Joe Pinkney

Ann Bray shares her memories of her Dad

In the recording Ollie Taylor talks to Ann Bray, Joe Pinkney’s daughter.

Sadly the sound in this clip is indistinct in parts but we have uploaded the interview anyway, for record purposes.

Joe worked at Fielding & Platt from the 1920s to the 1960s.  As a Fitter, he spent a lot of time working away, both in the UK and abroad.  He didn’t talk much about his job but Ann remembers him being very proud of the work he did.

Ann recalls one trip when he went to Winnipeg in Canada to sort out a problem on a machine.  He was working there for three months and during that time Jim Fielding visited her Mum to reassure her that all was well with Joe, as they didn’t have a telephone then so her Dad couldn’t keep in touch with them.

Arrangements were also made for another employee who lived near Joe’s home, to deliver his pay packet to Ann’s Mum each Friday while he was away.

Ann recalls her Dad’s overseas trips as he always brought back a gift for her and her sister, usually a book or a doll.  He went to Switzerland quite often, as well as Sweden and Holland, and of course the long trip to Canada.  She remembers him bringing home an Edam cheese from Holland and a fur coat for her Mum from Canada.

Ann has fond memories of the Christmas parties and trips to the panto that were organised for the children, as well as the annual trip to the seaside.

Joe did his apprenticeship at Fielding & Platt and spent the majority of his working life there, apart from a two-year period when he went to work for another company in Swansea.  Sadly this break in service meant Joe did not qualify for a long-service award with Fielding & Platt, despite the many years he worked for the company.

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