Last Shift
Amber Films 1976
Adamsez, the well known bathroom ware manufacturers, went out of business in 1975. One of the casualties of the closure was a small self-contained operation housed in an ancient collection of buildings in Swalwell-on-Tyne, which was devoted to the manufacture of hand-made bricks. Here a handful of men produced high quality refractory bricks, via a process which seemed to have been untouched by the industrial revolution.
The brickworks having just closed and the owners either unaware or unconcerned, Amber simply employed the workers for a further week so that the processes could be documented. The film opens with the workers considering the fate of Darky, one of the factory horses, which sadly echoed their own predicament. The horse’s name led to objections from some on the left, when the film was first shown.
As with Amber’s other industrial documentaries, the group was advised on the importance of recording the disappearing work places by Tyneside social historian Stafford Linsley.
AMBER FILMS
Made with financial assistance from Northern Arts and Kodak Ltd.
Location
Swalwell, Tyne & Wea
Credits
Camera: Peter Roberts
Editing: Peter Roberts
Sound: Graham Denman
Assistant: Alan Mackay
Director: Murray Martin
Financial support: Northern Arts
Made under the auspices of the Kodak Bursary
Cast
As themselves: workers at Adamsez brickworks, Swalwell, Tyne & Wear
Keywords
Gateshead, Industry, North East, Tyne, Brickworks, Pit Pony, Swalwell
Associated Work
DVD:
Available on Tyne Documentaries DVD. Follow the link if you would like to buy it.
For a monthly changing selection of films and videos by Amber and its friends, visit www.sidetv.net.
For more information about Amber and its film and photographic work, visit www.amber-online.com