Recorded Memories

Mr & Mrs Bateman Interviews. October 1998.

A variety of jobs in the hosiery including full time union rep and other memories 1934-1980s:‘Most of the bosses were working me who saved enough money to buy a set of machines…’

‘Went to [union] meeting about full fashioned, I opened me mouth, I didn’t agree with what the union was doing.  When I got back to the factory the blokes decided I’d got to be their representative’

Mr and Mrs Bateman encouraged their own children with their studies – working in the hosiery was never an option. Ray worked at various places after the war, his ambition after leaving the air force after WW2 was to own his own firm.

He worked at Tomlin’s where he was asked if he would go on a course to learn to become a fully fashioned knitwear mechanic but due to opposition he left this job.  He was, however, asked by a mechanic at Peach’s if he would like to take up a job there as a mechanic.  At this time he was going to Hinckley Tech to learn the ‘mechanicking’ on finishing machines.  After four days he’d had enough because of the state that the machines were in but was encouraged to stay on by Sid Peach, the boss – he was given an extra £1 a week. The Peach family were very involved in the Methodist chapel on New Buildings, and father and son would often be found at the chapel when not in the factory. 

Peach’s original factory was situated on Stockwell Head, where the tile shop was (at the time of the interview).  The front entrance of the tile shop gave access to the Warehouseman’s Union and they also used the room upstairs for meetings.  Peach’s factory was at the back of this.  The National Union of Hosiery Workers office was situated opposite in what was F E Downes building yard (at the time of the interview). Ray worked very hard while at Peach’s and Sid Peach gave him the opportunity of buying him out when he decided to sell up but unfortunately Ray could not afford to do this.  After leaving Peach’s he worked for the Electric Company on Nutts Lane, from there he worked for Midland Red as a mechanic and then went back into the hosiery and learned to work Bentley fully fashioned knitting machines.  He could earn £23-£24 a week.

The ‘bottom dropped out of fully fashioned’.  Ray spent one week on the dole and went back to Atkins working on B5s.  He was producing up to 20-30 dozen more stockings than other knitters because he knew the ‘short cuts’ and where possible did his own mechanicking.  He was also able to help an older man. While at Atkins he became involved in union work – he was nominated for District Council for a year then sat on the National Committee followed by the Executive which he did for 10 years.