Surname
|
Hollister
|
Forename
|
Glyn
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Date of recording
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Mar 2009
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Year of birth
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1931
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Place of Birth
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Aldeburgh
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Occupation
|
Architect
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Fathers occupation
|
Architect
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Present Address
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Thorpeness
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Location Interview
|
Thorpeness
|
Interviewer
Summary |
Colin Fletcher
|
Duration
|
5 Mins
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No of tracks: 9
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This recording consists of 9 tracks.
Track 1 [14 secs] Introduction by Colin Fletcher. Interviewing Glyn Hollister at Thorpeness on 13th March 2009. Track 2 [10 mins] Describes how his parents moved to Aldeburgh from South Wales during the depression. Is father worked at Reades as an estimator. He was born at Aldeburgh Hospital in the High Street in 1931. Describes how his parents rented a house in Saxmundham Road from the Ricards. Describes how in 1934 his father built a house further up at 137 Saxmundham Road where he lived for the next fourteen or so years. Describes his grandparents who lived in Swansea and describes how the family used to holiday on the Gower Peninsular and still do so today. Describes how his father bought some land, previously Reade's dump, and built a small bungalow, this is now Springfield Road. Describes how his father later bought some more land and built a bungalow in Linden Road where his parents spent their final years. Mentions that he still owns this bungalow and rents it out. Describes how his father used to walk to work from Saxmundham Road to Reade's offices in the High Street, and return home at lunchtime, when he would have a hot meal and return to work all in one hour. Mentions that during the war his father was not called up as he had a 'reserved occupation'. Reades built pill boxes and also worked on aerodromes nearby. Describes how his father used to design many houses in Aldeburgh. Mentions that during the war the family had two or three soldiers' wives lodging with them and one of the husbands was a guy called Earnshaw who was an illustrator for magazines. Describes how this man and his father's artistic talents inspired him and he wanted to become an art teacher. Track 3 [10 mins] Describes the houses that his father used to design and mentions that Reades kept all the plans. Mentions that his father designed the arcade in Butchers shop. Also mentions that he (Glyn) used to colour in the plans for his father. Describes how he started training as an architect in an architect's office but when his family came along he returned to Reades as he needed more money. Mentions that he worked for Reades when he left school and returned to them after his National Service. Describes the town carnivals before the war and mentions Miss Fowler, a lady from the Gas showroom who was a carnival queen and also Nancy Reade. Mentions that he used to play football and cricket. Remembers that they did not travel much as his parents did not own a motor car. Describes befriending a young lad called Ivan Gibbs when he was about six. Mentions that he saw Ivan walking across the fields with a brick in his hand and he asked him what he was doing. Ivan replied that he 'was going rabbiting'. Also mentions another friend, Colin Watson. Describes the High Street during the war and mentions Lucy Pilgrim's toy shop opposite where the cinema now stands, and also that there was a canteen where the post office now stands where you could get cheap meals. Describes his school days at Aldeburgh Primary and mentions various teachers, Miss Cooper, Miss Marsh - a very strict lady, Miss King and mentions that Mr.Witham was the headmaster. Describes that during the war the school was evacuated to Worksop, but his family wanted him to continue with his education and he was sent to an Aunt in Birmingham, whose daughter was a teacher (thinks he was about eight or nine years old). Remembers seeing all the barrage balloons over Birmingham. Mentions that after about six weeks Coventry was blitzed and then Birmingham and he moved back to Aldeburgh. Describes how he continued his education in Aldeburgh with the help of a lady called Mrs Harris who was an ex teacher and she taught him for two hours every afternoon. Describes how eventually the children who had been evacuated returned to Aldeburgh and the school reopened. Mentions that he always wanted to be first in the class but Brian Smith always beat him to it. Mentions that he passed the scholarship to Grammar School. Track 4 [10 mins] Describes the Thompson scholarship and that it was awarded to the most outstanding student. The scholarship was usually used to pay for tools etc. to set a student up in an apprenticeship but it could also be used to pay school fees. Mentions that during that time people could pay for their children to attend the grammar school. Mentions John Salter and Brian Ward. Describes the school as being very good and he attained the School Certificate and the Higher School Certificate. Mentions a young lad by the name of Steve who came from Cretingham and who lodged with Glyn and his family. Describes how they were like brothers and were great friends. Mentions that they lost touch when Glynn did his National Service and Steve joined the Merchant Navy and eventually settled in New Zealand. Mentions that he went to New Zealand about ten years ago and met up with Steve and they still keep in touch. Describes the beach during the war and mentions that it was mined apart from a small area by the lifeboat station. Mentions that he was not allowed on to the beach. Describes the concrete blocks that were put along the beach. Describes how soldiers were billeted in houses in Aldeburgh. Mentions that he always wanted to be a spitfire pilot. Remembers the bombs dropping on Aldeburgh and mentions one instance when he was walking down Church Hill with his mother when the sirens went off and they heard the German bombers. Describes how he and his mother laid flat on the ground, his