behp0230-dave-davis-summary

SIDE ONE

Born 1921, small mining village in South Wales, Troed Y Rhiw. Local schooling, local grammar, came to stay with his uncle after leaving at 16. His parents told him if he could get a job he could stay in London, otherwise to return home. Got a job in a carpet factory. He then tried for a job with the Road Research Laboratory (Bath Road) but there wasn’t really a job that was of any interest to him; they suggested “try Technicolor down the road”, which he did and started work there in 1938 for £2 a week less 1 shilling and threepence National Insurance. His job was clerical, but he was persuaded to join the Terriors [Territorial Army] and was called up in 1939. Demobbed in 1946 he returned to Technicolor at £6 a week in the Production Control Section. In 1950 he was made Production Supervisor. He talks at length about the job he did, and the record system that was evolved over the years. He talks about the print orders that were going through the plant.

SIDE TWO

He talks about the complex arrangements to make a print for various foreign versions. He then talks about the first attempt to computerise the records system, but the experts weren’t able to produce the correct program to cope with the very complex details required. However, when he saw what J. Sainsbury were doing, he proposes a variation on their system, which has now come into being but it took two years to achieve. It started in 1984 and was fully operational when he retired in 1985. He looks back over his career starting on £2 a week and ending on £12,000 a year. He talks about his continental connections.

SIDE THREE

He continues to talk about these connections with an amusing story about the Warner Brothers Paris representative and various other stories of European reps. He has an amusing story to tell about going to see Out of Africa at the local cinema. He finishes talking about the trip he took to Los Angeles and his retirement.

END