Oral History collection: Mrs Eunice Williams (nee Evans) (born 14 Feb. 1921) interviewed by Julie Barnett and Sue Northcotte about her memories of growing up in Pontardawe.

Track 1. [00:00:08] Personal Details: Eunice Williams, b 14/2/21, Pontardawe. [00:01:00] Housing: No domestic water supply; standpipe up road. [00:03:04] Industry: Father's work: sheet mills , Pontardawe. [00:03:21] Leisure: Fair - on location of current (1980s) Workingman's Club. [00:04:55] Canals: Interviewee's aunt remembers painted barges on Canal. [00:05:34] Barge Transport: Use of horse-drawn barges as public transport: 6d one-way, Pontardawe to Ynysmeudwy[00:?] carnival, early 1930s[00:?]. [00:07:10] Leisure: Carnival. [00:11:00] Armed Forces: Army & Navy canteen in basement of what became Labour Exchange. [00:13:55] Industry: Blacksmiths located opposite old location Of Co-operative on hill; blacksmiths in operation in 1920s. [00:14:30] Retail: Interviewee worked as draper for 5 years from age of 14: war, went into munitions work. [00:16:00] Munitions: Munitions work or forces; daily travel to Bridgend, 4.30am out of house. [00:17:40] Industry: Migration from Pontardawe, industries decline. [00:18:50] Industry: Interviewee's husband work location by now non-extant canal. [00:21:45] Industry: Respect between owners and workers in Pontardawe and Swansea Valley: much better than Port Talbot and Afan Valley (interviewer's statement, not interviewee's). [00:23:20] Depression: Debts to retailers; most of draper's sales on credit. [00:23:59] Industrial Clothing: Tinworkers aprons made of white duck, heat retardant (RN trouser material). Moleskin trousers. [00:24:34] Retail: Most clothing bought and made locally. [00:25:30] Retail: Co-operative bespoke facilities. [00:25:40] Wages: Apprenticeships: First year unpaid, Second year 5/0d pw, fifth year 8/0d pw. [00:26:05] Retail: Silk stockings 2/0d per pair, late 1930s; lisle 1/0d. [00:27:08] Wages: Interviewee's father; chimney sweep, 2/6d each, in 1930s. [00:29:00] Credit: Paid Co-op quarterly, latterly bi-annually. [00:30:02] Industry: No truck shops in local Pontardawe industry at this time. [00:35:18] Housing: Most people rented, or sub-let. [00:39:32] Education: School ages (5-14). [00:43:35] Workhouse: Tan -y-Bryn[00:?]; poor treatment. [00:44:24] Children's Homes: Bryncoch: children taken from parents.