Oral History collection: Alfred George Clarke (born 24 Nov. 1906) interviewed by Barry Fagg about His work as a ferry-boat man on the Foxhole ferry; Copper works etc. (White Rock) and life in the Lower Swansea Valley.

  • This material is held at
  • Reference
      GB 216 TH 1
  • Dates of Creation
      4 Sep. 1975
  • Language of Material
      English
  • Physical Description
      1 audio recording

Scope and Content

Track 1. [00:00:34] Industry - Copper, Lead, Smelting: White Rock, Hafod, Morfa, Upper Bank. [00:02:07] Foxhole: People living there in the early 1900s. [00:02:50] White Rock Ferry: Stories from working on the ferry. [00:07:51] Foxhole: Foxhole and surrounding area in the 1900's. [00:11:55] Industry - Vivian Phosphorous works: Women working at the manure works. [00:13:28] Sickness and Disease: TB. [00:15:28] Foxhole: Teenage life. [00:16:20] Education: St Thomas school, general school life. [00:18:50] Sickness and Disease: Lead Poisoning from White Rock works. [00:20:01] Industry - Pollution: Pollution in the Swansea Valley. [00:25:15] Industry - Pollution: Coal mining and tips in the Swansea Valley. [00:26:28] White Rock Ferry: Description of working on the ferry.

Track 2. [00:00:10] Industry - Copper works: Collecting urine for works. [00:02:22] Industry - Inshore Trawling and Fishing: Description of trawling for fish and fishing in general. [00:09:53] White Rock Ferry: Description of working on the ferry. [00:13:37] Dylan Thomas: Dylan Thomas. [00:16:07] Family firms and house owning: The activities of the owners of the firms such as the Grenvilles and Vivians. [00:20:03] Bryn Griffths: Poet from Foxhole. [00:20:35] Foxhole: Unemployment in 1920's and 1930's. [00:23:24] Industry - Rearmament: Government factory. [00:23:55] Industry - Vivian Phosphorous works: Description of working at the manure works and transporting the manure on boats. [00:27:03] Industry - Dry Docks: Working at the dry docks and repairing the boats. [00:29:25] Industry - Smiths Canal: Description of Smiths canal. [00:31:00] Industry - Trains in Swansea valley: Description of the use of trains in the Swansea valley.