Oral history recording of Mrs Downing and Mrs Mepham

Oral history recording of Mrs Downing and Mrs Mepham (former Sainsbury's employees in Brighton). Interviewed by unidentified male interviewer.

Winnie Downing - started at 66 Brighton office. Worked for Sainsbury's for five years.
Mrs Mepham - Worked at Sainsbury's in Brighton from 1914 to 1923.

Summary of content:
129_A Winnie Downing started with Sainsbury at 66 Brighton office. Cash up 3 times a day. Started as Junior, two years later became First Clerk. Left Sainsbury's after 5 years. Hard work. Work was pleasant. Still in touch with work colleagues. Manager had a good reputation as being fair. branch kept open during the Second World War. Rationing. Shopping by employees in Sainsbury's wasn't approved of. Lived at home with mother. Sad moments - loss of two brothers who worked in the shop were lost in action. Not encouraged to know anyone quite well. Relief work at 3 branches in Brighton. Next job in solicitors office. Easier work than Sainsbury's, less particular work. Job involved ensuring sufficient change in tills. Late nights no restricting hours. Started 8am, sometimes not home until 10pm. Worked 5 and half days except Wednesday afternoon and Sundays. c.50 hours a week. Solicitors started 9.30am - 5.30pm a dream in comparison to Sainsbury's. Incident when Area Superintendent reprimanded the staff for repeated short stocks. Stock taking once a month on a Saturday. Work hard as unemployment was common. Fear of getting sacked.

129_B Mrs Mepham [14.00] Met husband at Sainsbury's. Husband worked in bacon department. Customers' complaints. Different cuts of meat for servants of houses. John James. Worked for Sainsbury's 9 years. Housekeeper and maid in staff accommodation. 6 or 7 boys lived in. First World War Brighton. Interviewee 97 years old. Self-service. Queues. Rationing. Parcel of items made up that were difficult to get. 3 drivers and 3 horses pulling carts. Development of grocery departments. Rationing 1916. Husband joined Sainsbury c.1920. Previously at Norbury. Left Sainsbury's after 3 years. Left to join father who had a bakery.