The Box is a major cultural and heritage attraction and archive, which opened in Plymouth’s city centre in September 2020. Its collection, formally the South West Film and Television Archive (SWFTA), is the regional film archive for the South West of England, comprising the combined programme libraries of Westward Television and Television South West (TSW). It also includes a significant number of donated film collections dating back to the early 1890s.
This film is part of Free
China Clay Heyday
This film gives a powdery insight into the china clay works of Cornwall
In partnership with:
Overview
China clay was discovered and used by the Chinese in the seventh and eight centuries AD. Britain imported fine china from the Chinese until the 1740s when china clay deposits were found around St Austell in Cornwall. English potteries turned their potter's wheel to making fine bone china like Royal Worcester and Wedgwood after Thomas Fyre of Bow and Josiah Spode of Stoke-on-Trent developed bone china, a fine white porcelain following the discovery of the deposits.
Kaolin is made from the clay mineral kaolinite formed by the decomposition of aluminium silicates such as feldspar. The deposits are blasted in open pits at high pressure to form slurry. The kaolin produced is mixed with other materials but gives the bright white bone china; bone, because Thomas Fyre added bones into the mix, a by-product of the slaughterhouses that surrounded his factory. Fine decorated porcelain began to be exported around the world. Most major English firms made or still make it and china clay is still extracted in Cornwall and Malaysia but most is used to make paper white with only twelve per cent of production going to the pottery industry.
Related
Training Centre for the Disabled in St Austell Training Centre for the Disabled in St Austell
Current affairs 1963 1 mins Silent Location: St Austell
Visitors look around a new training centre for the disabled in St Austell.
Who Knew Retew? Who Knew Retew?
Current affairs 1967 4 mins Location: St Austell
Community spirit is not lost on the residents of soon-to-be demolished Retew.
The Cornish Pyramids The Cornish Pyramids
Amateur film 1936 5 mins Silent Location: St Austell
The camera takes a dusty look into Cornwall's china clay industry.
Solarflares Burn for You Solarflares Burn for You
Animation & Artists Moving Image 1973 8 mins Location: St Austell
Come on a psychedelic journey to Cornwall in this stunning, sensual film.
Formula Two Grand Prix Stock Car Racing in St Austell Formula Two Grand Prix Stock Car Racing in St Austell
Current affairs 1976 5 mins Location: St Austell
BriSCA F2 Stock Car race at the Par Stadium
Footabller Geoff Hurst signs on the line Footabller Geoff Hurst signs on the line
Non-Fiction 1970 1 mins Silent Location: St Austell
Footballer Geoffrey Hurst signs on the line for fans
Starve Acre - Exclusive Q&A Starve Acre - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2024 24 mins
Daniel Kokotajlo talks to Nia Childs about Starve Acre, his folk horror about a couple digging deep into grief in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales.
Sky Peals - Exclusive Q&A Sky Peals - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2024 30 mins
Sky Peals director Moin Hussain and lead actor Faraz Ayub talk to Tomisin Adepeju about their magic realist drama.
Inside the Archive: The Early Films of Michael Powell Inside the Archive: The Early Films of Michael Powell
Documentary 2024 42 mins
Documentary exploring the BFI National Archive’s role in rediscovering and remastering the early films of Michael Powell.
Inside the Archive: The Riviera Revels Inside the Archive: The Riviera Revels
Short documentary 2024 12 mins
Bryony Dixon, curator of silent film at the BFI national archive, explores the origins of a series of comic travelogues, and Michael Powell's involvement in making them.
New Perspectives: Oldboy New Perspectives: Oldboy
Short documentary 2024 4 mins
Discover why Dan George of Northumbria University believes everyone should experience Oldboy at least once.
New Perspectives: Wings of Desire New Perspectives: Wings of Desire
Short documentary 2024 4 mins
Trixie Parkin-Christie of Northumbria University offers fresh insight into why Wings of Desire remains essential viewing.