| Ref No | WIN/126 |
| Collection | Winstanley Oral History Collection |
| Title | Mr. Rennells interviewed by Michael Winstanley |
| Name of creator | Winstanley, Michael |
| Date | 09/10/1974 |
| Duration | 47 min. 51 sec. |
| Extent | 1 sound tape reel |
| 1 audio file Waveform Audio |
| Description | Mr. Rennells, born 1895, interviewed in Canterbury. His father was a coal man, other jobs. Was the fourth youngest of thirteen chidren. Job was errand boy for Horton's Canterbury. (Mrs. K. A. Baker's brother) (speech difficulty)
[00:00] Introduction and AR discusses his father’s occupations and family residences growing up; born in Knotts Lane (13 in household) and moved aged 3 to Guildhall Lane when father (“Dick”) worked at Burnistons coalyard. AR’s father worked at a tannery in Stour Street and the family moved to St. Radigunds Street. [03:10] AR recalls buying stale bread for Dick’s breakfast and taking it to him at work. Dick worked for the council as a road sweeper and then a night watchman. Whilst at the tannery Dick’s hours were reduced due to WWI. Dick was an only boy and the black sheep of the family; AR remarks on what his father had inherited and his poor finances and drinking.
AR left school to work in the paper shop for Horton Brothers and explained how his pay changed. [08:00] AR’s mother had 4 shillings and 6 pence of his weekly pay and the rest she got from the government. [10:00] AR started a job at the Brewery from 1912-1914 and discusses alcohol use. [14:00] Attitudes to females drinking alcohol, illegitimate babies, the workhouse on Ethelbert Road, 'gypsies' and 'tramps'. [18:10] Description of the rooms of the house he lived in St Radigunds. [22:00] AR explained the washing and sanitary arrangements at his home. [24:30] Description of the rooms upstairs including the garrett. AR describes the jobs of working class people living in St Radigunds. Discussion of the wealthier residents, including the Gould family and Blighs' Garage. [29:27] AR’s experiences of the Northgate area. Discussion about white collar workers, pay and mixing with others. Mention of Le Fevre and Hunt Shops. AR’s opinion of George Stone, tailors in Palace Street. [34:20] Mention of Canterbury local press and Rodney Hughes. AR spoke about fish sellers in Knotts Lane such as Mosey Gawer [38:20] and Stringers fish shop on Palace Street. AR bought his first house for £75 within five years of being married. AR worked for the brewery as a licensee and had £250 compensation when it closed and used this to buy his first house. [41:55] AR explains buying and selling houses from 1923 - 1958. AR had been out of the pubs business since 1918 and finished in 1955. [44:40] He ends by explaning what happened to drunk people and his relationship with local police officers.
Summary created by Thomas Miles, volunteer, in September 2026.
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| PhysicalDescription | 1 sound tape reel : analogue, 5 inch reel, 9,5 cm/sec, 2 track, mono |
| Waveform Audio |
| Related Organisation | University of Kent |
| Related Place | Canterbury, Kent |
| Access filename | WIN-126-001A-A.mp3 |
| Category | Audio recordings |
| Access conditions | Available for consultation at the University of Kent's Special Collections & Archives reading room, Templeman Library, University of Kent, Canterbury, CT2 7NU. Access is available via digital listening copies. The University of Kent acknowledges the intellectual property rights of those named as contributors in this recording and the rights of those not identified. |
| Copyright | University of Kent and individual speakers |
| Material within the archive may remain within copyright under the terms of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. Special Collections & Archives staff will assist where possible in helping trace copyright holders, but it is ultimately the responsibility of users to obtain the permission of the copyright holder for reproduction of copyright material for uses other than research or private study. |
| Level | Item |