National Screen and Sound Archive of Wales preserves and celebrates the sound and moving image heritage of Wales, making it accessible to a wide range of users for enjoyment and learning. Its film collection reflects every aspect of the nation’s social, cultural and working life across the 20th century, giving a fascinating insight into Welsh filmmaking, both amateur and professional.
This film is part of Free
Sheep Shearing - 2nd August 1961
The hills are alive with the sound of shearing. At the end of a hard day, the team of hand shearers gather to be filmed, before the dipping.
From the collection of:
Overview
Who’d be a sheep on shearing day? Jam-packed into a narrow space, thrown into a pool, a dog evil-eyeing you from the bank, clambering out, getting blown dry by a cold wind, being fleeced by a man with sharp shears (to be fair, this bit can be quite relaxing), released back, naked, into the cold, harried by dogs and dipped in a foul-smelling liquid. Then there’s the group photo – bet you can’t even make out which one I am, with all the shearers – and those dogs! – hogging the front rows.
Ion Trant of Dovea Farm, Tipperary, Ireland, studied agriculture in Canada and then took up a postion at the Welsh Plant Breeding Station, Aberystwyth, where he met his future wife, Janet Owen of Maesmawr Hall, Welshpool, both of them working on developing improved grasses for upland farms with George Stapledon. The Trants farmed at Maesmawr Hall, the adjoining farm Cefn Du, and a hill farm - Esgairdraenllwyn at Llaithddu, Llandrindod. Ion created/filmed the "Country Close-Up" series for children (BBC - 1956-62) and subsequently obtained work as a freelance cameraman. As John Kerry, he provided a column for the Montgomeryshire Express on the farming life.
Related
Watch for free
Teulu Owain Owain: Tywyn, Castell Powys, Morfa Bychan Teulu Owain Owain: Tywyn, Castell Powys, Morfa Bychan
Home movie 1967 9 mins Silent Location: Tywyn
The summer holiday starts with a traffic jam – in the rain - but things improve!
Watch for free
Holiday, August 1967 Meifod Holiday, August 1967 Meifod
Amateur film 1967 14 mins Silent Location: Meifod
The attractive village of Meifod, in the Vyrnwy valley, is the holiday destination of the Cone family who arrive with baggage and cameras.
Watch for free
Welshpool Show Welshpool Show
School programme and Educational film 1956 6 mins Silent Location: Welshpool/Y Trallwng
The band plays and the livestock parade, the hefty bulls and enormous work horses weighty on the ground. Above, acrobats balance in the air.
Watch for free
Calves meet Piglets Calves meet Piglets
School programme and Educational film 1956 2 mins Silent Location: Welshpool/Y Trallwng
The viewer’s first sight of a piglet in this short film is as bemusing as it is to the calves in the yard!
Watch for free
The Artist in Wales The Artist in Wales
Documentary 1978 32 mins Location: Swansea/Abertawe
Where would a world of movers and shakers be without the makers and soul-feeders? Long live the poets and musicians, artists and performers!
Watch for free
Cider Pressing and Tree Chopping Cider Pressing and Tree Chopping
School programme and Educational film 1955 5 mins Silent Location: Welshpool/Y Trallwng
The cider pressing produces barrels of juice, and sacks of apple mash for animal feed; the chopped tree's logs become planks at the saw mill.
Watch for free
Starve Acre - Exclusive Q&A Starve Acre - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2024 24 mins
Daniel Kokotajlo talks to Nia Childs about Starve Acre, his folk horror about a couple digging deep into grief in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales.
Watch for free
Sky Peals - Exclusive Q&A Sky Peals - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2024 30 mins
Sky Peals director Moin Hussain and lead actor Faraz Ayub talk to Tomisin Adepeju about their magic realist drama.
Watch for free
Inside the Archive: The Early Films of Michael Powell Inside the Archive: The Early Films of Michael Powell
Documentary 2024 42 mins
Documentary exploring the BFI National Archive’s role in rediscovering and remastering the early films of Michael Powell.
Watch for free
Inside the Archive: The Riviera Revels Inside the Archive: The Riviera Revels
Short documentary 2024 12 mins
Bryony Dixon, curator of silent film at the BFI national archive, explores the origins of a series of comic travelogues, and Michael Powell's involvement in making them.
Watch for free
New Perspectives: Oldboy New Perspectives: Oldboy
Short documentary 2024 4 mins
Discover why Dan George of Northumbria University believes everyone should experience Oldboy at least once.
Watch for free
New Perspectives: Wings of Desire New Perspectives: Wings of Desire
Short documentary 2024 4 mins
Trixie Parkin-Christie of Northumbria University offers fresh insight into why Wings of Desire remains essential viewing.