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Male. Director and Vice-Chairman of a major brewery in Bedford. His grandfather was the vicar at Marston Moretaine, 1952-1960 b. 09.10.1951 SIDE A (00 mins)Background of family. Scotland. Cambridge, Canada. Australia. (05 mins)Grandmother in Olney was a sad person- her eldest son was a bomber pilot who was killed during Second World War. Grandfather was a Geology graduate from Cambridge but became an ordained Church of England minister. Ernest Shackleton invited him to join him on what was to be his last trip to Antarctica but he declined. (10 mins)Injured during First World War and kept removed shrapnel in a matchbox. His battalion was wiped out, which is when he turned to the Christian faith. Married and moved to Canada as a missionary, 1920 - 25? Moved to Essex and then to Marston Moretaine (c. 1952-1960). Interviewee remembers him and staying with him as a young boy at the vicarage. (15 mins)Watched grandfather taking church services and watched the bellringers. On retirement, Grandparents moved to Stevington and then the West Country. Interviewee's parents lived in Oakley. (20 mins)Marston village when he was a young boy. Vicarage used for numerous social functions. Fruit preserving. Attended private boarding schools then Shuttleworth Agricultural College for one year, after a practical year on a farm. Worked for a seed company in the Cambridge area, then for an international grain shipping company in Aylesbury for 5 years. (25 mins)Buying grains to local animal feed compounders in 1970s. Complex negotiations involving exchange rate calculations and the effects on Britain joining the European Common Market. Moved to Muntons, maltsters in Stowmarket for 2 years. Moved to work for family firm, Charles Wells in 1981 and has remained there for over 20 years. Worked his way around the company, became Director, Company Secretary and, now Vice-Chairman. (32 mins)End of Side SIDEB (00 mins)Never being interested in farming with animals but has always been interested in grain production but the industry was taken over by large global companies, particularly American firms. His father had been involved in the Brewery for many years, including 25 years as Chairman. His father let him make his own mind up about what to do in life. After marrying, decided to join family firm. Speculation about his children's futures. Analysis of the international beer market. Creation of new drinks products. (05 mins)In 1980s, there was an investigation into the brewing and licensed premises industry by the Monopolies and Mergers Commission over 3 or 4 years. 80% of pubs were owned by brewers and six of them were big national companies. There were sic other regional brewers and various others. Consumption was controlled because very little was available to supermarkets. The government decided to free this market up so that pubs could buy from wherever they wanted. (10 mins)New legislation stated that no brewer should own more than 2,500 pubs. The large brewers moved into hotels, restaurants and leisure centres. Foreign firms took over most British brewers. New pub companies came into business to buy up the premises that the brewers had to sell. Only 18% of pubs are now owned by brewers. Smaller companies expanded their estates. (15 mins)Biggest change in personal life was when he was 17 - his maternal grandfather died and his sister died within three weeks, as a result of a car crash. (20 mins)Grandmother in Marstone, when the brickworks were prolific in their chimney emissions to the area, said she never had to spray roses for black spot or greenfly because the sulphate from the brickworks did the job. Remembers long winding country roads. (20 mins)End of Side B END OF INTERVIEW. Original Interview 55 mins.

3 July 2002

From: 1945 To: 2002

item

Wells, Charles,
shackleton. E

vicar, brewer, chairman, pilot, World War Two, World War One, injury, Old Warden Shuttleworth College, farmer, alcohol, ale, public houses, DEATH, pollution, brick manufacturer, chimneys, MARSTON MORETAINE, Scotland, Cambridge, Canada, Australia, Olney, STEVINGTON, OAKLEY, Aylesbury, Stowmarket, Antarctica