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Simpson And Sons Auction Mart

1993 , Bury St Edmunds (Suffolk)

Cat no. 1091

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Simpson And Sons Auction Mart in Bury St Edmunds.

This film begins with a shot of the company sign and then shows the lorries of customers arriving a the auction. The film interviews several customers and employees. One has been visiting since he was 15 years old. Over shots of cattle being driven into pens, another recalls the market as far back as 1934. The work of the company is explained by an employee. There are further interior scenes of the cattle pens. Outside, a trailer of sheep arrives and these enter the pens. A farmer explains that he has been visiting the Bury Livestock market since the market at Cambridge closed. He values the old fashioned values and the efficiency of the market.The auction of sheep begins with the sounding of a bell. The sheep auction is informal and takes place out of doors in the sheep pens. The auction of cattle is more formal, as the cattle enter the ring over scales to show prospective buyers their weight. An employee explains that he opens the gates on Wednesdays (sale day) at 5.45 am. There are often farmers waiting for him. Arthur Bloss of Woodbridge recalls the market selling 300 - 400 head of cattle. Today there are 40 to sell. Various reasons are offered for the decline but basically less meat is being sold. Concludes with general market scenes, including the offices and a cafe. Another employee, shortly to be made redundant, recalls the yard employing 4 people full time and 12 or 13 drovers on sale days.

Keywords

Livestock auctions; Markets

Manifestations

Simpson And Sons Auction Mart

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