Z1205/110

Female. Wife of first Welfare Officer at London Brick Company, Stewartby b. 27.09.1908 Side A (00 mins)Born and raised in Northfleet. Father taught social dancing, and she played the piano. (05 mins)Mother had been a lady's maid and was treated like one of the family. She attended private school. (10 mins)Learned short-hand, typewriting and bookkeeping. Taken on by Blue Circle cement works. (15 mins)Met husband who was a welfare worker there. Married and moved to the brick works at Stewartby. He was the Safety Officer. (20 mins)Wartime experiences (1939-45). German and Italian prisoners of war. Drove van serving tea to airman at Cranfield airfield. Infidelity by an officer billeted with them and his wife and in-laws finding out. (25 mins)One flying bomb in Stewartby. Sent prams to help those bombed-out in Coventry. (30 mins)Memories of R101 crashing (October 1930). Development of Stewartby village. (32 mins) End of Side A Side B (00 mins)Building of individual air raid shelters at commencement of war. Brickworks built two large shelters. Light on top of highest chimney had to remain on. Wartime testing of tanks in Stewartby. First-aid for returning wounded airmen. Daily rush hour of brickworkers, post-war. After the war, husband returned to Blue Circle Cement. (18.5 mins)End of Side B. End of Interview. Original Interview 50 mins

15 March 2002

From: 1905 To: 2002

item

London Brick Company,
Blue Circle Group

welfare, brick worker, cement worker, dancing, piano, lady's maid, SHORTHAND, World War Two, Germans, Italians, prisoners of war, tea, Airfield, adultery, lodging houses, air raids over UK, R101, air raid shelters, First Aid, injury, STEWARTBY, Northfleet, CRANFIELD