Audio recording of Mr R.J. Sainsbury interview

Oral history recording of Robert Sainsbury. Interviewed by Bridget Williams (Sainsbury's Archives).

Talking about his grandparents John James Sainsbury and Mary Ann Sainsbury. Story of his grand mother buying a Rolls Royce. Story of grandmother going into the Royal Enclosure at Goodwood. Describes his grandfather as a puritan. Succession of male family members. Family matters. Sister. Frank Sainsbury. Puritan family standards and morality. Advice from father. Mr Allan. Grandfather and grandmother's attitude when shopping in branches. Wartime bulletins. Physical difficulties of staffing the branches during the war. Marylebone bombed. Fire at cold stores. Story of arriving at fire on fire engine. Wartime job in domestic situation. Wife went to Canada for operation. Spent worst night of war in hotel. Distribution through depots. Allan, Fred Salisbury role involved food and distribution. R.J.'s role involved administration and personnel Recruitment of women to replace men. Greatest achievement points system for customers. Government rationing based on Sainsbury's system. Story of rumour of coffee being rationed. Not much to do with the Ministry of Labour. War damage, at least one incident per night. Dormitory and food in basement for staff. Standards of labour during the Second World War. Quantities, rationing. Sense of loyalty during the war. Women unable to lift heavy weights. No porters. Warehousemen.

145B Factory Act V Sainsbury note re women lifting weights. Remained as Director in Sainsbury's. Father's retirement. 1938 joint General Manager with brother. Joined Sainsbury in 1930 age 24 after Cambridge and qualified as accountant. Worked in Mr Langham's office Secretary and Chief Accountant. Sorry of how he became Mr R.J. Mr Roberts deputy to Langham took over when Langham died. R.J. threatened to leave. Mr R.J. became Secretary and Mr Roberts Chief Accountant. Jim Woods. Created Personnel department. Invented Red Buttons. Problems dealt with including difficult managers, angry parents, homosexuality. Red Buttons introduced c.1934. Proficiency payments. Dismissal procedure. Greatest achievement Conditions of Work document for employees returning from war service. Reduction of working hours. Overtime introduced 1941. Self-service supermarkets. Didn't employ married women if they couldn't work the week. Shift-work today. checkouts. Alan Sainsbury and Fred Salisbury trip to US. Administration of checkouts when introduced. Staff reaction to self-service. 9-11 Croydon was small. Story of father's reaction to development of self-service. Father didn't believe in meetings. Understood developments. Father committed suicide. Personal recollections as family man. Father a Victorian. [goes silent 27.25] Investment company. Freehold. Reason became public company needed the money to develop. Sacrificed a great deal to keep it private. Strength of Sainsbury's still controlled by the family.