Z1205/208

Male. Farmer. Abattoir owner & butcher. b. 04.12.1938 SIDE A (00 mins)Farmhouse home. Born in Wootton Green. Paternal family were butchers and grazers. Small abattoir at Lower Shelton Farm. (05 mins)Grandfather bought Wootton Green Farm in early 1900s and built another abattoir. Father died in 1985. Mother died in 1990. His childhood freedom has given him an aversion to regulation and officialdom and government generally. (10 mins)Freedom to shoot from 14. Social restrictions on what you did on Sundays, although his parents weren't religious. Visiting farmer friends for tea. Farmhouse doors never locked. Younger brother. (15 mins)During Second World War, Father kept abattoir licence but was only allowed to kill pigs for surrounding villagers.. Villagers were allowed to kill two pigs a year. All pigs registered. Slaughtering restrictions came off in 1955 . Meat inspectors introduced. Cattle, lambs and pigs slaughtered. Used to supply a shop in Cranfield. Then a shop in Luton. (20 mins)When he was a boy there were up to 8 abattoirs in the Bedford area. Ingolds at Marston had an abattoir. Every butchers shop had a small abattoir. After 1955 some larger abattoirs were established. 2 or 3 in a county. Increased regulation of abattoirs by government. Inspectors were telephoned whenever slaughtering had been completed. (25 mins)Check on threats to human health. Unsafe meat would be destroyed. Veterinary surgeons began to be involved in the process. Foot and Mouth disease outbreak in 1959 locally. (30 mins)Vets check the unloading of animals and in large abattoirs be present at the killings. Meat inspectors continue to inspect and stamp meat but are under the overall control of the state veterinary service. He objects to having been made to pay for these officials. He feel that the government should pay. (32 mins)End of Side A Side B (00 mins)Knows through experience of livestock if there are nay problems. Influx of ethnic groups into the area brought about changing requirements of meat and killing practices. Local delivery of meat. In grandmother's time, there would have been about 20 butchers in Bedford. (05 mins)Family has added to the original land holding; now farm 400 acres, mainly sheep and arable. Increased mechanisation since the days of horse when he was a boy (late 1930/early 1940s). He preferred shotguns to horses. Still shoots pheasants an partridges and sells surpluses but regards shooting as a sport. He is chairman of local committee of the Game Conservancy. (10 mins)Shooting has always been a big part of his life. Two wonderful sons to continue the business, farming and slaughtering. Member of Small Abattoirs Federation. Supermarkets are taking over but only 49% of meat is sold through supermarkets (at the time of interview) but have greater lobbying power than small operators. (15 mins)Role of small butcher locally. Knowing where meat has come from is more important to some consumers, after the various crises on public health and meat, e.g. CJD, BSE and Foot and Mouth. (20 mins)Need for antibiotics to prevent some diseases rather than wait for disease and then treat it. Not in favour of Soil Association approach. Against the levy to the Meat and Livestock Commission. (25 mins)Wary of government-funded Stewardship Schemes encouraging farmers to farm in a way that manages the environment rather than agriculturally. Will hold out as long as possible until all agricultural subsidies cease. Fears a possible conspiracy to use recent health and food crises to bring about agricultural changes by government. Still works long hours although 64. (28 mins)End of Side B ORIGINAL INTERVIEW 60 mins.

19 February 2003

From: 1935 To: 2003

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farmer, slaughterhouses, butcher, World War Two, cattle, health, veterinary surgeon, cattle disease, shooting, supermarkets, Wootton Green, Marston Moretaine Lower Shelton Road, MARSTON MORETAINE, CRANFIELD, LUTON