THE BRICKLAYER
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Year Published: 1948
Creator: Merton Park Studios Ltd., Film Producers Guild Ltd
Description: Produced by Merton Park Studios Ltd. in association with the Film Producers Guild Ltd., “The Bricklayer” (1948) is a black-and-white educational short film shedding light on the work of bricklayers. The film specifically follows protagonist Jack Ellis as he goes to work on a new municipal building laying bricks with fellow contractors and construction workers. Not only does the film highlight the tools and various jobs of the bricklayer, but it emphasizes the symbiotic relationship between all the workers on the site, from foreman to apprentices. Film opens, copyright message (0:08). Facade of brick row houses, early morning mailman and milk delivery man out on deliveries; Film protagonist Jack Ellis heads to work (0:22). C class double-decker trolleybus (c.1940s), 612 servicing Witcham (0:37). Scaffolding wraps around block of new flats being built as part of municipal building scheme (0:48). Jack climbs ladder to scaffolding to reach 3rd floor while carrying plumb rule, level, and other tools in his bag (1:14). Jack takes tools from backpack one by one: club hammer, brick hammer, chisel, bolster/ broad chisel, line pins, brick trowel (1:36). Close-up of trowel as Jack trims handle to fit comfortably in his hand (1:57). Man picks up mortar from cement mix using wheelbarrow, another collects bricks and bring them to Jack’s work station (2:06). Materials lifted to where Jack is working using a hoist (2:28). Jack ensures brick wall is built straight, places pins into corner/ coins with string to act as level as he works (2:56). Construction of double wall: Jack works with another bricklayer who lays interior wall while Jack does outside; Spread mortar along bricks to right thickness (3:28). Jack checks straightness of wall with plumb level, close-up of spirit level within the plumb level (4:05). Bricklaying foreman visits Jack’s work site, lays out measurements for window in wall (4:16). Architectural renderings of building, foreman meets with architects to understand special requirements of job (4:45). Jack works on wall with round window, measures bricks to ensure they fit, cuts bricks with bolster and club hammer (5:22). Explaining brick bond typology, English bond: stretcher vs. header brick (5:56). Runner bond (6:14). Flemish bond (6:25). Foreman whistles, signifying tea break; Men scurry down ladders and convene in worksite canteen (7:26). Two young apprentice bricklayers eat tea sandwiches while talking with Jack (7:49). Apprentices lay inner brick wall at Jack’s worksite, Jack checks their work using plumb rule (7:59). Exterior of a technical college, apprentices attend trade school classes on days off to learn theory of trade; Interior classroom, teacher draws theoretical diagrams on black board (8:28). Pouring rain keeps bricklayers from working, Jack moves on to project working under staircase (8:43). Scaffolders erect scaffolding to keep apace with bricklayers’ progress (9:25). Jack removes bricks temporarily laid with sand, inserts piping and vents (9:46). R.A.F. Hillman Minx Staff Car arrives on site (10:05). Workers line up to collect their wage, Jack looks through earnings (10:16). Jack goes out shopping with wife and son (10:33). Closing credits (11:08). Film ends (11:17).
Complete Record: Produced by Merton Park Studios Ltd. in association with the Film Producers Guild Ltd., “The Bricklayer” (1948) is a black-and-white educational short film shedding light on the work of bricklayers. The film specifically follows protagonist Jack Ellis as he goes to work on a new municipal building laying bricks with fellow contractors and construction workers. Not only does the film highlight the tools and various jobs of the bricklayer, but it emphasizes the symbiotic relationship between all the workers on the site, from foreman to apprentices. Film opens, copyright message (0:08). Facade of brick row houses, early morning mailman and milk delivery man out on deliveries; Film protagonist Jack Ellis heads to work (0:22). C class double-decker trolleybus (c.1940s), 612 servicing Witcham (0:37). Scaffolding wraps around block of new flats being built as part of municipal building scheme (0:48). Jack climbs ladder to scaffolding to reach 3rd floor while carrying plumb rule, level, and other tools in his bag (1:14). Jack takes tools from backpack one by one: club hammer, brick hammer, chisel, bolster/ broad chisel, line pins, brick trowel (1:36). Close-up of trowel as Jack trims handle to fit comfortably in his hand (1:57). Man picks up mortar from cement mix using wheelbarrow, another collects bricks and bring them to Jack’s work station (2:06). Materials lifted to where Jack is working using a hoist (2:28). Jack ensures brick wall is built straight, places pins into corner/ coins with string to act as level as he works (2:56). Construction of double wall: Jack works with another bricklayer who lays interior wall while Jack does outside; Spread mortar along bricks to right thickness (3:28). Jack checks straightness of wall with plumb level, close-up of spirit level within the plumb level (4:05). Bricklaying foreman visits Jack’s work site, lays out measurements for window in wall (4:16). Architectural renderings of building, foreman meets with architects to understand special requirements of job (4:45). Jack works on wall with round window, measures bricks to ensure they fit, cuts bricks with bolster and club hammer (5:22). Explaining brick bond typology, English bond: stretcher vs. header brick (5:56). Runner bond (6:14). Flemish bond (6:25). Foreman whistles, signifying tea break; Men scurry down ladders and convene in worksite canteen (7:26). Two young apprentice bricklayers eat tea sandwiches while talking with Jack (7:49). Apprentices lay inner brick wall at Jack’s worksite, Jack checks their work using plumb rule (7:59). Exterior of a technical college, apprentices attend trade school classes on days off to learn theory of trade; Interior classroom, teacher draws theoretical diagrams on black board (8:28). Pouring rain keeps bricklayers from working, Jack moves on to project working under staircase (8:43). Scaffolders erect scaffolding to keep apace with bricklayers’ progress (9:25). Jack removes bricks temporarily laid with sand, inserts piping and vents (9:46). R.A.F. Hillman Minx Staff Car arrives on site (10:05). Workers line up to collect their wage, Jack looks through earnings (10:16). Jack goes out shopping with wife and son (10:33). Closing credits (11:08). Film ends (11:17).
