Description
Object description
British civil servant worked with Ministry of Labour in London, GB, 1928-1938; worked with Home Office and as General Secretary of Women's Voluntary Service in GB, 1938-1940; worked with Ministry of Labour and National Service in London, GB, 1940-1946; Director of Personnel with United Nations in New York, United States of America, 1946-1948
Content description
REEL 1 Background in GB, 1902-1928: family; education. Aspects of period as civil servant with Public Record Office, London, GB, 1925-1928: obtaining job at Public Records Office, 1925; duties as Assistant Keeper. Aspects of work as civil servant with Ministry of Labour in London, 1928-1938: reasons for moving to Ministry of Labour; question of women working in Civil Service; problems of unemployment in GB; work in personnel department. Recollections of period as civil servant with Home Office and as General Secretary of Women's Voluntary Service in GB, 1938-1940: appointment as General Secretary to the Women's Voluntary Service; financial situation of Women's Voluntary Service; problems of organising Women's Voluntary Service; class background of Women's Voluntary Service recruits; introduction of Women's Voluntary Service uniform; duties as General Secretary; relations with local authorities; organising evacuation.
REEL 2 Continues: Women's Voluntary Service involvement with billeting of evacuees; memories of outbreak of Second World War, 3/9/1939; sending letter of thanks from Princess Elizabeth to evacuee hosts; memories of Lady Reading; government funding of Women's Voluntary Service; wartime role of Women's Voluntary Service; attitude towards period with Women's Voluntary Service; role of Women's Voluntary Service. Recollections of period with Ministry of Labour and National Service in London, GB, 1940-1946: appointment as Assistant Secretary to Ernest Bevin; opinion of Ernest Bevin; organising meeting for women at Royal Albert Hall, London, 1943; Ernest Bevin's concern for welfare of troops; memories of Ernest Bevin.
REEL 3 Continues: organisation of wartime workforce; attitude of women towards call-up for war work; organisation of food and accommodation for workers; methods of dealing with loss of skilled workers to Armed Services; attitude of women towards leaving jobs post-war; Ernest Bevin's concern for welfare of workforce; attitude towards wartime Coalition Government; lack of memories of end of Second World War; duties post-1945. Recollections of period as Director of Personnel at United Nations, New York, United States of America,1946-1948: lack of organisation at start of United Nations; methods of recruitment; problems with multi-national nature of organisation.
REEL 4 Continues: difficulties of recruiting staff for United Nations; setting up of specialised agencies; optimistic atmosphere at United Nations; opinion of United Nations Secretary-General Norwegian Trgve Lie; difficult relations with Soviets; problems with multi-national nature of United Nations; difficulties of recruiting staff; attitude towards work with United Nations. Aspects of period as civil servant in GB, 1948-1963: reaction to being made a Dame in 1949; work with United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation during 1960s; attitude towards United Nations and American involvement with United Nations; attitude towards work.