This film is part of Free

Workforce Leaving Alfred Butterworth and Sons, Glebe Mills, Hollinwood (1901)
A flood of Lancashire cotton workers and their children at the end of another shift.
Overview
Filmed for Hollinwood Wakes week in July, this good-natured but chaotic melange of adults and children is typical of a 'factory gate' film. While the ragged and mischievous boys draw attention to themselves by playing up to the camera, it's the appearance of two better-dressed young girls - one wearing ear-muffs, the other wearing spectacles, that will catch most modern eyes.
Although many of the children would have been employed as labour at the mill, the younger children can be seen carrying baskets and parcels of food which would be brought to a mother or father at the end of their morning shift.
Related

'Hands' Leaving Work at North-Street Mills, Chorley (1900) 'Hands' Leaving Work at North-Street Mills, Chorley (1900)
Non-Fiction 1900 3 mins Silent Location: Chorley
Lancashire cotton-workers pile out through the mill gates at dinner time.

20,000 Employees Entering Lord Armstrong's Elswick Works (1900) 20,000 Employees Entering Lord Armstrong's Elswick Works (1900)
Non-Fiction 1900 3 mins Silent Location: Elswick
An astonishingly crowded Victorian street reveals the vast scale of Tyneside manufacturing.

Amos & Smith Boiler Works, Hull (1900) Amos & Smith Boiler Works, Hull (1900)
Non-Fiction 1900 1 mins Silent Location: Kingston upon Hull
Bicycles and broomsticks at the ready as workers finish shift at a marine engineering works in Victorian Hull.

Co-operative Wholesale Clothing Factory in Manchester (c.1900) Co-operative Wholesale Clothing Factory in Manchester (c.1900)
Non-Fiction 1900 2 mins Silent Location: Manchester
Victorian Manchester mill workers enjoy the novelty of a moving picture camera.

Congregation Leaving St Mary's Church, Dumfries (c.1901) Congregation Leaving St Mary's Church, Dumfries (c.1901)
Non-Fiction 1901 2 mins Silent Location: Dumfries
Worshippers in their Sunday best file out of the Church.

Congregation Leaving St Mary's Dominican Church in Cork (1902) Congregation Leaving St Mary's Dominican Church in Cork (1902)
Non-Fiction 1902 1 mins Silent
A well-dressed church congregation gathers on the elegant portico.

New Perspectives: Tangerine New Perspectives: Tangerine
Short documentary 2025 3 mins
Harry Wallace, a student at Northumbria university, explains why Sean Baker's LA-set comedy-drama, about a transgender sex worker on the hunt for her cheating -ex, is worth your time.

Daniel Craig in Conversation with Mark Kermode Daniel Craig in Conversation with Mark Kermode
Inside Film 2025 44 mins
Daniel Craig talks to Mark Kermode about his acting career, from his early role in Love is the Devil through to the Luca Guadagnino directed Queer.

New Perspectives: Fish Tank New Perspectives: Fish Tank
Short documentary 2025 4 mins
Adam Smith of Northumbria University explains why Andrea Arnold's coming-of-age story, about a girl who uses dance to escape, is his favourite film on BFI Player.

New Perspectives: Pusher New Perspectives: Pusher
Short documentary 2025 5 mins
Noah Ball of Northumbria University explains why you should seize the chance to watch Nicolas Winding Refn's debut.

Twin Peaks star Kyle MacLachlan on working with David Lynch - Q&A Twin Peaks star Kyle MacLachlan on working with David Lynch - Q&A
Inside Film 2025 38 mins
Kyle MacLachlan talks to BFI CEO Ben Roberts about working with David Lynch on the legendary series Twin Peaks.

On Falling - Exclusive Q&A On Falling - Exclusive Q&A
Inside Film 2025 30 mins
Writer-director Laura Carreira talks to Nia Childs about her debut feature, On Falling.