Taped interviews conducted by Kenneth Richardson, a former history lecturer at Lanchester Polytechnic, Coventry, and his research assistants. Some of these were made during research for his book 'Twentieth Century Coventry' commissioned and published by the City Council in 1972.
Also includes files and correspondence relating to the publication of the book and to a research project undertaken by Richardson on the social history of the British Motor Car Industry.
These recordings are a valuable resource for those interested in the history of Coventry during the 20th century. People interviewed included major figures in the industries that thrived in the city during the 19th and 20th centuries such as car manufacture, aeroplanes, engineering, bicycles, motorbikes, tractors; and other skills such as watch-making, weaving, and construction. Working and social life is also described – unions, shops, leisure activities, education, religion, people from different backgrounds and communities moving to Coventry for work, local government, politics, different areas of the city, the Second World War.
Some of the employers mentioned include Rootes, Standard, Triumph, Jaguar, British Leyland, Morris, Austin, Rolls Royce, Alvis, Humber, Daimler, British Aircraft Corporation, Hawker Siddeley, Armstrong Whitworth, and Courtaulds.
Please note that the recordings are of mixed quality and some suffer from issues such as background noise during the recording, variable speeds, and other problems associated with the original reel to reel tapes and recording equipment.
The date (if given) for each recording is the date the interview took place.