Audio recording and transcript of interview with Sainsbury's veterans Mr T.R. Welham and Mr G. Harrison for BBC TV 'History of Retailing'

Ref. No: SA/HIS/1/1/4
Format: Recorded media physical/non-physical
Date: [1980s-2000s]
Level: File
Extent: 4 digital audio recordings, 2 audio cassettes, 2 compact discs, 1 transcript (summary page only)
Access: Closed

Pensions Radio coverage Self-service stores Company history Trolleys Counter service stores Car parks Training Trade unions Staff Industrial relations

Recording and transcript of BBC interview of T.R. Welham and G. Harrison relating to their employment in Sainsbury's stores from the 1920s to 1950s and experiences as store managers.
Summary of content:
202A:
1920s: Christmas preparations. Working in shop as 14 year old. Egg boy. Game. Market shops. Biscuits.
1927/28: Biscuits. Huntley and Palmers. Peek Freans. Chiltonians. Grocery.
1928: Luton branch. Description of interior. Training at Blackfriars [Sainsbury's head office complex]. Meat department, chopping meat. Working hours. Wages. Discipline. Cutting down meat. Window dressing. Dairy window displays. Sales of lamb. Selling butter, margarine. Weekend trade. Payment of wages.
1928 (approximate): Weighing up 56lbs of butter and lard. Selling to customers. Sales technique. Product knowledge. Sardines. Tea. First hand. Staff pecking order. Female workers.
1928: References to Frosts, Home & Colonial, Maypole Hygiene [other food stores].
202B:
1920s/1930s: Layout of shops, description of foods. Working hours. Start of pension scheme. meals at work. Christmas. Unions. Rates of pay. Mr JB Sainsbury. Mr Jones supervisor. SE Smith. Mr Alan Sainsbury. Mr RJ Sainsbury. Staff numbers. Cooked meat departments. York hams.
1930s: Living in. Oxford, Cambridge colleges. Deliveries.
1940s/50s: Change to self-service. Marylebone, Croydon, Eastbourne, Debden.
1950s: Marylebone, 9-11 Croydon. Self service. Mr RJ Sainsbury. Mr Alan Sainsbury. Self service training. Lewisham. Oxford. Lewisham. Bristol. Tommy Reeves. Skills. Meat in self service stores. Maypole. Co-op.
1930s: Competition. Thoroughgoods [food retailer taken over by Sainsbury's]. Norman Hayes.
1950s: Competition. Tesco. 9-11 Croydon. Early self service. Trolleys. Car parks.
1930s: Christmas. Holloway Rd. Frank Sainsbury. Gants Hill. Mr JB Sainsbury. Berkhamsted. Wages.
various dates: Trading stamps. Start of self service. Refrigeration. York of Shipley. Customer loyalty. Tipping. Departments in manual shop.