Video recording of interview with Wally Beauchamp (retired industrial relations manager at Basingstoke) and Arthur Waller (retired manager in personnel department)

Video recording of interviews of former Sainsbury's employees Arthur Waller and Wally Beauchamp. Interviewed by Bridget Williams (Sainsbury's Archives) at the Royal Lancaster Hotel.

Arthur Waller: Joined Sainsbury's in 1932, initially in Retail Sales Office. After the Second World War he worked in the personnel department at head office.
Wally Beauchamp: Started work at Sainsbury's in 1968 as industrial relations manager at Basingstoke depot.

Video 1998.0441 summary of content:
1. Arthur Waller discussing how he started at Sainsbury's: Joined Sainsbury's in March 1932. Interviewed at Headmaster Association by a member of Sainsbury's. Worked in Retail Sales Office responsible for making order for departments each week until 1939. Can't remember much about interview. Six years serving in war. When he returned from war service had to go on rehabilitation course. He asked to go into the Personnel Department in the recruitment section.
2. Wally Beauchamp discussing how he started at Sainsbury's: Worked 9 and half years as an official for the Transport and General Workers Union before joining Sainsbury's. Had experience of working with Sainsbury's line management. Invited to Blackfriars to attend an interview with Simon Sainsbury and Mr Miller. Offered Industrial Relations Manager job at Basingstoke. Within 6 months first strike in 100 years about trade union recognition of inter-union conflict. Opportunity with Sainsbury's to apply his managerial knowledge. Communist politics infiltrating the trade union movement which he did not agree with.
3. Arthur Waller discussing personnel department at Sainsbury's: Two women who had been employed during the SWW left shortly after Arthur joined. Personnel Manager and Education and Training Officer appointed plus a receptionist and doctor. Recruitment of shop assistants and porters. Interviewed factory staff initially. Head Office staff interviewed by office manager. Describes the criteria for staff recruitment including appearance and personality.
4. Wally Beauchamp discussing personnel matters at Basingstoke depot: Depots and warehouses mainly staffed by men. Basingstoke had a packing department with a large group of women employed. Difficulties in recruitment due to reputation of hard working depot. High turn over of staff.
5. Arthur Waller discussing changes in retail work and its perception including changes as a result of self service (with some comments from Wally Beauchamp): Retail recruitment and retention of staff. Retail was not popular due to the hours. The introduction of self-service made recruitment easier. Talking about recruiting young women for new stores who would have to stay away from home in the hostel. Attractive and competitive wages. Wages Council set the minimum wage at various ages. Sainsbury's wage scale ahead of this. Junior Managers sent on retail training schemes. Recruits varied.
6. Wally Beauchamp discussing management opportunities in the depots: Depots developed in 1960s. Management regarded by staff as ex-army unit work study backgrounds and introduced new distribution systems.
7. Arthur Waller and Wally Beauchamp discussing work studies to make depots more efficient: Arthur- involved in recruitment of work study group. Wally - Sainsbury's interest in work study was needed to establish an efficient distribution system.
8. Arthur Waller discussing changes to personnel over time: Men recruited for shops across the UK and had to live in staff hostels until 1939. Post 1945 accomodation available but prefered to take local people. Maida Vale Hostel. Providing accomodation was expensive. Introduced Approved Landladys system.
9. Wally Beauchamp discussing changes in work in retail industry including in buying department. (continued in 1998.0442)
Video 1998.0442 (continuation from 1998.0441) summary of content:
Wally - Longevity of service common among staff. Barcoding.
Arthur- Decentralisation personnel. Women Personnel Officers introduced. Introduction of Area Offices. Women Personnel Officers to recruit staff and deal with personnel matters on site. Providing a service for management.
[10' 00"] Wally -Industrial relations. Joined in 1968 as Industrial Relations Manager at Basingstoke. Workstudy based incentive schemes. Steve Cody Depot Manager. Strike in late 1960s over bonus. Introduction of contractors. Achievements Joint Consultative Committees.
[20' 12"] Arthur - 1948 travelled to Northern Ireland for recruitment of school leavers. National Service impacted on recruitment. Senior Training Scheme for ex-National Service men.
[23' 33"] Women and introduction of self-service. Long service of staff. Responsible for organising the 25 Club. First job in the office extending debit notes that went to the branches. Moved onto the Sales Office. Open mind when he returned from National Service. Rehabilitation course. 21st birthday maximum on payment scale. Achievements of his career were that he was fair as a manager. Anecdote about a female member of staff's new pants being thrown onto the bacon rail.
(the end of the interview is on video 1998.0463, see SA/HIS/1/2/5/3).

One additional (non-digitized) video tape is also included in this file but this may be a duplicate.