Z1205/225

Male. Bricklayer at Hansons brickworks. b. 05.09.1943 (00 mins)Born in Kempston. Father came from Great Barford and mother from Sandy. Visited maternal grandparents. Grandfather was a painter and decorator. Paternal grandparents died when he was very young. 3 brothers. Father was a baker. Used to help him, as a child, to deliver bread. (05 mins)Mother was a full-time housewife. Saturday night was bath night, when water was heated with a copper and the children bathed in a tin bath in the kitchen. Afterwards they had a packet of crisps and listened to the radio. Kempston was still separate administratively from Bedford. Kempston Show was a big one-day event. Sunday walks with Dad while Mum cooked the Sunday lunch. (10 mins)Bike rides to visit relatives across the county. Traditional English cooking: roast and Yorkshire pudding on Sundays, hotpot or Irish stew or bacon and onion roll during the week. Dad grew the majority of their vegetables on an allotment. Vegetables were only available seasonally in those days. There were quite a few small shops in those days. Always ate fresh food. Can remember sweets still being on ration after the Second World War. Only ate chicken at Christmas. Christmas present placed by parents in pillowcases at the bottom of the bed on Christmas night. (15 mins)Accepted what they got. Also hung up a sock to be given an apple and an orange and nuts. Four brothers got on very well. Used to visit maternal grandparents and uncle on their farm in Sandy, then they moved to another farm in Hardmead, near Astwood. Summer holidays spend harvesting and catching rabbits. Used to go to bed there with a candle. Elsewhere, oil lamps - no running water, electricity or mains sewer. Father asked him what he wanted to do when he left school. He saw a man bricklaying and told his father he wanted to do that. He arranged an apprenticeship, through one of his mates. Left Bedford Road School at 14. (20 mins)Joined a building firm in Kempston. He was the only apprentice bricklayer, but there were apprentice carpenters and painters. Started by mixing mortar. Attended Mander College in Bedford on a day release and two nights a week doing a City and Guilds course. These days young people just do a six months' practical training, in stead of a five year indenture. (25 mins)First week's wage was £1.10s (£1.50p) in late 1950s. Went on holiday to Spain in 1965 with his brother and his mate. It cost £76 for week, with flight and everything. (32 mins)End of Side A SIDE B (00 mins)When weather was very bad in the winter, you couldn't work on a building site. Started driving and doing odd jobs. Then saw job at Brogborough for a bricklayer to help re-build a kiln at the brickworks. Lasted 121 months, 1969-70. Then got a job working on the London brick estate, repairing houses and other buildings. Inspecting and repairing kilns. Sometimes very hot work. (05 mins)Estates Department closed down (following takeover by Hanson) and he was transferred to his original department. Missed the social life working on the 1000 houses once owned by London Brick Co. Just work in the brickyard now. Health and safety rules have been tightened over the years. (10 mins)Bricklayers in the brickyard use language of their own. Some have never worked on building sites outside. Four or five separate gangs. Some didn't get on with others. Intense rivalry and battles over transport and bricks. Piece work rates. £2 per week. (15 mins)Outside the brickworks, only £20 per week for a bricklayer. Liked the variety of work for the brick company. Majority of houses and farms sold off once Hanson took over. Made redundant in 1971. (20 mins)Got another job in the brickyards. Married in 1972. When he first joined London Brick there were 99 in the gang - bricklayers and labourers ; now, including gardeners, only 11 of them. Fewer kilns and any big job contracted out. Is now a section leader (foreman). Has worked there for 34 years. May retire to Lincolnshire, where his oldest son lives. (25 mins)Old age creeps up on you. Doesn't feel that there have been any drastic changes in his life. (32 mins)End of Side B ORIGINAL INTERVIEW 60 mins.

14 June 2003

From: 1940 To: 2003

item

London Brick Company,
Hanson Brick Limited

brick worker, baker, housewife, Bath, cooking, domestic subjects, Christmas, child labour, rabbits, Bedford Road School, apprenticeship, builder, Bedford Mander College, wages/conditions, HEALTH & SAFETY, STEWARTBY, KEMPSTON, Great Barford, SANDY, Astwood, Bromborough, Lincolnshire