Oral history recording and transcripts of unidentified woman (employee, 1980-), Ivy (employee, 1963-), and Mrs Ramsey (customer)

Oral history interview audio recordings and transcripts of: an unnamed employee (at Harlow branch); Ivy (a Sainsbury's customer and employee at Harlow); and Mrs Ramsey (a Sainsbury's customer). Interviews by Bridget Williams and Karen Fielder (Sainsbury's Archives).

Interviewees:
unnamed employee: Employed at Sainsbury's branch from 1980 in Harlow [32 The Broadwalk] store as Cash Office Assistant, moved to Harlow [41 The Harvey Centre] store in 1981, became Store Personnel Assistant in 1994 at Harlow [Fifth Avenue/Allende Avenue]. Topics include memories of Sainsbury's stores in Harlow and Romford, her work at Sainsbury's, her family life.
Ivy: Sainsbury's employee at branches in Harlow from 1963. At time of recording was a fresh meat assistant.
Mrs Ramsey: 101 year old customer born circa 1892, who used to shop in the Drury Lane shop as a child with her mother. Topics discussed include her memories of shopping at Sainsbury's with her mother at Drury Lane store in the 1900s, her work in a cotton mill and in France.

Summary of content:
Interview 1, unnamed employee (interview by Bridget Williams):
1980s: Joined Sainsbury in Cash Office. Description of old self service store in Broadwalk, Harlow. Early closing day. Staffing.
1980s/90s: Moving to new store in Harvey Centre in Harlow. General description of new store. Harvey Centre. Cash office in Broadwalk.
1990s: Big new store. Bigger staff, less personal.
1980s/90s: Job titles. Work in personnel.
1990s: Staff numbers in newest store in Harlow.
1980s: Staff numbers in Harvey Centre.
1990s: Trading hours in newest store. Staff turnover. Increased staff levels in newest store. Advantages of newest store.
1950s: Move from Romford to Harlow.
1940s/50s: Memories of Romford counter service shop.

Interview 2, Ivy (interview by Bridget Williams):
1950s: Harlow self service store. Daughter Gillian now working for Sainsbury's in Harlow. Memories of first visit to self service store.
1963: Joined Sainsbury's as employee. Training at Blackfriars. Past workplaces.
1990s: Now fresh meat assistant on fresh meat counter. Job description.
1960s: Service counter in Broadwalk branch. Closing down. Change in Broadwalk branch after closure of service counter.
1990s: Opening of service counter in newest Harlow store. Comparison of skills 1960s v 1990s.
1950s: Ivy's children. Leaving Gillian in pram outside. 1950s moving to Harlow. Description of Harlow and new house.
Interview 2 continued on side 2:
1950s: Houses in new towns given to men with jobs in new towns.
1990s: Comparison between first self service store and new supermarket.
1950s: Eange of goods- no non-foods. Service shop in Romford. Opinion of new store in Harvey Centre. Comparison with newest supermarket in Harlow.
1990s: Advantages of newest supermarket.

Interview 3, Mrs Ramsey (interview by Karen Fielder, interviewed c. 1992):
Early 1900s: discussing interior of Drury Lane shop.
1897/98: Foods in shop. Staff numbers. Opening in morning.
Early 1900s: Other shops. Working in cotton mills in north of England. Working in London hotels. Living conditions in London.
1920s: Getting married and moving to France. Giving English lessons. Husband a school teacher.
Late 19th century/early 20th century: Talks about Sainsbury in general.