Bedfordshire Archives Service Catalogue
  • Reference
    Z1205/200
  • Title
    Male.Brickworks General Manager. b.17.11.1954 SIDE A (00 mins)Born in Elstow, Bedford but moved to Stewartby aged 3. Father worked in brickworks there. Younger sister and brother. Mother worked at brickworks when they reached school age. The vast majority of Stewartby village residents worked in the brickworks then.Two groups of housing in village: Stewartby Housing Association house, tied to the job, and a new group of 1950s housing which didn't require you to work in the brickworks. When he was a boy, London Brick brickworks in the area were producing 12-14 million bricks a week and employed about 3,000 people.His family house was rented until it was sold off in 1984 (?). Hundreds cycled to work. (05 mins)Lorries were loaded by hand before fork-lift trucks were introduced. His father worked on the night shift. A lot of loading was done at night. Lorries queued to enter the factory. Workers had to be physically strong and were well paid. The village had unusually good facilities: outdoor swimming pool, sports fields, social club.Freedom as a child to fish in the lakes locally and play sport. (10 mins)Maternal grandfather was Henlow; grandmother from Clifton. He had been a lorry driver taking vegetables to Covent Garden market, London. Father was Polish, taken by the Germans during the war to Austria and made to work on a farm there, being too young for military service. After the war, he found his way to Britain and to Marston Valley Company who had a camp for East European workers at the Kempston Hardwick site. They met local girls at dances and some married. (15 mins)Father returning to his home in former Poland, together with his son. (20 mins)Exploits at the swimming pool after hours as a young man. Passed "Eleven Plus" examination (the only one from Stewartby) and went to Bedford Modern School. A chance to meet a wider range of people. Stewartby was a "false" village, since most were brick workers and it was not a complete mix of backgrounds. (25 mins)Childhood parties in Stewartby village hall, organised and paid for by London Brick Co., for children of employees. Films shows on Saturday mornings. For teenagers, a Youth Club and ballroom dancing classes taken by Mr. & Mrs. MacFarlane. (30 mins)Never socialised with school friends out of school hours. His parents did not have a car and most were 5 miles away. (32mins)End of Side A SIDE B (00 mins)Family Christmases. One week's holiday to Butlins - either Skegness or Bognor Regis. When Dad got a new Ford Cortina they travelled round Europe, as far as Austrian border, for two weeks - 4 adults and 3 children. Luggage bulging everywhere. (05 mins)Loved school. Plenty of sport - rugby, cricket, fives, cross-country . Chose Science subject at "A" Level - maths, physics, engineering. Had developed an interest in driving old motor-bikes and cars around the fields, so chose to do a "sandwich course" (alternate university study and practical engineering experience with a firm). London Brick Co. sponsored him for the four-year course at Bradford University. After graduation, the firm took him on and he began as a trainee engineer at the Bedford District Office. Married, aged 23, to a girl he met at university. (10 mins)Sent out to Iran (in the Shah's time there) to set up a brick factory with the Resident Engineer in two separate three-month stints. Just after he got married. The revolution occurred, removing the Shah and he came home. Later, he went out to Swaziland, in South Africa, for 2 years, to build a brick factory there. He was Resident Engineer. In 1984, while out there, Hanson took over London Brick and he returned home. (15 mins)Hanson changed the company structure. He ended up in Bletchley as Production Manager. One year later, moved to Kempston as Works Manager for a new extrusion plant. One year later, he was moved to Whittlesea. Since 1983, the longest he has been in one job is 3 years, ten months. In the new corporate culture, men in their 20s and 30s were given a chance. He had 500 people working for him at Whittlesea. (20 mins)He was there for 3 ½ years and ended with responsibility for the whole Peterborough area - 6 factories - at the age of 34. Under Hanson, the business was more "hard-nosed" or focussed. Hanson thrived by taking over inefficient businesses and making them efficient by cutting costs and employees. He thrived on it but some others couldn't cope with it. He's been a Hanson man for 15 years. The brick industry went through its peak in the 1960s and after that a lot of plants inevitably closed down. The product made in Marston Vale - the Fletton brick - no longer had a market. (25 mins)The future of brickmaking at Stewartby is any one's guess. The issue of emissions and set limits posed problems. A new factory was planned but no planning permission granted. There are technical problems. A new factory would have problems disposing with limestone residues. He has seen most of the chimneys in the Vale come down (through demolition) but the really emotional one would be the final chimney with "STEWARTBY" written vertically in bricks on one side, facing the railway. (30 mins) Would like to see a museum and one of the chimneys kept standing, if it was possible but the upkeep would be expensive. Company archives exist. Brickmaking has been their lives, for generations of workers. Retired workers talk of nothing else than the brickworks when they were there. (32 mins) End of Side B CONTINUED 0N ST200C2 Side A (00 mins)Changes in communications have been the greatest in his lifetime. When he was young his family didn't have a television or a telephone. Videos didn't exist. Nor home computers and e-mails. Loves his work. Has only ever applied for one job in his life. Enjoys the company of the people he works with. (05 mins) End of Side A Original Interview 65 mins.
  • Date free text
    6 February 2003
  • Production date
    From: 1950 To: 2003
  • Level of description
    item
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