White, Jim

Notes on Jim White

See interview tapes 62, 63, 149, 153, 154

Born 1915 in London.

Parents
Father James, born in Canterbury, his father an upholsterer. Worked in various places in ‘private service’, was at Harrods in catering just before coming to Terling camp for catering in the First World War. After that jobs scarce. Out of work a lot. He helped build Crittall’s (1919-20) then got work in the canteen there, sometimes doing private catering for Crittall family,  then in factory. By 1939 had ill health so instead took a shop at Colchester, then a general shop in Panfield Lane, Braintree. Died in 1951.
Mother, Lucy, born in Dover castle, nee Sullivan (Irish) father a soldier. Probably in service before married. Went into St Michael’s Hospital in Braintree in 1923 when she 33, because the police said she was ‘mad’. Died in 1960s.

Brothers
Jim was eldest, then Doug (born 1917), then Betty, then Perce (born 1922). At one time all four were under seven years old.

Residence
Born in London 1915.
Moved to Witham when he was about one, lived in Maldon Road briefly then to Guithavon Valley, till c 1923, old cottages since demolished near where Armond Road was. Then to Braintree in 1923 for a time to a Poor Law Children’s home at Bocking (see photocopy of ERO G/Br H1), when mother in hospital, then back to Witham when 14.
At age of 18 moved to 22 Cross Road with parents and brothers and stayed there, on own eventually.
Away in Second World War then to London to carpentry course then back to Witham November 1945.

School
National School, Guithavon Street at first. Then when in Braintree, at first to school or at the site of the present Council Offices in Causeway House, and then when eleven to Manor Street School.

Jobs
When first left school, couldn’t find job at first, then to Pinkham’s glove factory for two weeks as odd job boy.
Crittall’s when 14, in 1929. There for 34 years except called up in Second World War and spent three years in Canada at North Battleford, Saskatchewan, as flight mechanic with RAF, then to France and then to Germany. Then after war to carpentry training in London.
Silver End Crittall’s 1945 for a bit, then ‘on the building’ and other jobs, then to Witham Crittall’s again.
Retired 1980.

Died
12 Feb 2011 aged 95. Brother and uncle. Formerly of Cross Road, then of Park View. Info from Braintree and Witham Times, 9 March 2011.

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