Description
Object description
British civilian worked as labourer at William Doxford & Sons engine builders, Sunderland, GB, 1940-1944
Content description
REEL 1 : Recollections of period as labourer at William Doxford & Sons engine builders, Sunderland, GB, 1940-1944: story of volunteering to work in shipyard, 1/1940; description of work as labourer including moving scrap and helping joiners; attitude to climbing up to crow's nest; family life and children; description of working clothes; relations with male workers; amusing story about practical jokes; attitude to work; story of being given tea with rum in winter; problem of cold weather; description of cloakroom for women workers; opinion of supervisor and charge-hands; breaks; question of not being allowed to mix with men during breaks; story of being knocked unconscious by spanner and treatment in hospital; story of sailing aboard boat down river; story about coolies on ship; sanitary arrangements; left shipyard to have son, 10/1944; description of scraping paint off portholes with pennies soaked in paraffin; description of working tools; story of obtaining food from stores; domestic arrangements and childcare; wages and working hours; description of footware; story of returning to work on after accident; question of pride in work; opinion of accommodation for sailors aboard ships; story of taking shelter between decks during air raids; help from men with heavy lifting; opinion of foremen; attitude to work and contribution to war effort; opinion of female supervisor; description of work cleaning office on Saturdays; story about 'tank rats'; attitude to working in shipyard and problem of noise; opinion of wages; story of husband working at Laing's shipyard; social life; attitude to working in dangerous environment; various memories of aunt 'Big Emily' and other relatives working in shipyard; story of men making Christmas presents for children; comparison of life during war and now (1983); question of some jobs being unsuitable for women; Union membership;
REEL 2 Continues: description of work in hospital kitchen; care of children; average age of women workers; further memories of Aunt Emily; reason for nickname 'Clean Nellie'; description of coolies on deck; question of women not being allowed back on ship after finished work; story of going into engine room during cold weather; description of work in ropery; question of training; description of working clothes; problem of working on ships during winter; story of women being allowed out of gates before men; method of clocking in and out; story about policeman; working hours; attitude to leaving work in shipyard and loss of income; rationing; description of air raids and shelters; question of ships only being identified by numbers; further comments on help from men with heavy lifting.