The Secret of the Last Cooper | Shell Historical Film Archive

In a London distillery the last survivor of a group of skilled workers, known as coopers, who came over from the Netherlands carries on his craft, using all the old tools. At 73, he shows that he can still make a rum-puncheon, a cask big enough to hold a man, dexterously and speedily.
#Shell #ShellFilmUnit #HistoricFilmArchive #Documentary #1940s #Coopers #Cooper #Barrel #Cask #BarrelMaking #CaskMaking
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Shell Historical Film Archive
Shell’s surprising and captivating Historic Film Archive dates from 1934 and covers a rich mix of topics from technology, science and engineering to craftsmanship, motorsport and travelogue.
The Shell Film Unit, responsible for the content, was a highly celebrated part of Britain’s Documentary Movement. Key figures from that movement were involved, including: Jack Beddington, Edgar Anstey, Arthur Elton, John Grierson, Kay Mander, Stuart Legg and Douglas Gordon.
Its films were wide reaching, often screened in cinemas and through the non-theatric film distribution circuit, which brought film to educational establishments and organisations across the UK. While many films covered technological themes related to Shell’s activities, others were entirely unrelated and served purely to educate the general public.
As Shell innovated in technologies that would provide oil and gas products for the world, the Shell Film Unit also innovated in the technological advancement of film, incorporating graphics and different forms of animation as early as the 1930s.
During WW2 the Shell Film Unit was co-opted into war effort, making films for the Ministry of Information’s film division. Its prowess in technological documentary suited the MoI’s need for technical training films.
While the name and the medium has changed many times over the years, the documentary tradition lives on at Shell. Its contemporary film team is part of Shell’s multi-disciplinary in-house agency, Creative Solutions. It continues making award-winning factual content that informs and educates the public, now usually released on social media platforms.
For more information about Shell’s Historic Film Archive please contact: [e-mail]
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If you enjoyed this video, please check out the full 'Shell Film Unit - Historic Archive' playlist, where you'll find lots more gems!
ua-cam.com/play/PLEPIVJVCFQH2hoYONdHiQlVrvYQ-k4Xay.html

[@neildelaney5199]

How we survived all those years ago(76) is just unbelievable, The day of the Craftsman is sadly nearly gone, many thanks for showing ,and many thanks to Shell for capturing these gems

[@nigelparker5886]

Bloody brilliant! And he’s hardly a giant of a man,but his fitness and strength are both extraordinary! Skill to envy there and I’m a time served toolmaker! Cheers all!

[@nrml76]

There are still a lot of coopers working in the Wine, Whiskey and Brandy industry. They still do the job in more or less the same way apart from using more power tools to make life easier. The job has evolved with time just as it has in the past over the centuries. However, wooden barrels are no longer an ubiquitous storage device so the coopers still around occupy a less visible niche.

[@DragonsAndDragons777]

Whoever runs this account, thank you for uploading these

[@user-ht1hu5ip9r]

Wow

[@paulwomack5866]

I visited Sam Smith's brewery in Tadcaster in 1980 - they not only had a full time professional cooper on site, he had an apprentice.

[@RDAUGIRD]

A lot has changed in 45 years.

[@paulwomack5866]

@@RDAUGIRD Humphrey Smith is still very eccentric - that hasn't changed!

[@davids8449]

How old would you say that chap is......... He is working better than a 25 year old . The film must be running slower then 24 fps

[@rjmun580]

73 years old. It's in the caption.