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        Chain Making

        In over one hundred and fifty years little has changed in the chain forges of Cradley Heath where big, tough men hammer out the biggest and toughest chains.

        Current affairs 1983 9 mins

        From the collection of:

        Logo for Media Archive for Central England

        Overview

        Griffin Woodhouse of Cradley Heath make chains - big and heavy ones - the biggest are used to moor the largest ships and oil rigs. All are heated up and hammered out in the age old way. It's not completely manual labour now as some machines have made inroads onto the shop floor, but the regulars of the Swan with Two Necks pub, chainmakers both young and old, all agree that it's still the hardest job of all.