Z1205/214

Female. Secretary at brickworks. b.28.03.1951

5 March 2003

From: 1950 To: 2003

(00 mins) Brought up in Ampthill. Mother came from London during Second World War when she married. Father worked for London Brick Co.(LBC) for 37 years, but before that worked for the rubber company in Ampthill and for the mushroom farm. He worked for Marston Valley brickworks before LBC. Maternal grandfather was a driver for London Brick for many years. Prior to that he worked for the Wingfield family at Ampthill where they had their own private zoo. Interviewee got married aged 21. As a boy he had piano lessons twice a week in his lunch hour. (05 mins) Remembers eating Bedfordshire Clangers - traditional savoury / sweet combined in a pastry roll. Meat and potato at the savoury end. Suet pastry. Boiled in pudding cloth for hours in a boiler used normally for laundry. Modern version is cooked in ovens. Also remembers a dish called Bisnims, made from the milk of a cow immediately after she has calved, mixed with eggs and sugar to produce a kind of egg custard. Grandmother made a lot of steamed puddings. Younger brother and older sister. She worked as a comptometer operator (doing calculation in accounts) for Marston Valley Co. after attending Dame Alice School (private / selective secondary school in Bedford). Married women stayed at home once children were born, to look after them. (10 mins) Attended schools in Ampthill: Russell Junior School and then Sands Secondary School (building now an Indian Restaurant). Passed the 11+ exam and attended Pilgrim School (Grammar School), from when it first opened in 1962 in Bedford. Left school at 16 and did full-time course at Mander (now Bedford) College - an Ordinary National Diploma in business studies (shorthand, typing and commerce studies). (15 mins)First job with Granada (TV rental firm) in Ampthill Road, Bedford, as a secretary. After a few years moved to the Provincial Hospital Services Association (medical insurance scheme) in Harpur street, Bedford for a few months. Decided to save on travelling costs from Stewartby and work for London Brick Co. there in 1975. Husband worked there and they were in rented brickwork property in village. After 10 years they were able to buy their house for £11,200. Worked in training department, looking after courses for apprentices (20-30 on 4-year indenture schemes). Worked for the training officer for 9 years. Then moved to be secretary to the company's personnel manager. Stewartby was the Head Office for London Brick covering a large area including Peterborough. Now part of her job is to arrange for long-service awards to employees: 25-year watches and 50-year clocks, (plus 40-year Institute of Clay Workers medals). (20 mins) Very few 50-year clocks now presented; most workers started aged 16 so it is now impossible to achieve before retirement at 65. Veterans' Lunches held every year in Stewartby and Peterborough. Wreaths sent to funerals of former employees, when death is known about. When she first joined London Brick Co. they had 10,000 employees, nationwide; now 2000 (?). It may be possible for her to achieve 40 years with the brickworks if she retires aged 65 years. She has worked there 28 years (when interviewed). She has not been ambitious but some women have eventually gained promotion within the male-dominated industry. One woman has worked her way up to become Property Development Manager (interviewed elsewhere) in last few years. Remembers when Stewartby village was kept immaculately clean and tidy by brickwork estate staff and it was a close community entirely of brickwork employees and their families. Now most people have no connection with the works and individuals do not look after their properties as well. She still looks forward to moving to an old-folks bungalow in the village, still provided rent-free by the Trust set up by the Stewart family (directors of London Brick Co.). They are well kept and have wardens. (30 mins) There is still a good sense of community there, all former employees or their widows. Many of them are living to their nineties. (32 mins) End of Side A SIDEB (00 mins) 40-year silver medals are given to any workers who have worked continuously in the clay industry (not just at London Brick / Hanson) and the company also adds £250 worth of vouchers as a contribution. They are presented with the other awards at the annual Veterans' Lunch. It is still a friendly place to work with a very loyal workforce. Many 25-year watches presented. (02 mins) End of Side B ORIGINAL INTERVIEW 35 mins

item

London Brick Company,
Hanson Brick Limited,
Marston Valley Brick Company Limited,
Wingfield,
Granada Technology Ltd.

brick worker, secretary, World War Two, rubber factory, zoos, food, accountancy, Dame Alice Harpur School, Russell School, Pilgrim School, Bedford Mander College, businesses, curriculum shorthand, Institute of Clayworkers, clocks, employment of women, Sir Malcolm Stewart Trust, village halls, STEWARTBY, AMPTHILL, Peterborough