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The Fens

1932 , Fens (Fens)

Cat no. 389

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The Fenlands with an emphasis on agriculture.

This film begins with a map locating the Fenland, its principal towns and other reference points. Those pinpointed are Cambridge, London, Ely, Kings Lynn and Norwich. In a shot across Fen landscape we see Normans Mill, then on Harrisons Drove, Adventurer's Fen, turning in the distance. A windmill drains the fens as its fan turns. There are general fenland views including a long straight road with willow trees planted alongside. A train moves in the distance. The next sequence shows the sedge harvest at Wicken Fen. A reaper and horse drawn binder reaps the sedge and thrashing is carried out by steam engine. There are more shots of the windmill, including the miller using the sack hoist and the stones in motion grinding the flour. The next sequence moves away from the Fens to show a semi-industrialised port scene. A larger flour mill, probably Reads Mill in Norwich features. Many men are employed lifting sacks. Women work in packing. At the sugar beet harvest beet is pulled up be hand and carted away. There is a sequence at a sugar beet factory, probably at Ely. Barges are on the river in front of the factory. Beet arrives by road and by railway and then the extraction processes begin. The sugar is loaded into barges on the river.The film finishes featuring other crops including wheat and potatoes.

Featured Buildings

Reads Flour Mill, Norwich; The Sugar Beet Factory, Ely

Keywords

Agriculture; Drainage; Factory workers; Flour mills; Harvesting; Sugar beet; Women workers

Intertitles

Windmills pump surplus water from low levels to drainage channels. Willow trees are planted along the highways. Their roots help bind the foundations of the road. Rich cornland. The old fashioned windmill still grinds fodder and flour for local use.But most of the wheat goes to the large flour mills. They are situated near a river for easy transport. Sugar beet grown on the fens supplement the sugar supply from the Empire overseas. The beet is taken to the factory by barge, lorry and railway truck. Moving water carries the beet into the factory. On average one fifth of the beet is sugar.200 years ago the Fen country was marshland. Now it produces - Wheat. Vegetables.

Other Places

Ely; Norwich

Background Information

Adventurer's Fen was put under the plough during World War II. Norman's Mill was moved to Wicken Fen.

Manifestations

The Fens

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