Audio recording and transcript of Steve Cody interview (Sainsbury's employee 1927 to 1974, distribution manager)

Audio recording and transcript of interview of Steve Cody, employed by Sainsbury's 1927 to 1974 including as distribution manager. Interview by Bridget Williams (Sainsbury's Archives) as part of her research for 'The Best Butter in the World: A History of Sainsbury's' . Topics include the history of distribution and depots at Sainsbury's.

Summary of topics:
Side one (138_A):
1960s?: Buntingford black shed.
1940/50s: Eldorado bombed site.
Before 1960s: problems of lading lorries in Blackfriars. Loading procedures, timings.
1940/50s: small depots in Blackfriars. Collecting goods from docks. Traffic problems.
1950s?: Basingstoke. Charlton. Christmas time.
1950s/60s: Christmas. Contractors' depots. Hoddesdon.
1940s: 5 shilling postal order at Christmas for troops. Money to wives of POWs [prisoners of war]. Company looking after employees/spouses in difficult times.
1960s?: Tendersweet bacon from Haverhill. Hoddesdon, Buntingford.
1940s/50s: Stamford House depots and packing.
? date: First off license. Bob Gingham. Charlton.
Pre-1960s: smoking bacon in Blackfriars. Problems with lorries/police when Blackfriars was a depot. Methods of loading. Work study. Timings for lorries and pick-ups. Methods of loading. Schedules of drops. Early closing days. Charlton opening. PP245s - hand operated trucks. Staff shortages.
general: Keeping track of stock -comparison between pre-computer and now 1990s. Plessey light pen.
1950s? Powers Samas.
general: Computerisation. Smog in London.
1963 snow stopping deliveries in Norwich.
1962/1963 bad winter.
1960s Green Shield stamps. Co-op. Fine Fare. Tesco. Mr RJ Sainsbury.

Side two (138_B):
general: Mr Alan Sainsbury. Tesco. Donations by Sainsbury family. Sainsbury family.
1940s/1950s: usefulness of army training during WW2.
1950s/1960s SC moving back to Blackfriars after opening. Charlton. Gurth Hoyer Miller.
general: Problems with dirty lorries. Relationship with buyers.