X962/R19

Interview with Philip John Delafield, born 2 November 1956, Leighton Buzzard. Father and grandfather, successive managing directors of Garside sand quarries in Leighton Buzzard. Interviewed by Carmela Semeraro.

Interview date 3 November 2008

From: 2008 To: 2008

(00 mins) Earliest years living in Poplar Close, just off Heath Road, Leighton Buzzard, then to house in Heath Road built by father – large garden and vegetable plot at back – outdoor swimming pool for about ten years. Next move – to very large house in Burcott – small hamlet near Wing, Buckinghamshire – paddock for horses and cattle. Father in Garside sand quarry business with his brother, William – passed on to them by their father, Hugh (Managing Director), after his death. Hugh had been the cousin of George Garside who set up the firm. Philip only really knew Hugh’s sister, Dorothy, who moved to lived with them in Leighton Buzzard in the 1960s from Tooting. (05 mins) Philip has a sister, Joanna, three years younger; a brother, Christopher, six years younger. Attended a pre-prep school near The Globe pub in Old Linslade, Sutherlands – old-fashioned - then sent to a boarding school at about 7 (nearly 8) - Ashfold School, between Aylesbury and Thame. A lot of sporting activities at school – rugby, athletics, cricket, squash. At 13, to St. Edwards School, Oxford, until 18. (10 mins) Early memories of father’s work – walks around quarries on weekends – large excavators digging in the sand and loading on to lorries - a dredger in the lake at Grovebury Road – fishing there. Seeing the small trains transporting the sand. Learning to drive on private road. Acquiring knowledge through observation. Some sand was dangerous – like quick sand. Deep, very cold water in quarries. (15 mins) Like horse riding – family had a couple of horses in Wing – rode round villages with mother or sister and friends. Summer time spent lounging around swimming pool – then cruises on ships to Majorca, Southern Frances and Portugal. At school, quite enjoyed English, but not Maths. If he did not like the teacher then he did not like the subject. Good science teacher. Liked music and art. Took Economics, French and English at GCE ‘A’ Level. Family business had by then been sold on to ECC. No talk of him going into the sand business. Left school and studied for Higher National Diploma in Business Studies, specialising in Personnel Management. Got job as Personnel Trainee at George Kent, family firm in Luton. Progressed to Personnel Officer, then Personnel Manager. Moved on to work for Hawker Siddeley in Welwyn Garden City, then, in 1987, to small, privately-owned Human Resource Consultancy as consultant. Finally, set up his own consultancy (20 mins) His son worked for Bedfordshire County Council after gaining 1st class degree in Geography in Birmingham – now works in Waste Management and Mineral Extraction Department dealing with commercial waste – responsible for a number of quarries, monitoring movements of traffic and compliance with planning legislation. Sand, gravel, chalk and clay quarries. Family interest in quarries come full circle. Has recollection of his father coming home, once, with a mammoth’s tusk discovered in one of the quarries. (25 mins) End of interview Summarised by Stuart Antrobus (14 July 2009)

25 minutes

Wave Sound file

item

Delafield, Philip John,
Garside Sand,
Semeraro, Carmela,
Delafield, Hugh,
Delafield, William,
Garside, George,
Delafield, Christopher,
Delafield, Dorothy,
Delafield, Joanna

LEIGHTON BUZZARD, sand, EDUCATION, travel, personnel manager, George Kent Limited, Bedfordshire County Council, waste disposal