Transcription
[Music] early any weekday morning while the postman and the Milkman are delivering letters on the milk you will see people going to work this is Jack Ellis he's a brick layer Jack goes from one building site to another so he usually has to go some distance to work his work starts at 8: in the morning he's helping to complete this big new block of flats part of a municipal building scheme there are a number of different trades in building plasterers painters carpenters scaffolders and laborers the block he's working on has reached the third floor so he goes up onto the scaffolding to get to his job he carries his Plum Rule and level in his hand and his Tools in his bag let's see what they are a club hammer and a brick Hammer a chisel and a bolster or broad chisel he uses all these for cutting bricks and his line and pins but his Tri is in his hand most of his working life this is a fairly new one and Jack shaves it down so that it's perfectly comfortable in the meantime mortar is being mixed and the Builder's laborer collects it to take to Jack the men work together as a team to get the job done efficiently here come the bricks he will need they go up on a hoist to the floor where Jack is working laborers take them to him and the other brick players so that they're never short of materials bricks must be well and truly laid and a course of bricks must run straight the corners or coins are built up he sticks in a pin and runs out his coursing line of hempen string to the next coin this gives him the level for his course of bricks when they're working on a double wall Jack lays the outer wall while another brick layer builds the inside one they spread the mortar so that it comes to the right thickness he puts a little mortar on the end then he lays it keeping it level with his line every now and then he checks the straightness of his wall with his Plum level which contains a spirit level during the course of the day the foreman brick Lair usually comes along to explain any special points there is a window in Jack's work and the foreman measures it up so that Jack can arrange his brick work to fit the window without spoiling the pattern every brick laid and every job done by the other workers is planned to turn the architect's design into a building detailed plans are prepared for houses must be constructed carefully and accurately the architect and the general Foreman discuss the job and then the foreman brick lay has to work work out the details so that the floors the stairs and the doors come in the right places there are circular windows in this building and the foreman bricklayer has to get a skilled man to do the job when Jack has finished the wall the foreman puts him on this job the bricks must be shaped to fit the window so Jack marks them with a pencil and cuts them with his bolster and Club Hammer every brick will have to be cut to shape for Brick laying is an accurate job bricks are led to a definite pattern this this is called English Bond one C is all headers and the next all stretchers stretcher stretcher header header header then there is stretcher bond for thin partitions where the wall is only one brick thick only stretchers are used stretcher stretcher stretcher stretcher this is Flemish Bond and it's made by having alternate head and stretchers in each course header stretcher header stretcher header stretcher notice how these headers are in perfect line from top to bottom of the house however High the house may be Jack uses the best bricks on the facing or outside wall but the inside wall can be made from cheaper bricks and half bricks it needs to be strong not beautiful for it will be covered with plaster it's just as carefully laid and the brick layer checks up to make sure the wall is perfectly upright during the morning and afternoon there's a break for tea nowadays if the site is big enough there is usually a proper canteen where the men can get meals and tea and sandwiches sitting with Jack are two Apprentice Brick Layers they are allotted by the foreman brick layer to the various jobs so that they can learn the trade properly they've been put onto the inside wall with Jack Ellis every now and then he checks up to see how they're doing to complete their training they get time off every week to go to classes or the trade school and learn the theory of their job the progress of building depends on the weather when it's raining The Brick Layers can't work but they have a guaranteed 32-hour week so they always get paid even when they can't work the foreman brick layer finds jobs under cover for as many of them as possible he sets Jack to work in the hall piing up under the stairs as the walls go up the rest of the work should keep Pace with them the scaffolders erect scaffolding so that it's ready when it's wanted when the walls are finished Jack can go back and take out bricks which have been temporarily laid in sand so that holes are already there into which the pipes and ventilators will be put all he has to do is to take out the bricks make a few chips with his chisel and in goes the ventilator every week on Friday the pay is brought to the site and all the workers collect their money this week Jax earned £75 Shillings his basic wag is about6 the rest is bonus for the number of bricks he's laid most weeks he gets between 7 and £ 9 like most people he goes out shopping with his family on Saturday afternoon if you meet him in the street you won't be able to tell him from anyone else except that he's rather fitter than most because he works in the open so much and he's got the satisfaction of knowing that he's doing a rarely skilled and useful job of work
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