Audio recording of Jim Woods (employed in Sainsbury's 1932-1975, including as Publicity Manager) interview

Oral history recording of Jim Woods. Interviewed by Bridget Williams as part of her research for 'The Best Butter in the World: A History of Sainsbury's'. Discusses employment at Sainsbury's head office 1930s to 1970s including as PA to Mr Alan Sainsbury and as Advertising Manager.

Summary of content:
77A Paul Sainsbury egg business. Blackfriars. Called up Army Artillery based at Colchester and Long Melford. Worked as Alan Sainsbury's PA pre 1939. Alfred Sainsbury dairy business. Vernon took over grocery buying business. Stamford House office. Personnel department moved. Layout of Stamford House offices and kitchens. Smell of pepper permeated the area. New building at Stamford House. Oliver and Beeching. Saturday morning worked until 12.30 sports clothes allowed. School 2nd floor, mini shop, counters, warehouse. Singelton. Working in staff department. School operational under Norton. Brooke and Blake. Clerk to Brooke and Blake. Holloway store, luncheon vouchers, apron money. Training cutting up butter, sides of bacon. Sampling department. Branch management department. Pigot. Bastey (ph). Flora Parker. Job included writing up the sampling. Sat opposite Miss Cartwright. Job included looking after bacon machine repair man Brutey. Replaced scale plates. Promoted when Bastey left. 1938 Alan Sainsbury's PA. Shop Services department appeared 1937/1938. Lived in Herne Hill. Complaints. Grinstead looked after accounts and bad debts.[Inaudible] Insurance Company. Goldup's (ph) chief assistant Colmer (ph). Superintendents at branches phoned Colmer. Bert Hart(ph) catering. Mrs [inaudible] wrote weekly recipes for game leaflets. Goldup Press Advertising. Mather and Crowther in New Bridge Street. Ken Morse. Sir Frances Mennel (ph). Leonard Beaumont Design Consultant. Promotion from Alan's PA to Merchandising Manager. Brand name Selsa. Own brand instant coffee post 1945. Ray Headlow (ph).

77B Albertus font house style. Designed tins for salmon. Designed posters for vans. Three little pigs. Blue caddy lady. Beaumont. Brand names being rejuvenated Cremos Crelos. Shop fronts rebranded with Albertus font. Everything to be written in Albertus. Illegible in some examples. Obsession with Albertus. W.C. Gurr (ph) Bank Manager. Printers King and Jarrett Hopton Street. Slogans. For tea and other lovers. Egg cards. Imported eggs 20 for 1 shilling. [Recording resumes 13.05] Interviewed Mr RJ Sainsbury just before he became Company Secretary. Ted Farrell. Shop hours changed. Trading hours and shopping hours. Retail Sales Office RJ Sainsbury handed out pay envelopes. Atkins. Ravenhill. Batthams (ph) Sales Office. Johnson ledger office. Handled meat buying. Murray. Mechanisation. Punch card system. Fred Salisbury.

78A driver to Mr Shipsides. Fred Salisbury. Joke about a set of compasses being found in pies. Guinea fowl. Poultry sent directly to Stamford House and inspected by poultry buyer. RJ interviews for pay rise. Career path down to circumstances as opposed to aim. JB letters show concern for staff development. [reading letters] [recording resumes 11.02] CIS international chain store operation annual conference in London 1963. UK representative. After retirement Grocers' Federation EEC food regulations. Merchandising Manager. Wilf Marsden. Daily Bulletin. Harrison grocery buyer. Television advertising. Commercial broadcasting. Max Justice broiler chickens television campaign for chicken. US trip. Tomatoes.