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Mr John C |
| Interview Number: 282 |
| Other Interview Material |
| Sex: |
| M |
| Year Of Birth: |
| 1893 |
| Place of Residence: |
| Harrogate |
| Family: |
| 4 brothers, 2 sisters; 1 sister died in infancy, one brother killed at the Somme, one died of diabetes, another of typhoid so became the eldest child. Staff of 7 + gardener but mother spent a lot of time in the nursery and was very affectionate. Father more aloof, affectionate but less demonstrative. |
| Marriage: |
| Married in 1922, with 3 sons all involved in the mill. |
| Housing: |
| Born in 10 bed house with 4 recep. rooms and billiard room in Hughley. Lived in the house for 30 years. |
| Education: |
| Taught carpentry in workshop at mill as a small child then to prep school for 2 years then to public school as boarder, Tonbridge School as he could not get in to Rugby. Did not miss his home life. Some brilliant teachers and excellence at Rugby. Scholarship boys considered as' absolute muck'. Left at 17. Passes entrance exam to Cantab but father insisted he worked for a year full time in mill. After that went on to Cambridge and gained a Science tripos. Graduated after 2 years as had to go into army then took an MA. |
| Parents' Work History: |
| Father was a partner in family firm of Robert Clough, spinners and weavers. Also owned a farm and many houses. |
| Work History: |
| Entered father's mill on spinning side, learning from the bottom. Joined army with a commission for 5 years. Returned to the mill and was taught all aspects of administration. Became a partner in 1922 with 10% share. He received nothing for 10 years as he also shared losses. Firm went public and JS became a Director and remained as Managing Director. |
| Final Occupation: |
| Woollen mill owner- managing director |
| Political Affiliation: |
| Father was a Liberal and made public speeches, mother too though brought up as Tory. JC was a Liberal though cynical about politics from an early age. Father was on Borough and Urban Councils. |
| Religious Background: |
| Chapel in the morning. Father taught at Sunday school but they did not go. His instincts were against non-conformism, its hard ugliness. Preferred beautiful churches. Mother C of E but went to chapel. Grace at meals. |
| Occupational Class: |
| Employers and Managers |
| Leisure Activities: |
| Brass band came to house at Christmas to entertain family. Mother played piano. Thursday parties at houses of different relatives. Father wrote poetry and was a very literate, cultured man. Classic novels, Yorkshire Post. Father took them skating and once to a race meeting. He had a car in 1906, country drives and seaside holidays at Fidale and Falmouth. Parents had a lot of charitable commitments. JC played tennis, rugger at Camb. and was mad on golf. Orchestral concerts at Leeds and Bradford and theatre visits. Saw Tree in 'The Bells'. Lots of entertaining. Ballroom dancing with friends. |
| Health / Childbirth: |
| No reference |
| Miscellaneous: |
| Extensive information on running of household and childrearing and social class. Mother refused to wear black for funerals - saw it as waste of money, 'an abomination'. Seen as a misalliance if son or daughter of a weaver married a spinner. Viewed the Irish as bottom of the pile - 20% of population responsible for 80% of crime in Keighley. 'Filthy dirty and no morals'. |
| Number of pages in Transcript: |
| 96 |
