British Pathé: Globe Making - How the World is Made

If you ever wondered how a world is made, then you have to check out this British Pathé news clip that gives you the scoop on just how one goes about creating a globe. A tabletop globe, that is. 

“While the rest of the mankind does its best to blow the world up, they like building a new one.”

The filmmakers from British Pathé share with us a fascinating look at the inside of a globe factory in 1955. The narrator tells us that these workers are from a North London firm of geographers, so most likely this is the factory of the old firm of George Philip and Son, Ltd. which was located in Willesden Junction in London, England. 

The globe makers start by applying thick brown strips of paper around a wooden ball to create the shell. And then they slather up to nine layers of wet plaster over the shell to smooth out the entire globe. This is prep work for the six-hour process of building the mountains and ridges that will give the globe a realistic texture. Once dry gores of paper are carefully cut out ( be careful! ) and pasted on the globe “The covering process calls for a keen eye and a steady hand,” the narrator says. “A fraction of an inch out will put the world miles out of joint.” 

These talented craftspeople make the work look so simple but one can only imagine what patience it must take to work in a factory like this. It isn't easy building a world. 

Ready to watch Globe Making? Simply click on the link below:

Globe Making - How the World is Made ( 1955 )  

Other similar British Pathé clips: 

Map Making ( 1952 ) - 3:00 minutes

Globe Making ( 1949 ) - 2:49 minutes

Globe Map for the Blind ( 1939 ) - 1:39 minutes