Interview with Margaret Joy Hunter

British civilian trained as secretary with Mrs Foster's Secretarial College in Greatford, GB, 5/1943-12/1943; secretary with Cabinet War Rooms in London, GB and United States of America, 1/1944-1/1946 and during Potsdam Conference in Germany, 7/1945-8/1945

REEL 1 Background in GB, 1925-1939: family; education. Aspects of period as schoolchild in GB, 1939-1943: lack of effects of Second World War on education; memories of outbreak of Second World War, 3/9/1939; story of father meeting with downed German Air Force airman; rationing and queueing; strict blackout; listening to radio; Aspects of period of secretarial training at Mrs Foster's Secretarial College in Greatford, GB, 5/1943-12/1943: parent's suggestion about taking secretarial course; initial reaction to taking secretarial course; attitude to taking secretarial course; pattern of secretarial course; learning shorthand; typing in gas mask and to music; problem of correcting typing errors. REEL 2 Continues: two week work experience in City of London at end of course; job interview with Margaret Stenhouse of Prime Minister Winston Churchill's secretarial pool at 10 Downing Street. Recollections of period as secretary with Cabinet War Rooms in London, GB, 1/1944-7/1945: selection interview; accommodation in Church Hostel near Paddington Railway Station including fire watching duties; starting work at Cabinet War Rooms; shift work; initial work for Russian Section; attachment as personal assistant to Major-General Clement West at Scotland Yard; return to Cabinet War Rooms; Royal Marine guards; nature of work for Joint Planning Secretariat; sight of German V1 Flying Bombs, summer 1944; sleeping in Morrison Shelter and attitude to German Air Force raids. Recollections of period as secretary with British Delegation during Potsdam Conference in Germany, 7/1945-8/1945: preparations for going to conference; flight in Douglas Dakota; drive from airfield to Potsdam; accommodation and recreational activities. REEL 3 Continues: visit into devastated Berlin and obtaining piece of Adolf Hitler's desk; state of civilians in Berlin; Soviet guards; attending Allied parade in Berlin; nature of work; sight of Josef Stalin; return to GB, 8/1945. Aspects of period as secretary with Economics Department of Cabinet War Rooms in London, GB and United States of America, 8/1945-1/1946: attitude to role; background to accompanying Professor Lionel Robbins as personal assistant to United States of America; voyage aboard RMS Queen Mary from Southampton, GB to New York, United States of America; attending talks at Bretton Woods, United States of America, 9/1945-12/1945; leaving employment to work for an archbishop; contact with Prime Minister Winston Churchill at Cabinet War Rooms; attitude towards working at Cabinet War Rooms.