Interview with female ex-wartime brickworker.

Format:

Sound recording

Contributor:

Semeraro, Carmela, interviewer.

AM (Publisher), digitiser.

Bedfordshire Archives, owner.

Series:

Women's voices and life writing, 1600-1968.

Women's voices and life writing, 1600-1968

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Air defenses.

Children.

Diseases.

Finance.

Health.

Pregnancy.

Work environment.

England--Ampthill.

England--Ascot.

England--Luton.

Genre:

Oral histories.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (1 audio file (60 minutes))

Production:

[England? : producer not identified], 2003.

Summary:

(00 mins)Born and raised in the Ampthill area where her father came from. Mother was from Norfolk. Father was billeted on her farm during the First World War. Lived close to Ampthill railway station. Left school at 14 was a lady's companion for one year. (05 mins)Moved to work in mushroom factory. Then to Vauxhall factory in Luton. Father was gardener at St. George's Hospital (workhouse?), Ampthill, following disablement in the war. (10 mins)Attended elementary school from 5 to 14 at Alameda Road, Ampthill. Wanted to work in a shop but didn't. (15 mins)A typical day as a lady's companion for 5 shillings a week.. Travelled daily to Luton by train. Observed the girls from the hat factories. Longed to work with people her own age. Moved to work in factory canteen at Vauxhalls. Cinema in Ampthill (site of Budgens today) opened with "Gone with the Wind". (20 mins)Was at Vauxhalls factory when it was bombed during the Second World War. Whenever the air raid siren sounded, her boss, Mrs. Hudson, used to take the till drawer with the takings, down with her into the shelter, in case of any looting. A number of people she knew were killed during the air raids. (25 mins)Tank production at factory. Moved to work locally in the brickworks on the press. More money and less travelling. £7 per week wages. Hard work. 40 girls in her shed, No. 1. Others worked on the trams and dumper lorries. 7am - 5pm. Weekdays plus Saturday to 12 noon but no Sunday work. (30 mins)Still recognises some names from that time when she read her local newspaper. (32 mins)End of Side A Side B (00 mins)Met husband to be at Stewartby working men's club. He was about to leave the Royal Navy. He had grown up in Wootton Pillinge, where the village of Stewartby was later built by the London Brick Company. Americans came to the brickworks to collect bricks for Thurleigh airfield. A lot of girls married them. Two friends became GI brides and moved to live in America. When she got married, she had to borrow coupons form friends in order to buy material a blue costume. (05 mins)Numerous small shops , no supermarkets during the war and afterwards. Co-op shops were the biggest local shops. Transferred to work as a brickworks tram driver. (10 mins)Husband also worked at brickworks as a drawer, removing bricks from the hot kiln, 5 am to 12noon. Very tiring work. No forklift trucks then, just physical labour and barrows. Had first child in 1948. (15 mins)Moved to live in one of the brickworks houses in Stewartby. Husband retired at age of 64. She lived in one of the Sir Malcolm Stewart Homes in Stewartby for retired brickworkers. (20 mins)Husband died when he was 74. While pregnant with first child she contracted polio and ended up in a hospital in Ascot. Had to wear a calliper on one leg. Later, in retirement, broke her good leg. Now spends most of the time in a wheelchair. (25 mins)Tries to keep mobile and independent. Daughter helps a lot. (28 mins)End of Side B ORIGINAL INTERVIEW 60 mins.

Notes:

Title from publisher's website.

Archive reference: Z1205/204

From collection: Marston Vale Oral History Project 2001-2005

The sound is quite muffled on this recording.

Electronic reproduction. Marlborough, Wiltshire : AM, 2024. Digitized from a copy held by Bedfordshire Archives and made available by AM.

Description based on publisher metadata (viewed March 18, 2024).

OCLC:

1427702231

Access Restriction:

Restricted for use by site license.