Title
Margaret Rud talks about working in a wool factory, the hosiery industry and knitting work in Leicestershire in 1952.
Subject
Work
Description
Margaret Rud talked about the work she performed in the Fielding & Johnston wool factory. Commuted by train everyday to Leicester, as well as discussing working hours and wages, Later worked in hosiery factory and explains work culture as well as enjoying music on radio while working on machinery.
Creator
East Midlands Oral History Archive
Source
East Midlands Oral History Archive
Publisher
EMOHA
Date
1947
Rights
You may use this item in accordance with the licence http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/uk/
Format
.mp3
Language
English
Type
Audio
Original Format
.wav
Duration
2'22''
Bit Rate/Frequency
128kbps
Transcription
What sort of work?
Well, we all worked in a factory, you know.
Was that in Lutterworth?
In a wool – no, in Leicester, in a wool factory called Fielding and Johnson.
When did you start working in the factory then?
When I was about 14.
And were you still living in Lutterworth when you were working in Leicester at the factory?
No, I was living in Dunton Basset.
You were living in Dunton Basset. So how did you get into work every day?
By train, cost one and six a day (7.5p). And in the end, they gave us the money for the train fare.
And what was the work like? What work were you doing?
Well, the machine, and it was as long as this room, and you had bobbins of wool. and you had to pull them down, wrap them round a big bobbin and let them go round ‘till they fill up. Then you get your knee and you stop it and you take it off, you know, and then it has to be made into hanks.
Hanks?
Hanks.
Oh, right. And was that hard work?
Well, it was very hard work.
And how long were the days?
Eight till six.
How much did you earn, do you remember?
A pound.
A pound a week.
Yeah, a pound a week when we first started.
And what did you do with that money? Did you see them at work?
I'd just seen them at work.
And how long did you work at the factory?
Well, not long because then I went into the hosiery factory and I did lock stitch and I put zips in, you know, and pockets. Things like that.
Was that better work than the wool factory?
Yes.
Do you remember which factory it was that you worked at?
Bents, Spalding Street.
Did you get more pay for that work? Was it better paid? And what did you like? Was it just more variety of work or was it more skilled?
It was more skilled.
And what was the company like to work for? Was it a big company or small company?
It was only a small company.
Were the people there friendly?
Very friendly. And in them days I used to sing a lot, you know, I used to sing all day long at my machine.
Did you hear the songs on the radio?
On the radio, yeah.
Well, we all worked in a factory, you know.
Was that in Lutterworth?
In a wool – no, in Leicester, in a wool factory called Fielding and Johnson.
When did you start working in the factory then?
When I was about 14.
And were you still living in Lutterworth when you were working in Leicester at the factory?
No, I was living in Dunton Basset.
You were living in Dunton Basset. So how did you get into work every day?
By train, cost one and six a day (7.5p). And in the end, they gave us the money for the train fare.
And what was the work like? What work were you doing?
Well, the machine, and it was as long as this room, and you had bobbins of wool. and you had to pull them down, wrap them round a big bobbin and let them go round ‘till they fill up. Then you get your knee and you stop it and you take it off, you know, and then it has to be made into hanks.
Hanks?
Hanks.
Oh, right. And was that hard work?
Well, it was very hard work.
And how long were the days?
Eight till six.
How much did you earn, do you remember?
A pound.
A pound a week.
Yeah, a pound a week when we first started.
And what did you do with that money? Did you see them at work?
I'd just seen them at work.
And how long did you work at the factory?
Well, not long because then I went into the hosiery factory and I did lock stitch and I put zips in, you know, and pockets. Things like that.
Was that better work than the wool factory?
Yes.
Do you remember which factory it was that you worked at?
Bents, Spalding Street.
Did you get more pay for that work? Was it better paid? And what did you like? Was it just more variety of work or was it more skilled?
It was more skilled.
And what was the company like to work for? Was it a big company or small company?
It was only a small company.
Were the people there friendly?
Very friendly. And in them days I used to sing a lot, you know, I used to sing all day long at my machine.
Did you hear the songs on the radio?
On the radio, yeah.
Interviewer
Sharon North
Interviewee
Margaret Rud
Location
Interviewees home
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