Film ID:
YFA 4117



Visitor Tabs


This footage was shot between 1929 and 1937 and shows the process of acquiring wood from around the globe and transforming it into material to make a Waddington's piano. The Waddington's Piano Factory was located on Seamer Road, in Scarborough and operated until the late 1930s. This footage was probably taken in the early 1930s and is likely to have been a "promotional" film. This film also includes a mixture of short scenes from badminton matches, men at work in the fields, and very rough, high seas.

Title-This firm was founded by William Alfred Waddington in the year 1838 and after 90 years of progress we see today-

One of the warehouses has the name `Waddingtons' on it, and on the top of that building is a piano.

Title-Here are some timbers such as Canary poplar from U.S.A., spruce from West Virginia, U.S.A. maple and birch from Canada, mahogany from Honduras and Cuba and walnut from France and Italy.

Piles of timber sheets are piled up in open-sided sheds.

Title-All of which are seasoning, the slow process of which takes from 4 to 7 years.

There are four large open-sided sheds full of timber sheets. Several men walk past them and carry planks of wood between them.

Title-After this, the seasoned timber is conveyed to the cross cutting mill and sawn in rough dimensions.

Three men in caps and waistcoats work at circular saws feeding the timbers into the machine, after which, the wood comes out smaller.

Title-Then stacked on bogies it is conveyed to the final drying chamber.

Several men push carts along tracks into a shed. The carts are loaded with wood, and the shed has the name `Waddingtons' across the top of it.

Title-Where it is subjected to a scientific seasoning (known as kiln drying)

Shot of an open and closed wooden door and then shot of steam rising from the base of the machine up through the piled up wood.

Title-We now come to the Wood Working Mill

Title-A four cutting machine planning 4 sides of timber simultaneously.

Two men are feeding planks of wood into the machine, and the wood comes out the far side of the machine with a cloud of saw dust.

In the next section of the film, four women stand outside. The younger woman grabs a tennis racket off another woman and jokes around with it. In turn, another woman takes it off her and pretends to swing it.

At a Sports Hall, several games of doubles badminton are taking place: mixed doubles and men against women.

Title-Arrival of a Guard of Honour.

There is an image of a poster with drawings of battle ships on it.

(Colour) Men in jackets and caps dig in a field. Next they all hold their mugs up to the camera, including a young boy in a cap.

(Blue Kodak Safety leader)

Magenta-tinted shots of trees and bushes are followed by a shot of a large, white house taken from across a lake. The house is surrounded by a lot of green land.

(Kodak leader)

(Black and white) There is brief footage of a boxing match.

(Kodak Leader)

The final scenes of the film include footage of a very rough sea crashing against the sea wall. The waves come right over the walls and railings of the pier.