MICHAEL PRITT |
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Surname
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Pritt
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Forename
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Michael
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Date of recording
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Nov 2013
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Year of birth
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1946
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Place of Birth
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Aldeburgh
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Occupation
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Hotelier (Wentworth)
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Fathers occupation
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Hotelier
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Present Address
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Aldeburgh
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Location Interview
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Aldeburgh
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Interviewer
Summary |
Doreen Bartlett
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Duration
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40 Mins
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No of tracks: 3
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Track 1 (17 secs) Introduction
Track 2 (31. 39) Overview of history of hotel. Mentions first family owner, (Grandfather) George Cornwallis Pritt, WW2 army training occupation, seasonal opening. Memories of New Year’s Eve party, 1975 onwards move towards increase short stay holidays & more leisure time. All year opening. John Atwood, Margaret (not local) senior staff members. Activity during close season. Staff recruitment via The Lady. Recruitment of chefs. Today’s pattern of recruiting from abroad. Difficulties of recruiting locally. Roger Riley – changes in shift patterns. Staff accommodation. Evidence of military occupation – black out kits, magazines, letters. Changes in style & type of accommodation. (edit background noise). Describes specific incident of military action based at hotel. Extended memories of Festival and Festival Club. Mentions Joyce Grenfell, Johnny Dankworth, Cleo Laine, Julian Bream, Yehudi Menhuin, Janet Baker royalty, etc etc.. Silver name plaques for dining chairs – reads names of “celebrities” . (background noise). Childhood memories of 1953 floods – floating cars in garage, high water mark, flooding of wine cellar – selling of “damaged” wine. Memories of golfers at the bar. Hotel’s relationship to fishing industry on beach. Memories of Billy Burrell’s business. Decline of fishing industry. Purchase of local fish for restaurant. (background noise) Reflects on changes in High Street. Decline in food shops and rise of clothes shops. Mentions Stebbings. Brief reference to Aldeburgh Business Association. Reflections of distinctiveness of Wentworth including enduring values and standards. Part of traditional hotel market. Thoughts about the future. Account of personal career path. Mentions Norfolk hotelier, Hugh Castle. College career and training at Kimberley Hall (nr Wymondham), hotel officer in Caribbean (with a tan). (edit). Reflects on early days of career at Wentworth. Programme of hotel modernisation. Story about chefs walking out. Track 3 (5.29) Story about Lions Club function. Mentions local butcher Arthur Kerry (Cary?). Reflections on changes in character and skills of chefs. Hotel history prior to 1920. Mentions North Lodge @ North Lodge Cottage. Story about unpopularity of previous owner Mr Driver. Hotel previously known as Wentworth Castle Hotel. Connections to Vernon Wentworths of Wentworth Castle in South Yorkshire. |