This is film of the Meltham Brickworks Christmas party, of family and friends at Christmas, and of the building of an extension to a house and a fallout shelter in the garden during the Cuban missile crisis of 1962. The film begins at the Meltham Brickworks Christmas party.  Both adults and children are sitting on long benches.  Women hand out teas and food while children mess around on the dance floor.  The children then all sit in rows in front of a large screen and then Santa gives out...

This is film of the Meltham Brickworks Christmas party, of family and friends at Christmas, and of the building of an extension to a house and a fallout shelter in the garden during the Cuban missile crisis of 1962. The film begins at the Meltham Brickworks Christmas party.  Both adults and children are sitting on long benches.  Women hand out teas and food while children mess around on the dance floor.  The children then all sit in rows in front of a large screen and then Santa gives out presents to them.  Boxes are packed with apples and other treats. Then on to Colin Tinker’s house at 2 Flushouse Lane, Holmbridge, Holmfirth.  People are sitting around a living room at a party with drinks and chocolates, Colin drinking sherry.  A girl gets up and plays the violin, and is joined by an older boy, looking as if he has had a few drinks.  They drink and smoke and slowly get more inebriated.  Then four children, Colin’s, in their night ware are sitting on the floor.  They place pillow cases over the back of the settee.  They are then, presumably the next morning, taking presents out of their pillow cases.  One boy blows a toy trumpet.  Later, when dressed, they play in front of the fire, while the adults continue having a merry time.  The smoke from the cigarettes is visible. Now more adults are present, with the sideboard covered in beer bottles and other beverages, including Advocaat and Drambuie.  On the table are cakes and trifle.  The adults sit tightly together around the room, and there is a competition in which participants have to eat biscuits and whistle at the same time. The film switches to a small boy helping a man dig a fallout shelter in the garden during the Cuban missile crisis of 1962.  A group of children play-act behind a fence.  Some of them help out in building a wall.  A number of workmen are building an extension to a house.  The whole process is shown from laying the foundation to completion, including using reinforced concrete for the fallout shelter (see background notes).