chigley
The third of Gordon Murray's animated Camberwick Green
trilogy, Chigley concerned itself with the minutiae of life
in an upwardly mobile hamlet in Trumptonshire.
In days of yore, Chigley had been the domain of Lord
Bellborough, a confirmed bachelor who was generally to be seen
pottering aimlessly about his stately home (Winkstead Hall) in his
tweeds. But times had changed.
Money was tight and Bellborough had been obliged to let the
public into his house, and give them rides on his restored steam
train, Bessie, for money . . .
Chigley was also home to a commercial pottery - run by Harry
Farthing and his tomboy daughter, Winnie - which despatched
regular orders to the outside world. The residents of Chigley made
their money through trade, and were proud of it.
Escalating rents in Trumpton had forced Mr Cresswell's Chigley
Biscuit Factory onto a cheaper site at Treddle's Wharf. near the
Trumpton canal.
"All done by efficiency", the factory boasted of its
automated production line and a giant force of dungareed workers
who toiled with robotic precision.
And then at 6 o'clock sharp, the factory whistle would blow and
the workmen would march out in lurching slow-motion to the car
park, where they were obliged to waltz with girls in peasant
smocks and headscarves as Bellborough wound the handle of a
restored Dutch organ (so what was THAT all about?!).
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