National Screen and Sound Archive of Wales preserves and celebrates the sound and moving image heritage of Wales, making it accessible to a wide range of users for enjoyment and learning. Its film collection reflects every aspect of the nation’s social, cultural and working life across the 20th century, giving a fascinating insight into Welsh filmmaking, both amateur and professional.
This film is part of Free
Rotatiller and Caterpillar Tractor, Oct. and Nov. 1938
David Lloyd George, ex-prime minister of Britain, hosts a demonstration of two marvellously big machines at work on his farm at Churt.
From the collection of:
Overview
Horses are old hat, it's the age of the machine and the bigger the better thinks ex-prime minister Lloyd George, perhaps, as he watches two mechanical monsters being put through their paces on his land at Bron-y-de, in Churt, Surrey. Increasing the productivity of the land was one of the major issues of the moment and industrial farming was on the horizon. Lloyd George is also seen being filmed for a newsreel item.
Making best use of the land and increasing productivity was an issue close to Lloyd George's heart. He was particularly interested in, and impressed by, Hitler's land reclamation schemes (that thereby 'dealt' with the issue of unemployment) and he visited such schemes when on a trip to Germany in 1936 [see title 'Visit of the Rt.Hon. D. Lloyd George, OM, MP to Germany, September 2nd-16th, 1936.'].