala!!! Enter the Scala!!!
Inside Film 2024 16 mins
Filmmakers Jane Giles and Ali Catterall discuss their documentary Scala!!!, revisiting the legendary and inspirational cinema venue and some of the most notorious films that screened there.
Watch for free
Smith Smith
Charity appeal 1939 10 mins
Long thought lost, this Powell-directed promotional short for a veteran’s charity was only rediscovered in 2003.
Watch for free
An Airman's Letter to His Mother An Airman's Letter to His Mother
Documentary 1941 6 mins
A poignant, stirring letter from a recently deceased pilot to his mother is read by John Gielgud.
Watch for free
The NHS75 Celebration The NHS75 Celebration
Short documentary 2023 3 mins
Former Bristol Poet Laureate, Miles Chambers reads a poem specially commissioned for the 75th anniversary of the NHS.