| Collection | Winstanley Oral History Collection |
| Description | Mr. Albert Broadribb, born 1902, interviewed in Deal. His father was a London postman in Brixton, and his mother was the daughter of a Gloucestershire shepherd. Broadribb was the oldest of 3 children. During WW1 he was an office boy, stable boy, and worked in the office of works.
Track 1 [0:58:28] [First interview: 15th October 1974] [0:00:00] Introduction: interview of Mr Albert Broadribb [AB] at his home 17 Reading Close, Walmer, Deal, Kent by Michael Winstanley of the University of Kent at Canterbury on 15th October 1974. [0:00:31] Comments on family background; AB born 8th August 1902 in Wingford Row, Brixton Hill, London SW2; paternal grandfather overseer in post office, maternal grandfather shepherd, mother born in Gloucester. [0:01:10] Comments on grandfather’s work as shepherd in Gloucestershire, hiring at annual August mop fair. Anecdote about mule bringing him home from the pub. Mention of AB spending annual holidays with maternal grandparents. [0:03:26] Description of grandparents’ rented cottage in Baunton near Cirencester [Gloucestershire]. [0:05:40] Mention of shopping in Cirencester usually via local carrier, no shops in Baunton. [0:06:16] Comments on self-sufficiency, growing vegetables, baking bread, keeping livestock. Mention of uncle as ‘area pig killer’. [0:08:00] Description of life with maternal grandparents, sanitary arrangements, paraffin lamps, fires, carrying food in wicker ‘knaps’, catching rabbits with shepherd’s crook. [0:14:36] Comments on Sundays, going to church, visiting family. Description of Sunday clothes made by man from Woodmancote. [0:16:55] Comments on mother’s family, brother working as horse keeper for Shellmex in Manchester, brother managing pig farm at Rendcomb [Gloucestershire], sisters in service. Mention of aerodrome near Rendcomb. Mention of book stall at Kemble Junction [Gloucestershire]. [0:19:04] Comments on father’s family, Huguenot weavers in Somerset, paternal grandfather’s move to Battersea, London, working as postman in Victoria, member of Post Office Rifles. Mention of paternal uncle, London tram driver, moving to Kansas City as plumber. Mention of AB’s father’s twin working as postman and messenger for Board of Education. Mention of spending Christmases with paternal aunt and uncle at Clapham Junction. [0:23:31] Comments on AB’s father’s job as postman, hours, split shifts, wages, Christmas Day deliveries, Christmas ‘boxing’ [collecting tips]. [0:25:52] Mention of cycle trip from Gloucestershire to relatives in Castle Cary [Somerset] by AB and father c 1914. [0:26:58] Comments on AB’s paper round c 1915, popularity of Daily Mirror and News of the World. Mention of Streatham workhouse. Mention of Daily Mail, Daily Sketch, News Chronicle, Telegraph, Sunday Companion. [0:30:52] Mention of father’s post round in Brixton, his membership of Postmen’s Federation [union], postmen supporting miners in 1911 strike. [0:33:18] Comments on politics, AB pro-Lansbury and socialists, father Conservative but pro-national insurance and old age pensions. Mention of gaoling of Poplar Council members for non-payment of debts [Poplar rates rebellion 1921]. [0:36:41] Mention of Empire Day parades and half day school holiday. [0:37:46] Description of schooling, starting at 5, leaving at 14, segregated from 11. Mention of Jack Rouse, headmaster. Stories about punishments. [0:43:11] Comments on games, playing football on Tooting Bec Common, inter school matches. Descriptions of other games including ‘Jump Jim Anacker’. Mention of street cricket, hopscotch, ‘five stones’, shove ha’penny. Mention that girls used wooden hoops, boys steel. Mention of going to football matches at Chelsea by tram. [0:50:17] Remarks on street entertainment, singers, barrel organs, flautists. [0:51:25] Comments on outings, annual Sunday school trips to Ramsgate. [0:55:51] Description of annual holidays visiting maternal grandparents in Gloucestershire on Great Western Railway [GWR]. Mention of GWR railway yards at Swindon. Mention of trips to Great Yarmouth pre-World War I.
Track 2 [1:03:45] [Second interview: 22nd October 1974] [0:00:21] Detailed description of AB’s childhood home, rented flat in Wingfield Road near Brixton Prison. Mention of immediate family, parents, 2 sisters. Mention of decorators Mr Collier and Mr Read. [0:04:36] Comments on neighbours, white collar and manual workers. [0:08:40] Detailed description of house, use of front room, piano, zinc bath in scullery, wash days, lino floors, gas lamps. [0:15:55] Remarks on lack of geographical mobility, except via women moving to go into service. Mention that AB’s parents met in Brixton after mother moved from Gloucestershire. [0:17:31] Further comments on house, flush toilet, small garden. Description of Saturday chores. [023:23] Comments on domestic finances, mother purse holder, parents’ savings in Post Office. Mention of AB’s childhood insurance for funeral costs. [0:26:06] Description of AB’s early career, starting work as office boy in City at 14, moving to Battersea Borough Council [BBC] dust cart depot in Lombard Road, then moving to BBC drawing office at 16. Mention of girls delivering Post Office telegraph messages during World War I. [0:27:30] Comments on sisters’ employment, book keeping for local grocers, office work in City and for Marconi Telephone Company. [0:28:16] Remarks on medical cover, father paying voluntarily into National Health Service, Post Office paying for doctor for employees. Mention of local Dr Dingwall. [0:31:12] Comments on home remedies, use of liquorice powder, Glauber salts for stomach, Friars Balsam for colds. Mention of childhood vaccinations. Mention of smallpox epidemic. [0:36:47] Detailed description of diet; treats of winkles on Sundays, watercress; Sunday muffin and crumpet seller; little tinned food except Nestles Swiss condensed milk, seen as extravagant; milk delivered; cheap roasting meat auctioned Brixton market Saturday evenings. [0:42:35] Comments on shopping, local shops in Brixton, dislike of credit, bananas and eggs luxuries. [0:45:44] Remarks on drinks, little alcohol, homemade lemonade. [0:48:28] Comments on religion, parents attending Church of England Sundays, children at Sunday school. Comments on specialness of Sunday, best clothes, no outside play, family walks. Mention of visiting paternal grandparents, taking number 34 tram from Clapham to Battersea. [0:54:04] Remarks on changes during World War I, disillusionment with religion, potato shortage, queuing for food. [0:55:29] Remarks on other Christian sects, popularity of Salvation Army band and Sunday collections, Jewish people at school but not in neighbourhood. [0:59:14] Comments on police, friendliness, social integration; popularity of mounted police, police dances, choir, charity concerts for police orphanage. Mention that AB’s uncle in mounted police. [1:02:39] Remark on increase of motorised army traffic during 1914-18. |