Z1205/127

Male. Brickworker. Driver. Landfill manager. b. 04.10.1932 SIDE A (00 mins)Born in Enfield, Middlesex. Father, originally from Caerphilly, Wales, built roads then joined railways as a signal fitter. Mother from Bletchley. Moved there aged 3. (05 mins)Father was a trained singer and sang with Caerphilly Oriel Male Voice Choir. Five sons and one daughter. All boys boxed. Interviewee and one brother went into Royal Navy. Left school aged 14. Played the accordion. Drove fork lift truck at London Brick brickworks. (15 mins)Met wife, whilst in navy. She was a singer/dancer on the stage. Left Navy in 1957. Returned to London Brick at the Bletchley site, in the press sheds. Then worked on a boat on Linton gravel pit, supplying gravel for the building of the M1. (20 mins)Moved on to a number of other driving jobs, including crane driver. London Brick began a landfill project in Marston Vale. He began as a charge hand with 5 men in the 1970s. (25 mins)Became site controller, then district manager, then landfill manager of both Brogborough and Stewartby. Retired in 1991.Lived in Stewartby village. Learned about landfill practise on the job. Shanks McEwan later took over from London Brick. (30 mins)Members of family still work for Shanks. Retirement in Sir Malcolm Stewart Homes in Stewartby. Wife very active in women's leisure groups in the village. He plays an organ and keyboard at home. He plays for other retired folk as well. End of Side A.END OF INTERVIEW. Original interview 30mins

29 April 2002

From: 1930 To: 2002

item

London Brick Company,
Shanks McEwan

brick worker, lorry driver, manager, landfill, roads, singing, choir, boxing, M1, Sir Malcolm Stewart Trust, organist, leisure activity, STEWARTBY, Enfield, Caerphilly, Wales, Bletchley, BROGBOROUGH