Z1205/083

Male. Civil engineer. Ministry of transport route manager. b. 13.03.1949 SIDE A (00 mins)Born in Salford, agricultural hamlet. Outside toilet. Moved to Cranfield in 1955. Remembers M1 motorway being built in late 1950s. Inspired him to take up civil engineering later. Father drove lorries all over the country. (05 mins)Grandparents in Salford but they moved to pre-fabs in Marston Moretaine. Grandfather was master bricklayer. Joined brickworks as bricklayer at Stewartby. (10 mins)Mother's side of the family were chapel goers. His father's father moved into Beds. in 1920s. as part of the Government's Land Settlement Association scheme to create work for unemployed men from depressed North East. Didn't work out. Became fireman at Cranfield airfield. (15 mins)Mother's family from the north of the county. Attended Cranfield Junior School. Failed 11+ exam. Went to Stewartby (Secondary Modern) School, 1960-66. Childhood freedom to play all day in fields. Reflections on today's perceived (but unrealistic) dangers to children. (20 mins)Founder-member of Stewartby Water Sports Club. Sailing and power boat. Left school and attended day-release further education for three years while working, then was sponsored by Ministry of Transport to do civil engineering degree at university. (25 mins)Reflections of changes in vale regarding the upgrading of the A421 from minor road to major trunk route. Changing nature of leisure from using nearby countryside facilities to travelling to where these are now provided, e.g. country parks and footpaths. Got married, aged, started family. 4 children. (30 mins)Villages fast becoming commuter villages of "outsiders". Loss of young people through lack of affordable housing. (32 mins) End of Side A Side B (00 mins)Outline of work as Ministry of Transport road project manager and road designer. (05 mins)Environmental aspects of road planning. Effects of change on locals. (10 mins) End of Interview Original Interview 40 mins

14 December 2001

From: 1940 To: 2001

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civil engineer, manager, AGRICULTURE, toilets, M1, lorry driver, brick worker, Methodist chapels, firemen, Cranfield National Infants School, Stewartby Senior School, games, fields, sailing, University, Leisure, pollution, major roads, SALFORD, CRANFIELD, MARSTON MORETAINE, STEWARTBY