mother laying on top of him. Remembers seeing all the loose stones in the ground 'dancing' and realised that a bomb had dropped very nearby. Describes leaving school and working for Reades for a year and then doing his National Service. Mentions that the Air Force paid for him to attend evening classes and have lessons in architecture. Track 5 [10 mins] Describes leaving the Air Force and working in an architect's office but he did not get paid much and eventually returned to Reades. Describes dances at the Jubilee Hall and mentions that there was always a live band. Mentions Marcell Taylor who was the M.C. and also Peter Clarke who played the saxophone. Also mentions May Garard's band - she played the piano - and they came from Leiston. Describes how he met his wife Margaret at school when they were about eleven years old. Mentions that they were married in 1950 and lived with their parents until they got a council house in Franklin Road. Mentions that after 2 or 3 years he built a bungalow along the Leiston Road and they moved in there. Also mentions that his two eldest children also went to Leiston Grammar School. Describes getting his first car, a Ford Anglia 105E, when he was 25 years old. Mentions that he taught his father to drive. Describes working at Reades and his first job was general assistant to his father. Freddy Cork was managing director at that time. Mentions that before the war Reades employed 3-400 people. Track 6 [10 mins] Describes how William Reade started the business, calling it William C Reade as he did not like the sound of WC Reade. Describes how William gathered many tradesmen around him and built it up into a thriving business. Mentions that Reades built The Royal George public house, next to the fire station on the Ipswich bypass. Mentions that his workers did nor have high aspirations, they were just happy to get paid, and talks about how they lived different lives then compared to today. Mentions that there was a lot of job satisfaction. Mentions that William Reade did not swear and frowned upon any who did. Mr. Reade was also a County Councillor as well as being on the Board of Governors at the Grammar School. Describes how William Reade owned farming land, where Linden Road is now, and used to let it out for agricultural use.. Remembers when William Reade started to sell of this land to local people who built their own homes - describes him as being a 'benefactor' and helping local people own their own homes. Describes his first encounter with Mr. Reade when he had just left school and had started working at Reades' offices with his father. Mr. Reade said 'Have you come here to help us out of all our troubles then boy'. He later met Mr. Reade at the bottom on Church Hill when he was on his way to work and unfortunately had a puncture, Mr. Reade admonished him for being late. Remembers another incident when Bert Kemp was putting a panel up in a house and turned the screw too tightly and the whole panel cracked. Mr Reade said' You'd better go home then lad' and the poor chap did not know whether he should come back the following day for work. Track 7 [10 mins] Describes Reades doing a lot of work for the National Heritage at Colchester and mentions that they had flint workers, stonemasons, electricians, roofers, someone who made leaded lights, glaziers, plumbers, painters, tilers and plasterers. Describes Reades as helping local people as they had so many trades under one roof. Mentions that they built Snape Maltings twice, and remembers Freddy Corke being introduced to the Queen. Describes how they moved a Grade Listed Tudor House, taking it to pieces and rebuilding it further up a hill, as they valley it stood in was going to be flooded to make way for a reservoir. This was in Sussex and remembers taking lots of photos and drawing lots of plans. They also refurbished the Martello Tower at Slaughden. Remembers selling off one of their yards to a developer, this was where Mariners Way is now. Describes Reades offices being built in the High Street. Describes how he was made a Director of the company before he was 40 years old and then became Managing Director when Freddy was made Chairman. Remembers in the early days when he first started working there, the builders gave him a lot of help and advice when he was designing houses and extensions. Remembers the first house he designed was a bungalow, very simple and he also liked designing fire places using all the ornamental bricks that came from the brickworks. Mentions that Reades houses were thought of very highly and so to were the apprentices and workers. Track 8 [10 mins] Talks about today's buildings and how easy it is to get planning permission these days. Remembers how people used to buy a cheap piece of land and come to him to design and build their houses. Remembers he used to arrange their mortgages and build according to how much money they could borrow. Mentions that sometimes the people would get a discount if they did their own decorating. Remembers that his first mortgage for his bungalow was 4 ¼ %. Remembers that Aldeburgh Borough Council used to give out mortgages for local people. Mentions Bill Owen the Rating Officer. Mentions that when Aldeburgh lost its Council status one of the last things they did was to build The Plantation. Talks briefly about his son-in-law who was a Building Inspector at High Wycombe. Remembers playing football on the Mayor's Field, and mentions that the pitch sloped downwards. Remembers playing Orford, Yoxford, Snape and Dennington. Mentions that he broke his arm playing football and later much preferred to play hockey. Remembers playing cricket for Thorpeness and Leiston. Also mentions that Reades belonged to an organisation called Building Employers Federation and he played cricket for this organisation as well. Track 9 [6.26 mins] Continues to talk about cricket and mentions that he used to run Aldeburgh Boys Football, the boys were up to 13 years old, through the Rotary Club. Mentions that the Rotary Club run and annual marathon here and they managed to raise £10-12,000 for charity. Looks back over the years and describes how Aldeburgh has changed and the children now play computer games and want cars at 17 years old now instead of playing out. Mentions that he has been on the Board of Governors for Leiston High School and Suffolk College. Mentions his great grandchildren and that his son, 54, has recently retired from his post as Superintendent for the Suffolk Police. |