Name in the Diamond

From the collection of

Media Archive for Central England
MACE is the strategic lead organisation for screen heritage for the East and West Midlands regions. An independent charity based at University of Lincoln, MACE preserves and makes accessible a collection of more than 100,000 historic moving images representative of the diverse cultures and histories of communities throughout the heart of England from the Lincolnshire coast to the Welsh border.

Name in the Diamond


There's more to ploughing than whistling. Salopian Engineers show the world how to make the finest ploughs and muck spreaders.

In this promotional film Salopian Engineers of Prees in Shropshire demonstrate how even the most utilitarian items on the farm need to be carefully engineered. From wheel barrows to heavy duty disc ploughs and drinking bowls for cattle to the far from glamorous muck spreader; Salopian produce the lot. As they put it: "Feed the land and you feed the people". Which is what they are shown doing at the end of the film, although their canteen does look a bit over crowded!

Salopian Engineers were part of the Owen Organisation whom at that time described themselves as a linked family of more than fifty companies. Their main factory was the Rubery Owen works at Darlaston, which features in this film in the sequence showing the pressing of plough discs.


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