Lancashire Hotpot

WWII offered new career opportunities for women, but not all men were happy about it…

To the delight of her boss and colleagues, Doris Wood, "one of the best weavers in Lancashire", is all set to return to work at Mather Street Mills in Bolton - that is, until her blind husband, Jack, throws a spanner in the works. This concise family drama reaches far beyond its official scope to address such issues as gender stereotypes, post-war economics and disability.

Shot at Shepperton Studios, London, and on location in Bolton, Lancashire Hot Pot was one of a spate of films sponsored by the Ministry of Labour in the immediate post-war period to encourage women into the workplace and keep the wheels of industry turning. Considering the film uses non-actors, the performances are surprisingly commendable. The similarly themed film Cotton Come Back (1946) is also available of BFI Player.