End of a Line

After a glorious history, Baldwin's iron and steelworks in Swindon, Staffordshire, faces closure.

After a long and glorious history, Baldwin's iron and steelworks in Swindon, Staffordshire, faces closure. This film was presciently made by British Steel Corporation for its Archive, by the splendidly named Tubes Division Film Unit, so called in reference to one of the industry's key products. The Baldwin family had a long history in iron and steelmaking, as well as politics - Stanley Baldwin was three times Prime Minister of the UK.

Baldwin's went through several changes of name and ownership; it was nationalised in 1951 and later became part of British Steel Corporation. It closed in 1976 and the old canteen building was donated to the village and converted into a community centre.