"Through The Mill" At Musselburgh (1929)

Musselburgh, Scotland. "Art paper...that smooth glossy paper...starts as Esparto grass (from North Africa) which is hurried up elevators..." M/S of man at work lifting grass into a machine with a pitchfork. Another man joins him and adds more grass. C/U of the grass being transported through the machine. "...and, after a thorough boiling, passed through pulpers, sand traps and strainers." C/U of mushy substance dropping down into a vat. M/S of two men at work using broom-like devices to move the mush around. "Every process makes it look less like grass." High angle shot of the processing plant - machinery at work. C/U of hot liquid passing over the machines. Various shots of different parts of the paper making process.



"Bleaching gives it a new complexion..." High angle shots of the pulp passing through the machine. "..and ready to go on the pulp machine." M/S of the machinery. M/S of man standing beside a roller - paper is pulled off in large sheets and folded. "With the addition of China Clay, Starch etc. the pulp attains its ambition and graduates to the paper machine." M/S and C/U of the machine at work. "Each step along this great machine gives strength to the paper (as it now is) before going on to the heated drums." Good shot of the large paper drums with two men tending to them. M/S of a man tearing off a piece of the paper and holding it up to the light. Presumably checking the quality.



"Now for that polished surface, which is given by the coating machines..." L/S and M/S of the coating machines. "...and dried." M/Ss of the drying machines. L/S of warehouse of the paper mill with lots of rolls of paper stacked along the sides. Low angle of a machine which is drawing out the paper. "Calenders finish the surface... and our art paper is ready." L/S of men standing beside machines which roll up the paper.



Was an item in Pathe Pictorial issue number 586.
FILM ID:988.03

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