This film is part of Free
Employees Leaving Tangyes Engineering Works, Smethwick (1901)
Exuberant scenes of engineers and machinists at the famous Cornwall works near Birmingham.
Overview
In 1901, Tangyes' was a respected engineering company, specialising in hydraulic systems, having risen to fame after making the lifting-jack that launched Brunel's SS Great Eastern. In sharp close-up, the dust and grease smeared on the clothes and grinning faces of the men are almost tangible. Youthful chaos and cheeky nose-thumbing at the camera suggest a relaxed and happy workplace.
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