Description
Object description
British civilian served with Women's Land Army in GB, 1939- 1941; served with Air Raid Precautions in GB, 1941-1943; worked as shipyard welder in Bristol, GB, 1943-1944; journalist for Daily Worker in GB, 1944-1957
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Leigh-on-Sea and London, GB, 1920-1939: reason for family's move to Leigh-on-Sea; family; influence of aunts Rebecca West and Letty Fairfield and visit to Germany and Austria, 1935; education; memories of aunts Rebecca West and Letty Fairfield; knowledge of Soviet Union; membership of Labour League of Youth including meeting with ex-Conservative MP Thelma Cassidy; experience of depression; attendance at Southend School of Art; visit to Germany and Austria, 1937, including memories of Moira McAtee and signs of Nazism in Austria; opinion of Communist Party during 1930s; attendance at Central School of Arts and Crafts including story of visit from Virginia and Leonard Woolf; attendance at Unity Theatre including details of living newspapers and memories of Wilfred White.
REEL 2 Continues: story of meeting Jack Selford at the Unity Theatre and joining of Communist Party of Great Britain, spring 1939; learning of Russian; cancellation of proposed trip to Soviet Union, 8/1939; details of later trip to Soviet Union, 1962; attendance at Unity Theatre Summer School, 1939, including discussions about Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact; joining of Women's Land Army in Iwerne Minster; initial Communist Party support for war and later arguments over party line. Aspects of period as civilian with Women's Land Army in GB, 1939-1941: agricultural advances during war; duties performed; unionisation of farm workers in Somerset and work as union representative.
REEL 3 Continues: conditions for farm labourers and working class, 1930s- 1940s; relationship with Jack Selford and Communist Party attitude to war service; joining of Air Raid Precautions in Bristol. Aspects of period as civilian with Air Raid Precautions in GB, 1941-1943: training; reason for initial period of peace; Churchill's speech to the Soviet Union and reactions; details of assistance given during Bath Blitz, 25-27/4/1942, including own activities; loss of morale among Bath Air Raid Precautions; conscription of young women; scenes following daylight air raid on Bristol; Communist attitude to conscientious objectors; conscription and decision to enter shipyards. Aspects of period as civilian working in Bristol shipyard, GB, 1943-1944: training and proficiency as welder including description of work.
REEL 4 Continues: previous work as writer; Communist Party attitude to strikes; negotiation work; reading of Daily Worker; reason for leaving manual work; gaining of work with Daily Worker. Aspects of period as journalist working for Daily Worker in GB, 4/1944-1957: story of colleague in love with Selford; reporting of housing conditions in Lancashire; story of murder case reported; memories of Editor Bill Rust and Assistant Editor John Campbell including appeal of Communism; details of housing conditions including writing about pre-fabricated homes; Daily Worker's reporting of war including activities of Red Army and concentration camps; circulation; communication between civilians during war and views gained before the 1945 General Election.
REEL 5 Continues: discussions at the Daily Worker about the break-up of the wartime coalition; memories of and reactions to 1945 General Election; stories of Communist Party candidates GJ Jones and Philip Paratin; Communist results; memories of Tamara Rust; Communist support for left-wingers including Tom Driberg; details of first marriage and child; memories of Jack Selford including marriage; Daily Worker support for Second Front including memories of Alexander Baron; reasons for turning against Communism including relationship with aunt Rebecca West; story of friend's visit to Soviet Union at the time of Lavrentiy Beria's arrest.
REEL 6 Continues: Aspects of period as civilian in GB from 1957: story of visit to Soviet Union, 1962, including argument over refusal to be involved with May Day Parade and sightseeing in Moscow; reactions to breakup of Soviet Union; story of visit to Murmansk; reflections on membership of Communist Party of Great Britain.