Z1205/025

Former brickyard worker at Westoning, Sharpenhoe and Harlington. Westoning resident. b. 24.03.1918 SIDE A (00 mins)Family background. Father worked at Sundon dump. Grandfather owned farm in Harlington. (5 mins)Shops in Westoning during 1920s: butchers & grocers. Attended Westoning School, aged 4 - 14yrs. Three teachers. (10 mins)Schoolboy pranks. Local policeman & corporal punishment. (15 mins)More childhood pranks. Underage smoking. (20 mins) Misbehaviour at school. Schoolboy nicknames. Childhood eye disease. Successful gypsy remedy (25 mins)Teacher giving lively readings of stories at school. Kind mother. END OF SIDE A SIDE B (00 mins)Wallace Brothers - rubbish processing at Sundon dump. (5 mins)Good pay. Father's poaching. Church attendance at Church of England (10 mins)Local chapels. Saturday night at the pub. Ampthill cinemas. Youthful gambling - pitch & toss, cards, betting on car numbers. (20 mins)Other childhood games. Rounders, French cricket. (25 mins)One week's holiday at the seaside each year (Bed & breakfast lodging); less well-off friends only had one day-trip to sea, once. Friend left school at 13, when building closed at outbreak of war. END OF SIDE B(End of interview) Original interview 60 mins

17 July 2001

From: 1910 To: 2001

item

farms, butcher, grocer, Westoning School, general children, policeman, punishment, health, teacher, wages/conditions, landfill, poaching, CHURCH, games, World War Two, , brickworker, WESTONING, Sharpenhoe, HARLINGTON, SUNDON, AMPTHILL