| Description | An interview with Carol DAVIS, a married woman with one son, one daughter, one step-son, one step-daughter, who is a retired Cadbury worker/caterer, born in Birmingham and now living in Birmingham. Carol DAVIS’s father was a Engineer, born in England and her mother a District nurse born in England. In the interview, she talks about …
'CAROL DAVIS MS2255/2/064 Logged by Lorraine Blakemore
01
I was born in Birmingham in 1943. First recollection is of moving into a newly-built prefab in Maypole when 3 or 4. Describes the environment.
1.53 Then we moved to a new house on what we thought was a very posh estate…at the Lickeys in Rednal…it was a council house…Remembers the trams.
02
No local school at Lickeys, so travelled to Northfield.
58” We were one of the first to have a television….it was about a 12” screen…a bit of a status symbol….
03
This would be about the early 50s….I remember they started introducing children’s programmes….
1.12 Describes the Lickey Hills and playing there as a child.
04
I moved to a secondary school which was about 15 minutes walk away….Colmer’s Farm….I wasn’t the most confident of children….I wasn’t very good at sports….There didn’t seem the same pressure as there is today, you would leave school and there would be plenty of jobs….My job had already been planned out for me before I left school.
2.22 It was expected that when I left school I would work at Cadburys. All dad’s family….worked at Cadburys….I wasn’t too keen, I fancied being a hairdresser….
3.41 I went to work in the factory, I didn’t consider that I was office potential work and I suppose I should have been quite proud to work there…I was 15 when I started…By the time I was 18 I was too settled to move…Describes working at Cadburys.
05
Father was strict so not much of a social life. Went to Locarno ballroom in city centre.
1.05 Story about going to the cinema with a friend.
06
Describes the Locarno: the clothes people wore.
2.29 I never did think of a career. I’ve always been a bit of a home-maker. To me, as with most girls of my age, you were getting a job as a stop-gap, and you would meet somebody, get married and have a family….
3.20 I met a lad a Cadburys who was serving to be an apprentice fitter…Describes the courtship and marriage.
07
We got married in 1963 and lived in these rooms. I’d only been married 6 months and I found out I was expecting a baby….In 1964 I packed up Cadburys when I had my son….Applied for a trust house at Cadburys in 1967.
2.20 Returned to work at Cadburys on the evening shift.
2.45 Marriage difficulties and eventually divorced.
4.16 I had a daughter in 1971. My husband and I got divorced, I carried on in the house and brought them up….It seems a common thing today, but in the late 60s it wasn’t so common…
08
After children grew up joined a self-assertion class.
09
In about 1985 I met a lady….Story about how she came to join the class.
2.30 One day I looked at the paper and saw an advert that Cadbury was starting a new scheme called Cadbury World….I thought I’m going to apply for this…for the catering side…
4.33 Cadbury World opened in 1991…
10
Describes the machines for making chocolate and her wish to transfer to that dept.
11
I was more or less a single parent from 1964…Recalls the relationship with her children and how it was difficult financially at times.
12
Most of my friends and neighbours were all happily married….I can’t think of another person who was in the same situation as me...I used to feel quite awkward at things like parents' night…Other than that I didn’t care…I became quite self-sufficient…
13
Story about meeting her present husband Colin.
14
Story about getting married.
15
I’ve not ever been a person who has visited church regularly but I’m a strong believer…
16
No strong political beliefs.
1.41 Changes in Birmingham. Account of visiting the Rag Market.
17
Story about moving into Colin’s home and working part-time.
1.50 I applied to take early retirement in March of this year…
Relationship with step-children.
18
Social activities and hobbies. Would like to join an art class.
19
Lifestyle.
20
I think women’s lives have changed considerably….more opportunities with jobs…It’s accepted that there are women bosses….
21
Changes at Cadburys.
ENDS |