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
Smethwick Foundry Industry
The dirt, grime and molten metal of the foundry has long reflected the strength of West Midlands industry; but for how much longer?
From the collection of:
Overview
Smethwick industrialist Eddie Marsland walks through the site that once held the largest foundry in Europe. The Midland Motor Cylinder works is now reduced to an expanse of wasteland. Marsland blames cheap imports and a lack of government support. The workforce has been halved in ten years. Can this really be the final days for the once proud heavy industry heartland of the UK or can this ex-boxer stage a fight-back?