| Description | An interview with Granville (Bill) LODGE, a divorced man with two sons, two daughters, who is a Retired civil servant, born in Jamaica and now living in Birmingham. Granville (Bill) LODGE’s father was a Businessman, born in Jamaica and his mother a Housewife born in Jamaica. In the interview, he talks about …
'GRANVILLE LODGE MS2255/2/085 Logged by Lorraine Blakemore
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I was born in Jamaica on 11th December, 1927… 1 older sister.
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Father had Scottish ancestry, mother had Indian ancestry.
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Describes the multi-racial aspect of Jamaica.
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Family background.
1.03 School days. Attended a public school with all white teachers.
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Education system was based on English model.
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Describes the college and the environment.
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Played cricket out of school. Also liked shooting.
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How his grandmother exerted an influence over the family.
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I left school when I was just under 16 in 1943…
Wanted to be part of British Information Services. Joined the RAF. Trained in Jamaica and USA. Arrived in England in early 1944.
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In England I found that people were very ignorant of black people….People used to ask “Where’s your tail and do you live in trees ?”….Coming from a country where your education was practically English, I was amazed and very disappointed that people had to ask you that….and that continued and didn’t get any better….
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First impression of England.
I got the impression that everyone in England was wealthy and well-educated…. Arrived during wartime so the reality was a little different.
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Role in the war.
3.23 Discrimination against black men during the war.
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Felt that his ability had to be better than his white counterparts to be accepted.
2.40 His relationship with a white woman during the war.
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Awarded a scholarship by the RAF at the end of the war. Attended university in London for 4 years.
2.40 Relationships between black men and white women in London were more accepted.
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How the colonies aided the war effort financially.
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Studied economics, law, accountancy and commerce at university. Class was made up of mostly West Indian ex-servicemen.
1.19 Repatriated to Jamaica, then de-mobbed. Returned to England.
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When I was discharged, I went to London, and then my troubles began. I couldn’t get anywhere to live because there was a shortage of rooms….and they wouldn’t take coloureds or Irish…. Comments on the subsequent overcrowding in houses.
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How discrimination occurred and resulted in Granville sleeping rough temporarily.
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Difficulties of getting paid work. Applied for many clerical jobs, but rejected.
52” The only place that Jamaicans could get jobs was in the Post Office Savings Bank….although they were racists and prejudiced themselves, they couldn’t be seen to be practising that so blatantly….You were recruited to the lowest grade…
Imposed a quota system on certain jobs.
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Poor treatment by managers.
1.22 Increasing numbers of mental illness cases amongst black people.
3.54 Police used to arrest black men for different reasons…when they took them to the station they would beat them up…and whatever these fellows said to the judge, they would never go against what the police said….
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Promoted to Clerical Officer at Savings Bank.
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Took exam to be promoted beyond Clerical Officer. Institutional racism.
1.29 Enjoyed social life in England and preferred not to return to Jamaica.
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How he met his wife.
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At this time it was very society minded in London. There were servicemen who were strictly from the underclass who pretended…to be upper and middle-class….it was fashionable to have one or two black men at these parties….
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Complimentary tickets for the theatre.
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Background to his wife arriving from Australia to England.
1.25 Bought a flat in Lewisham.
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Very few people had bank accounts. Most workers were paid cash.
How the National Giro was organised.
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Promoted when he joined the National Giro Planning Team.
1.22 Contrasts Liverpool with London.
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Continued.
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Moved to Bootle. Had 3 children.
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Responsible for training staff.
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My politics at the time was very left-wing socialist….bordering , with reservations, on Communism…and I still am….Views on strikes in Liverpool.
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In 1982 they asked me to come down to Birmingham to set up a regional headquarters…I was in charge of services….getting the computer system set up…
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Building was opposite the Plough and Harrow pub, which was used for functions.
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Employed local people.
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Felt that the young people in Birmingham were not very disciplined to work in offices.
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Birmingham people seemed courteous, but not very friendly. They wouldn’t invite you to their homes….possibly to the pub for a drink…
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It was unusual for a Jamaican to be at this level of management….at the decision making level….
2.46 Computers were used in Bootle. They would take up an entire room.
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Transport in Birmingham. Views on the city centre.
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Discusses his 4 children’s education and careers.
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Divorced from wife 6 years ago. Moved to a flat in Northfield.
ENDS. |