Memories of the Player's Tinplate Works Clydach

Description

Starting with some sounds of the plant this is followed by a schoolboy's view of the plant. Islwyn Hopkins talks of his time in the buying department and the costing section of plant and of the men on the shop floor. He remembers the Italian workers who came to the plant in 1955/56 and how they felt the work was too hard. In about 1955 a group of Japanese engineers visited and he escorted them on a tour of the plant. The local men warned him not to be too helpful 'you'll lose your jobs to them'. He had to be careful when showing them the tin pots as these had been patented by Mr Player. The clip ends with a short recording by Brian Bellingham, son of the last manager of Player's, of a conversation with Ernie, who had worked the last tinpot at Player's.

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