I worked for Connolly Blakey for five years when I left school, the company at the time was owned by the BICC and was the fine wire manufacturer. The wire was enamelled in the main part of the factory and textile covered was a separate building. The main thing I am grateful for is that I met my wife there.
Putting that pylon up (40 minutes in) shows how much was done by hand in the old days, not a crane in sight. It is all assembled like giant meccano with winches and pulleys.
The small Pharmacy by the round about next to Tesco is possibly the only building left and I don't think it was directly part of the B.I as it used to be a shop. I am old enough to remember workers would use a stick to hit a metal sign and the shop keep would come out to serve them.
@@Prescotian Really enjoyed the video - fascinating history of cable manufacturing and in particular the insulation - the invention of pvc blew everything away!
Not so sure the colourisation really adds anything I have to say. It's actually rather distracting as it's very unstable. One second a man's suit is blue, the next it's brown and then back again. The colours are also often wrong, lead being given a coppery shade rather than the appropriate grey.
@@TheSynthnut I think the Ai edit is fun! - just goes to show it’s not as clever as people think.🤔 I would be interested to see how the Ai model develops in 12 months time….at the end of the day it’s all historical, nothing to get hung up about - you can view the original black & white version HERE - ua-cam.com/video/-VB3hz7l188/v-deo.htmlsi=afwQrbJGaL0gz-FR if you wish 🙄😀😎😉👌
I still don't know why Prescot was chosen as a location. Yes there is coal nearby but no other natural resources. I guess the railway would have had a major part in the decision.
Metal working - Prescot had a ready made workforce; the watchmaking industry was coming to an end and hundreds of skilled watch & clock smiths were facing unemployment. The very same skills needed to produce watch parts were now employed in the production of copper wire and making the machines to enable that production. As we know, a “smith” is a very adaptable beast. 😉😎😁
I was stranded in Prescott once for about two weeks. It was electrifying.
….it’s Prescot with one t by the way 🤔😁🙄😀🤣😉
Shocking joke
Many many thanks for sharing this.
Very interesting film - and the Art Deco lampshades at 47:15 were beautiful!
I worked for Connolly Blakey for five years when I left school, the company at the time was owned by the BICC and was the fine wire manufacturer. The wire was enamelled in the main part of the factory and textile covered was a separate building. The main thing I am grateful for is that I met my wife there.
Its still there under a different name making cables
Putting that pylon up (40 minutes in) shows how much was done by hand in the old days, not a crane in sight. It is all assembled like giant meccano with winches and pulleys.
Literally nothing left of this factory now, it's a series of housing estates and a retail park, the Warrington factory has also gone
Yes....did you see my B.I. Town Walk Video? ua-cam.com/video/Iuk3zuly6kM/v-deo.htmlsi=PfKZHmePwDuY93Xq
The small Pharmacy by the round about next to Tesco is possibly the only building left and I don't think it was directly part of the B.I as it used to be a shop.
I am old enough to remember workers would use a stick to hit a metal sign and the shop keep would come out to serve them.
Pity the colourisation is so bad, it should have been left in b&w. Very interesting.
🎬 You can view the Black & White version HERE - ua-cam.com/video/-VB3hz7l188/v-deo.htmlsi=afwQrbJGaL0gz-FR
Brilliant footage - hate the music though! 🙂
Yes, that 1930's orchestral score is a bit grating after a while! 😀
@@Prescotian Really enjoyed the video - fascinating history of cable manufacturing and in particular the insulation - the invention of pvc blew everything away!
Not so sure the colourisation really adds anything I have to say. It's actually rather distracting as it's very unstable. One second a man's suit is blue, the next it's brown and then back again. The colours are also often wrong, lead being given a coppery shade rather than the appropriate grey.
@@TheSynthnut I think the Ai edit is fun! - just goes to show it’s not as clever as people think.🤔 I would be interested to see how the Ai model develops in 12 months time….at the end of the day it’s all historical, nothing to get hung up about - you can view the original black & white version HERE - ua-cam.com/video/-VB3hz7l188/v-deo.htmlsi=afwQrbJGaL0gz-FR if you wish 🙄😀😎😉👌
I still don't know why Prescot was chosen as a location. Yes there is coal nearby but no other natural resources.
I guess the railway would have had a major part in the decision.
Metal working - Prescot had a ready made workforce; the watchmaking industry was coming to an end and hundreds of skilled watch & clock smiths were facing unemployment. The very same skills needed to produce watch parts were now employed in the production of copper wire and making the machines to enable that production. As we know, a “smith” is a very adaptable beast. 😉😎😁