At various times there have been several members of the Wainford family working at East Tilbury. Alf Wainford (right), who is in the despatch department, joined British Bata in April last year, three years after his wife Maud left. All his four daughters worked at the same time as their mother up to five years ago. Now, two have left, the ramaining two, Daphne and Iris, are both sewing machinists in Dept 333.
Their brother-in-law, Royden Morgan, who married the youngest girl, is on the presses in Dept 342. On the girls' mother's side, three generations were once represented here, because their grandmother, Celia Smith, worked in the canteen until she left a few years ago to go to Australia.

Alf came to East Tilbury for the same reason that so many other workers decided to join the British Bata team - he had been told about steady work and good conditions, testified by his daughters' happiness. So, when propects were none too bright in others spheres, he saw his chance, and took it.
Previously, he had worked for other industrial firms, and had been head barman at two well known local hostleries.
He started in the rubber factory, in the milling room of the reclaim department, and shortly afterwards worked in the tyre field. Transferred to conveyors he worked on several operations in the main factory including folding backs on wellingtons, in Dept 323. He moved across the floor to Dept 331, which was making six-eyelet boots. There, he did stamping, and helped on the foxing machines.
Alf also worked on the presses in the old Dept 341, which is not Dept 342, where his son-in-law, Royden works.
He moved across to despatch last May, and this change, like the previous changes, was for health reasons, in connection with which, he said, the Company was always most considerate and helpful.
The work he does now needs keen attention, as he helps to sift, as it were, the boxes of footwear which come from the factory. He and workmates open boxes and make sure the contents are according to label. If they are, they are sent to the lower floor, for despatch. Those boxes which have a flaw - and a surprisingly small percentage do - are retruned to the dapartment from which they came, for rectification.
"Thousands of pairs of shoes are moved up here every day," said Alf to Bata Record. For more than 20 years - from 1924 until the end of the war - Alf was in the Territorial Army, and would still belong to it if his health permitted. He joined the 13th London Regt. (Princess Louise's) when a young man, and later served in 312 Searchlight Coy. Royal Engineers, which had it headquarters at Stanford. For four years during the was he was at Gibraltar, in the Army Catering Corps.
"It was a happy, friendly, life in the Terriers," he said, "and I felt sorry when I had to leave. But I have my wife and family, and a steady job here, so I don't let it get me down."

Eldest of the two Wainford girls still at East Tilbury is Iris (left), who, like her sister, works in Dept 333 sewing section. She came more than seven years ago, from a firm in Grays, because she wanted a better job and to be near her mother and sister. Her mother left two years later.
For her first year here, Iris worked on a conveyor in the rubber factory, starting on heel-pressing wellingtons.
Most of her time has been spent on sewing, however, and she has done several jobs on machines, handling numerous styles of footwear. Now she stitches toecaps, and is an efficient and popular worker.
"They are a nice crowd of girls on this section," she said, "and I get on very well with them. The work is interesting and the forewoman (Mary Barber) is very considerate."
Daphne (below), who has been a Bata worker for nearly eight years - almost from the time she left school - echoes her sister's sentiments. She also started on a conveyor, in a department which made californias, and went on to sewing at the end of a year. Among the jobs she has done are stitching toecaps and sewing tongues. Now she sews backs.

"My mother said British Bata was a good firm to work for, and suggested I should join her," she said. "I wanted to be with her, so I did not hesitate long. I am glad of that decision, as my eight years at East Tilbury have been very happy ones."
Both girls spend nearly all their spare time dancing or at the cinema.
They wanted to work in the same department, and were pleased when told that this could be arranged. "They are good, reliable workers," said Forewoman Mary Barber. "Dept 333 is well-known for Wainfords, as their sisters, Stella and Eileen, used to work here, as well."

It was Stella, the baby of the family, whom Royden married after meeting her at a dance at Bata Hotel. Now she has a baby herself.
Before coming to East Tilbury four years ago, Royden (left) was underground for 10 years - a miner, mining deep coal in the Ogmore Valley in his native South Wales. He left the mine because of a throat disability.
"I saw a job advertised by British Bata, applied for it, and got it," he said, "and have been happy ever since. In addition to a job, I found a wife, and now have a daughter."
Royden is on the sponge rubber presses in Dept 342, which, with Dept 341, opposite, forms on of the uieter sections of the rubber factory. "He is one of the best workers we have," said Checker Ken Knock.
When asked if he had any hobbies or was specially interested in anything, Royden replied:"There is no time for hobbies with a new baby. I am a family man now."