| Ref No | WIN/090 |
| Collection | Winstanley Oral History Collection |
| Title | Mrs. Jennings interviewed by Michael Winstanley |
| Name of creator | Winstanley, Michael |
| Date | 30/10/1974 |
| Duration | 53 min. 18 sec. |
| Extent | 1 sound tape reel |
| 1 audio file Waveform Audio |
| Description | Mrs. Jennings, born 1884, interviewed in Ramsgate. Her father was an ex soldier, worked in fish and chip shop , conducted on buses in london. Her jobs were daily, butler girl, laundry.
Track 1 [53:18] [00:01] Introduction: interviewee is Mrs Jennings [J] of Hartford House, Hartford Street, Ramsgate. [00:38] J born in 1884 in Shoeburyness Barracks. [00:50] Description of J’s father’s occupation and ownership of fish shop. [01:56] Recalls working at the fish shop with family. [02:17] Description of fish and potato market outings with J’s father. [02:44] Description of pub outing after markets, and having a horse and van. [03:16] Account of how J’s family and employee would keep fish shop. [03:48] Anecdote of J’s hard work at fish shop. [04:05] Anecdote of J’s young brother who passed away in an accident. [04:48] Report of J’s father selling fish shop and changing professions to be a bus driver. [05:43] Story of shocking sight. [06:04] Recalling of J’s father’s profession as bus driver and consequent move. [06:30] Description of J’s butcherjob. [07:01] Humorous anecdote involving surviving brother and stealing apples. [08:05] Description of J’s father’s motorbus driver job and subsequent accident. [8:33] Illustration of father’s illness and death. [9:28] Account of move into Acton house. [10:00] Recounting of J’s sister’s husband’s experience in the navy. [10:22] Description of J’s various moves. [10:38] Recalling of J’s husband’s drinking and occupation. [11:13] Description of J’s job at the laundry. [13:40] Discussion of J’s husband’s work, absence and substance use. [14:52] Recalling of life in Acton with children. [16:20] Recollection of difficulties with J’s husband. [16:59] Description of life with J’s children and domestic life. [17:38] Anecdote involving J’s mother. [17:52] Discussion of J’s children’s nursery and J’s daughter. [19:05] Description of domestic life. [20:12] Anecdote of J’s daughter who passed in WWII. [21:08] Mention of unkind husband and discussion of ways of raising children. [22:26] Story of J’s jealous husband and his death. [23:13] Description of J’s daughter’s wedding and her own [24:42] Recalling of J’s newlywed life and courting. [27:25] Anecdote of meeting with Charlie Chaplin. [28:38] Story of how J met her husband and courting. [29:21] Explanation of J making her own clothes and story of ruined skirt. [31:05] Description of work life. [31:38] Discussion of J’s family life, making clothes, fashion, her brother’s life. [35:46] Stories regarding Lady Fletcher and her family. [38:53] Discussion on royalty, rich people, and class. [43:58] Account of struggles with employment and money. [45:39] Description of ill friend’s widow whom J married. [47:35] Description of activities during J’s youth; darts, biking, trips. [50:38] Anecdote of first bomb drop in Chiswick and being with soldiers before they left.
Summary created by Davina Dreyfuss, volunteer, 2026. |
| 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 | Hammersmith, Kent |
| Access filename | WIN-090-001A-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 |