'A Visit to Peek Frean and Co.'s Biscuit Works', 1906

This film, produced by Cricks and Martin in 1906, is an actuality film like 'A Day in the Life of a Coal Miner' (follow link for my previous blog post on that 1910 film), commissioned by Peek Frean and Co's of Bermondsey, London, to publicise the famous biscuit firm and show how their biscuits are made. Special arc lighting was brought in for this film to show the production of their biscuits from start to finish.

The film starts with men preparing the steam engines which power the factory.

Then, the milk and flour arrives - the vital ingredients for the biscuits

A general view of the factory is shown - dough being flattened and cut into sheets.

The production of Brighton biscuits are then shown - two men rapidly cut them out of a sheet of dough using a biscuit cutter stamp, while female workers collect them and put them on baking trays ready to be baked. A large 'biscuit machine' and entrance to the ovens is then shown.

A small boy is seen working under the 'biscuit machine', a common sight in the Victorian and Edwardian era but one that would probably shock modern audiences. Not much in the way of safety guards etc either. The biscuits are then shown at the other end of the ovens, being taking out on their large trays.

An overview of the packing area is seen, almost entirely staffed by female workers.

The scene then cuts to outside, with a false alarm of fire - it is not clear if this was staged for the camera's benefit, it is most likely the case. A man pulling a hose reel cart is seen as the workers assemble outside.....

....and then a large wheeled ladder is seen. Many large works had their own fire brigade, in my previous blog post here you can see a 1912 Dennis Motor Fire Tender from the Great Western Railway's Works at Swindon.

The ladder is propped against a building, and a worker ascends to the supposed source of fire. On discovering there is no fire, normality resumes, and a large crowd is shown as the workers leave for lunch break. A wide variety of people are shown - men and women young and old, whole local community's would almost entirely work at a large local works such as Peek Frean and Co's

Old metal biscuit tins are then shown, being washed clean, and new paper labels stuck on - who says recycling is a modern concept? The cleaning is entirely done by males, and the sticking on one new paper labels entirely done by females. Tins are then shown being packed into larger wooden boxes for delivery.

The yard is then shown, with horse drawn vans (and some motor vans) being loaded up ready for delivery.

A mixture of horse-drawn and motor vans are then shown leaving the Works, delivering Peek Frean and Co.'s biscuits. I don't know the manufacturer of the motor vans, at least two types are shown, so if anyone knows I would be very grateful.

The film is a great diary of the day in the life of not just a biscuit factory, but a typical large works of Victorian or Edwardian Britain. The film can be seen on the British Film Institutes' 'Early Cinema - Primitives and Pioneers' DVD

Premier Motorcycle, 1913

The Premier Cycle Company started to branch out into motorcycles in the Edwardian era, and this is their top of the range model motorcycle from 1913. It is fitted with a single cylinder 3.5hp engine with a three speed gear box. When new it would have cost £54 when new in 1913, with a small car costing around three times that amount

Payne & Bates 7hp Car, 1901

This is a rare early example of a small Coventry based manufacturer - this 1901 built Payne & Bates is a Godiva model, named after Lady Godiva who famously rode through Coventry on a horse, naked (although the term 'naked' is most likely to refer to her not wearing any jewellery, as opposed to being unclothed). It is now in the Coventry Transport Museum

Horse Drawn Parcel Van, c1910

This horse drawn parcel van, built around 1910 for the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway, is typical of horse drawn vans used in the thousands around Britain in the Edwardian era before motor vans became more commonplace. They were typically staffed by two - one to drive it and to make the deliveries, and the other to keep an eye on the van to make sure no one stole anything from it whilst the other staff member was away!

Punch Cartoon, 1911

Punch Cartoon poking fun at the London Underground maps and their 'simplicity'

Sunbeam Coupe de L'Auto, 1912

This Sunbeam Coupe de L'Auto is the same as featured in my previous post here http://electric-edwardians.blogspot.com/ , but photographed at the 2011 Edwardian Race at the VSCC Mallory Park Race Meeting last August

"Revivo" - The Non-Poisonous Straw Hat Cleaner

South Eastern & Chatham Railway D class Locomotive, 1901

This 1901 built express passenger locomotive is number 737, a D class 4-4-0 built for the South Eastern & Chatham Railway at their Ashford Works in 1901, and was often used to haul Pullman services, such as the one in my post below

1917 Govanhills Baths reopen

Yesterday, on February 4th 2011, the Govanshills Baths which originally opened in 1917 were reopened by actor Peter Mullan (who among other films starred in 'Warhorse', set in the Edwardian era and the First World War)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-16873557

http://www.govanhillbaths.com

Pullman Railway Carriage 'Topaz', 1913

This is 'Topaz', a 1913 built Pullman railway carriage, built in Birmingham. Pullman's were a very luxurious form of railway travel, offering a higher standard of comfort and service than even the First Class product offered by the railway companies. Pullman services were operated over various railway lines, with the Pullman company entering into contracts with the owning railway company who would provide running rights and a locomotive to haul the train.

The London, Brighton & South Coast Railway was the first company to run entire Pullman trains over it's system, in the late 19th Century, This particular carriage, 'Topaz' (all Pullman carriages were named - naming of railway rolling stock was usually only reserved for passenger locomotives, and usually large express ones at that) was used on the Boat Train route operated by the South Eastern & Chatham Railway, where the train would carry passengers from London to Dover, where there would be the rude interruption of a ferry journey, then back on a Pullman service in France for onward travel to Paris. Entering service in 1913, 'Topaz' wasn't retired until 1961, and is now in the National Railway Museum, York, attached to a typical Edwardian express passenger steam locomotive that would have hauled it originally