Chiltern YAC – Following the threads: pinning down child workers in the Chiltern lace making industry

The Chilterns was one of the major areas for the bobbin lace making industry until overtaken by mechanisation in late Victorian times. Chiltern YAC made a film to show how young children working in the lace making industry lived and worked in the Chiltern villages during the mid-Nineteenth Century. They considered; their age; why did they have to work; their working conditions and pay; their living conditions and what happened when machine made lace took over.

What was the main output from the project?

Chiltern YAC investigated part of the forgotten local heritage of Buckinghamshire, the area where their group is based.

The main output for the project was the project film that features the research of the YAC members, interviews with experts and the YAC members themselves, plus footage of lace-making in action.

The project film was produced, recorded, directed and edited by the groups two young leaders, Aaron and Rosie.

You can watch the full film below:

What else did they create?

Alongside the main video one of the younger members, with a little help from one of their branch leaders, created the new Chiltern YAC logo. We think it looks fantastic!