Z1205/114

Male. Italian immigrant brick worker b. 19.01.1924 Side A 00 mins)The informant born in Pratola Serra, Avellino, one of 3 girls, 3 boys. Father a market gardener - growing wheat, vines. Afterthe war, the family had just the house and a smallholding. A married brother worked in France, then in Hitchin, Herts. After their father died, the land was divided and the family sold vegetables. Once married, the family began to migrate - one brother to America, the informant and his brother to England. 05 mins)One sister (90) is left in Caserta. Just she and the informant survive now. Few memories of grandparents. Father had worked in America, but came back ill. A doctor suggested he build a house in the country for his health. Other links with U.S.A. 10 mins)Life in Pratola before the war was not bad, but afterwards it was hard - only worked 1 or 2 days a week, with 2 children to feed. All the family (children too) worked on the land, but work soon dried up. Informant was in the army for 2 years, and helped the Americans liberate Italy. Food was abundant when they arrived. 15 mins)What was the informant's land is now owned by the FIAT company, but the old house is deserted and unsellable in an industrial zone. Working on the land earned very little money.Finding work was desperately hard. 20 mins)The town council organised 15-days rotas of work for the unemployed to help families to survive. Some rich people provided work, but only paid with food. People were desperate for food. Much illegal emigration to France, Switzerland, Belgium. Organ- ised migration began in the 1950's, and informant worked on the land in France, but life was still very hard. 25 mins)Back in Italy, informant made a request to work in England via an employment agency. In 1951, he had various medical checks at home and in Milan. He was naturally unhappy to leave his wife and two children, but happy to have the prospect of work. The journey from Milan, to Folkestone, to Marston Valley Brick Company and the Chimney Corner hostel. SIDE B 00 mins)Home was a large, warm, bungalow-style barracks, with 5-6 beds in each room. Living cost 15 shillings a week, plus 7 shillings a week for the coach to work. Poles, Ukrainians, Irish and Italian workers. English food. Eating was better at Marston Valley than at the hostel. 05 mins)Informant started work at £3 per week, but he had to be careful with money in order to send some home. It was difficult. The firm sold work clothes to workers. He had to paint bricks for firing, but disliked the job, and was moved to transporting bricks on trolleys - harder, but better work, but you had to move fast to keep up with the speed of the 3,000 bricks-a-day press. 10 mins)Informant did this work for £3 per week. There were about 30 Italians among the workers at Marston Valley. After one and a half years of trolley work, he earned more money as part of a gang drawing bricks from the kiln. Names other Italians he worked with, now dead. Paid peace work His pay rose to £7, £8 even £10 on top of regular pay. After five years, he found other employment at the Sanitary Laundry in Ampthill Road, earning £3 more than at the brickworks,plus free washing. 15 mins)But the Laundry closed, so informant had to go back to the brick- making, but at Stewartby, working there for 22 years. Redlands bought the plant, and he became a lorry driver. Then the yard was closed and he became redundant, never working again because he had injured his hand at work and had to have an operation. 20 mins)He had to wait another 6 years to get his pension, but he had unemployment pay. He feels that his time at work was good by contrast with the hard conditions in the Italy he had left. He had thought of returning to Italy after five or six years, but beginning again from scratch would have been very hard. He has found English people sympathetic, helpful and honest. He and his family are happy to be in England together. End of Interview Original Interview 60 mins.

28 March 2002

From: 1920 To: 2002

English./ Italian

item

Marston Valley Brickworks,
London Brick Company,
Redland Brick Company LImited

market gardener, MIGRATION, World War Two, agricultural land, farm worker, soldier, American Army, rationing, unemployment, MEDICINE & HEALTH, lodging houses, food, brick worker, Poles, Ukrainians, Irish, wages/conditions, laundries, lorry driver, injury, Pratola Serra, France, Caserta, Milan (Province), Folkestone, MARSTON MORETAINE, STEWARTBY