Title:
Oral history interview with Richard Carter, 26 November 2015
Level: Category
Sound Archive
Level: Fonds
CLAVERING LANDSCAPE HISTORY GROUP
Level: Series
Oral History Project
Scope and Content:
Interview with Richard Carter about his life in Clavering.

[00:00:] His early life and first homes lived in; story of family inheriting Homefarm and moving to Homefarm Bungalow [High Street]; his father's work as builder, his partners and colleagues; his maternal grandparents, Daniel and Elizabeth Morgan, who first owned Homefarm.
[06:05:] His paternal grandparents, Mr and Mrs Edgar Carter, who ran and lived at the Fox and Hounds pub [High Street]; how his parents met; his maternal grandmother's family, long line of agricultural labourers in Clavering.
[09:15:] His father's war work as draughtsman at Woolwich Arsenal after failing medical to go into services; journeying to and from work; mother's work keeping chickens at Homefarm and other stock in rented fields; selling Channel Islands milk; Egg Marketing Board selling eggs at market in Bishop's Stortford.
[14:50:] Helping on the farm, including cleaning out stables; making up animal feed; feeding cows sugar beet tops.
[16:40:] Earliest memories: watching 1953 Coronation on television; starting school in 1955 in former school at bottom of churchyard; moving to junior school in Saddle Close; teachers at school; memories of the bottom school: facilities, two classrooms, school dinners; walking to and from school; heating by tortoise stove.
[22:20:] Children coming in from Arkesden and Wicken Bonhunt; new head teacher Ron Argent; singing in church choir; move to top school; facilities at top school; extension built to school in late 1950s to serve as office; children cycling to school; teacher who played for Langley Ladies cricket side; playing for local cricket team.
[28:15:] School allotments; groundsman Horace Archer; school visits, e.g. to Wood Hall dairy farm, Saffron Walden swimming pool; sports days on Hill Green.
[31:35:] Taking the eleven-plus exam; attending technical stream at Saffron Walden Technical and Modern School (now Saffron Walden County High School); teachers there; playing badminton for local club; learning to play piano and cello; playing cello in school orchestra and Essex Youth Orchestra; opening of school in 1950s.
[37:10:] Streams at the school; attending technical stream; gaining GCEs (General Certificates of Education); playing cricket for Clavering from 1963, travelling to away matches.
[41:55:] Receiving pocket money for helping on farm; memories of harsh winter in 1962, having to thaw water tanks, walking through snow in short trousers.
[46:10:] Celebrating Christmas with family friends; church choir's Christmas parties; brother learning to ring church bells.
[49:00:] First job after leaving school as trainee at British Welding Research Association, later the Institute of Welding; taking qualifications; work at the company; meeting his future wife, Melody; marriage in 1975 and leaving the Institute to teach at Saffron Walden County High School; learning from his former teachers.
[53:40:] Memories of head teachers at County High School; teaching students from Abu Dhabi at Bell College, Saffron Walden in holidays and evenings; more details about meeting Melody, marriage in Thorley Church [Hertfordshire]; move to Homefarm Bungalow.
[57:05:] His two sons and their families; their sporting accomplishments, son's international competitions in javelin; their educational accomplishments and careers; son's work as thatcher in Clavering; their families.
[01:03:50:] Teaching his granddaughter to play cello; his grandchildren attending Clavering school; family holidays [Melody also contributes]; story of holiday in north-west Scotland.
[01:09:00:] Going shooting; teaching children game keeping; activities in retirement: gardening; picking up game at shoots with dogs; trips salmon fishing in Scotland; serving as parish councillor; trying to prevent over-development of village; final remarks about Clavering.
Dates of Creation:
26 November 2015
Extent:
73 minutes 38 seconds
Creator Name:
Joy Barrow
Admin History:
Richard William Carter was born in 1950 at Homefarm Bungalow, Clavering. In 1964, the family moved to Homefarm House. He had one older brother. His father was a builder, and the family farmed Homefarm. He attended school in the village, and then Saffron Walden Technical and Modern School.

He started working at the British Welding Research Association after leaving school, where he took further mechanical engineering and applied physics qualifications. He met his wife, Melody, at work. They married in 1975.

In 1975, Richard also changed jobs and started teaching at the County High School, where he stayed until his retirement in 2008. He then worked part-time until 2015, and continued to play in the school orchestra.

Richard and Melody had two sons. His sons married and had children, both families still living in the village. He continues to be involved in the village, including serving as parish councillor.
Archivist Note:
SJM 19 October 2017
Custodial History:
Numbered CLHG No. 7 by creator
Copyright:
Contact prior to use by profit-making companies for research; for publications other than by ERO; and for broadcasting. Interviewee assigned copyright to CLHG.
Physical Characteristics:
MP3 file created from digital audio CD
Existence of Copies:
Clavering Landscape History Group
Not Available:
Essex Sound and Video Archive: use digital copy available on Soundcloud

Key terms

TypeKey termsDescription
Subjects Education Oral history interview with Richard Carter, 26 November 2015
Subjects Farming Oral history interview with Richard Carter, 26 November 2015 Son of farming family
Subjects Farming Oral history interview with Richard Carter, 26 November 2015 Son of farming family
Personal Names Richard William
Carter 		Oral history interview with Richard Carter, 26 November 2015
Place Names Clavering Oral history interview with Richard Carter, 26 November 2015
Place Names High Street
Home Farm
Clavering 		Oral history interview with Richard Carter, 26 November 2015 Former resident at Home Farm
Document Types Sound recording Oral history interview with Richard Carter, 26 November 2015
Institutions Saffron Walden County High School Oral history interview with Richard Carter, 26 November 2015 Former pupil and teacher and Saffron Walden County High School