Z1205/100

Male. Electrician, brickworks] b. 10.03.1921 SIDE A (00 mins)Born in Cranfield. Maternal grandfather ran Anstee's bus company until late 1920s. (05 mins)After United Counties pushed family bus company out of business, uncle started fish and chip business and shop in Cranfield. Also had ice cream business which sold from an open-top car. (10 mins)Use of paraffin lamps. Father worked for London Brick Co. at Stewartby. (15 mins)Father was a lorry driver, and one-time chauffeur for the Chairman. Cycled from Cranfield. Nearly 300 men working at brickworks then, and cycled in to work from as far away as 10-15 miles. Mother was the "boss" at home. (20 mins)Blackberrying for sale to dye factory. (25 mins)Sunday lunch. Growing vegetables at home. Kept two pigs. Left school at 14. Joined London brick Co. Layer became electrician for them. (30 mins)Aged 20, joined the navy for five years of the war. Married a Wren in 1944 before coming out of the navy. (32 mins)End of Side A Side B (00 mins)Lived at Stewartby, post-war. Had a son. (10 mins)Naval maintenance work in Atlantic during war. (I5 mins)Larger drag lines in the knott holes at the brickworks. Inter-departmental sports matches. (20 mins)Comradeship of LBC workers before Hanson takeover. Village estate well care for. (25 mins)Reduction of work force. Cried when about 24 chimneys were flattened. End of an era. (32 mins)End of Side B End of Interview. Original interview 60 mins

8 February 2002

From: 1915 To: 2002

item

United Counties Omnibus Company Limited,
London Brick Company,
Hanson Brick Limited,
Wren

brick worker, electrician, fish and chip shops, ice cream sellers, lorry driver, chauffeur, cycling, gender issues, dyer, vegetables, Sunday observance, pigs, general schools, World War Two, chimneys, CRANFIELD, STEWARTBY