Z1205/213

Male. Brickworks manager. b. 27.02.1943 SIDE A (00 mins)Born in Carmarthen, South Wales. Father and grandfathers on both sides were coalminers. Work option down there were to be a coalminer, a teacher or a minister of religion. He joined the National Coal Board, won a scholarship and began working on its civil engineering side. The organisation had its own brickworks to provide bricks for its own workers' houses and civil engineering projects. He transferred to the brick side. (05 mins)After 2 years he won a scholarship from the Brick Development Association to study ceramics in Stoke upon Trent for four years at the College of Ceramics, still being paid a salary by the Coal Board. Memories of childhood in Wales. Didn't learn any English until approximately 9 or 10 and didn't speak it until he attended secondary school at 11 where he studied English and German. Spoke Welsh at home and with friends. (10 mins)Still speaks Welsh with his sisters. His wife is also Welsh and understands Welsh but has lost her ability to speak it, although she sings in Welsh. Welsh schools teach through the medium of Welsh until age 11, except for history and Geography which are taught n English. He still counts numbers and swears in Welsh. (15 mins)Mechanisation of the mining industry came after the Second World War. Improvements in safety. Nationalisation of mines in 1947. Miners suffered from silicosis through dust on the lungs. His grandfather died from it aged 55. Comradeship made it a tolerable occupation, despite its dangers. (20 mins)A lot of friends went down the mine. Mother stayed at home, once she had children, which was normal there and then. She was a Secretary before then. After college, he was a trainee manager and then got a job as an assistant manager. Moved away from Wales and joined London brick in 1967. Has now been in England for nearly 30 years. He had visited the fletton brick factories in Bedfordshire while a student. It was a shock to live in such a flat area, after the hills of Wales. He was training manager for one year at Stewartby. The became an assistant manager, with increasing responsibilities for number of works. At the age of 25, following the death of the works manager, he was given the job. (25 mins)He was responsible for a thousand employees. Did that for 4 years. (32 mins)End of Side A SIDE B (00mins)Moved to live in Buckingham. Found other Welsh people to socialise with. Became Managing Director of London Brick's factories in Buckinghamshire for 4-5 years. A district manager died suddenly and he was offered his job in Peterborough, employing 3,000 workers. Worked there for nearly 5 years. At the death of another colleague, he became Operations Manager of the whole of the London Bricks' works. He now commutes daily from Oundle. (05 mins)Hanson takeover of London Brick. He was the last director of London Brick left, after six months. He has now travelled all over the world for Hanson, since it became a world-wide conglomerate. (10 mins)20 years of challenges with Hanson. (About to retire and return to Wales. Will remain as a consultant for Hanson TIS in Manchester.) (15 mins) Possibilities regarding the future of brickmaking at Stewartby and the presence of Hanson. Investment in two Fletton brickworks in Peterborough. Fletton brick products have a number of decades as a profitable business. Changes in size of customers over the years - now mainly large contractors and housebuilding firms. (20 mins)4 building merchants now account for 60% of the business. More emphasis on partnerships and adding value to services, rather than just selling bricks. Works now getting more automated, including new technology and robots. Clay has to fight for its existence among other materials - glass, steel and concrete. He has never regretted entering the business. The industry has contracted enormously but is still a close-knit community. He'll miss it after 40 years, for which he has received the Institute of Clayworkers' medal. Working for the brick industry has been like working for the coal industry. (25 mins)Reflections on communications making people lazy. (27 mins)End of Side B ORIGINAL INTERVIEW 60 mins

3 March 2003

From: 1940 To: 2003

item

London Brick Company,
Hanson Brick Limited

civil engineer, brick worker, Welsh, LANGUAGE, curriculum German, mines, manager, building plans, Institute of Clayworkers, COMMUNICATIONS, STEWARTBY, Carmarthen, Buckingham, Peterborough, Oundle