Silversmith

This documentary on the work of British silversmiths was made during the war. I can imagine a generation of British schoolchildren having to endure it in the 1960s and 1970s.

I guess this is probably now a dying art as we see the silversmiths working by hand making intricate items as well as various cutlery but they also move on to surgical items such as forceps to fancy jewellery boxes and packing cases.

At the end we see the introduction of mechanisation as these silversmiths now work for the war effort, they do not seem happy or comfortable working with machines but I guess speed was required for items they were making which was supposedly top secret. Not only that they were now working alongside women as well.

It was noticeable that a lot of these men were not too much into health and safety. They were working with immense heat without any gloves and goggles, just their spectacles.