This film is part of Free

Parade No. 112

Follow the remarkable intercontinental process of 1970s steel manufacture, from Liberian iron ore to titanium jewellery.

1973 9 mins

Overview

A fascinating snapshot of the power of steel across the Commonwealth, following iron ore mined from the majestic Liberian Mount Nimba to the smelting plant at Corby steelworks in Northamptonshire. The products of these impressive industrial processes have a wondrous array of uses, from colourful titanium watches to the instrumental steel strings of the African kora.

Parade was a cinemagazine produced by the Central Office of Information in the 1960s and 70s for the Foreign and Commonwealth office. It was shown mainly in African and Caribbean countries to promote the industrial and social links between the UK and the Commonwealth. This beautifully shot episode features a performance from renowned Gambian kora player Jali Niamba Suso. This government film is a public record, preserved and presented by the BFI National Archive on behalf of The National Archives, home to more than 1,000 years of British history.