A rope-maker, globe-painter and sculpture were among the talented artisans photographed by Owen Harvey as part of a new series centred around British craft.

During each studio or factory visit Owen heard stories from the workers that kept these crafts alive. First opening in 1618, the rope-makers in Chatham, England has an incredible history. They still use a 1/4 mile long rope walk and machinery from the Victorian era daily. They are also now the last original naval rope-yard in operation.

Owen Harvey was granted permission to shoot at the bell foundry in Loughborough recently (opened in 1859). It’s a beautiful and timeless space, filled with distressed concrete walls and smoke. His earthy images show workers at the foundry transfer melted bronze to make the casts, along with details from the workers walls, displaying an old northern soul flyer. Owen heard stories of workers who had been there for 50+ years and their uncles and fathers had done the same. The taxi driver told him that the houses used to sell for 2k because the town was so thick with smoke. Another worker told Owen that they’d recently serviced a bell that was over a thousand years old.