Audio recording of Ron Topp and Arthur Waller (staff at Sainsbury's head office) interview

Audio recording of oral history interview of Ron Topp and Arthur Waller about working at Sainsbury's head office "Blackfriars" from the 1930s to 1960s including about colleagues, managers and the Sainsbury family. Interviewed by Bridget Williams as part of her research for "The Best Butter in the World: A History of Sainsbury's".

Summary of content:
26_A/28_A: Retail Sales Office; Wholesale Office. Explanation of stock taking and short stock procedure. Sales office department sales sheets. Pre 1939 weekly turnaround. Seasonal impact on volume of stock. Ordering from McVities and Jacobs. Packing department. Stamford House [main head office building at Blackfriars] layout lower basement cheese; lower ground floor stores department; south end cream cheese and eggs; first floor grocery parking department north end; despatching; second floor north end canned goods; opposite side canned goods overflow tea department; third floor north end poultry and mechanised accounts department. 1930s delivery service by van or bicycle paid for by monthly customers accounts. First introduction of mechanisation. Canteen. Health and welfare at work - caretaker sprayed disinfectant like substance. Arthur: employees given small bottle of milk every day. Ron: Strict rules regarding toilet breaks and being late. Discipline. Wanted to join branch when left school. His father was manager of Wood Green branch. Got job at Head Office. Relationship between head office and branches. Started in Atkins office and transferred to stock office. Returned 1946 - offices moved out of London during Second World War. Pre-war shops had accommodation Cockfosters had 6 large bedrooms and able to fit retail sales office. Mechanisation. Murray Accountant report on mechanisation c.1947. Letter from Mr R.J. Sainsbury post 1945 explaining new salary scale. £350 a year plus £25 bonus persuaded Arthur Waller to return after the Second World War. Personnel.

26_B/28_B: Arthur Waller: Sainsbury always centralised. Interviewed at Headmaster's Association in Tuttle Street. Mr Watten-Clerk (sp?) and J.W. Smith education and training officer. Rehabilitation course. Ron Topp seconded to chief accounts office post Second World War. Max Justice appointed Senior Executive Meat and Poultry. Saturday afternoon staff would play football, tennis and cricket in Dulwich. Swimming gala. Sports day at Dulwich Mondays. Tommy Atkins. Fred Salisbury development of Dulwich. Discipline. Whit Monday 1923 first sport event at Dulwich Ron Topp was a baby at the event. Closing of Drury Lane. John Benjamin Sainsbury's management style. Role of PA in business.

27_A/29_A Arthur Waller: Personnel Manager recruitment; plus progress officer and resettlement officer post 1945. Recruitment difficult. Introduced Senior Training Scheme. Training school at Blackfriars. Various training schedules for different roles. Development of induction with audio visual materials, allowed standardisationn across the company. Women Personnel Officers. Training for self-service stores. Wrapping and pricing manually done 1950. Discussion of Croydon, Lewisham, Southampton. Arthur Waller week long store visits/inductions with senior managers including J.B., Timothy, Simon, Derek Sainsbury. Ron Topp: Christmas poultry allocation controlled from Blackfriars. 1957 restructured management grade: Junior Managers; Middle Managers; Senior Executive. c.1960 introduction of 5 day week at Blackfriars.