Session One: Mrs Christine Irvine
Recorded: 16.4.2004 Venue: 12 Viewforth Court, Kinghorn, FifeAttendees: Mrs Christine Irvine, Judith Rowan (Mrs Irvine’s daughter), Maj Alistair Hood, Valda Hood-ChinKey Words / Childhood, Education, Family, Apprenticeship, Industry, Marriage, World War Two, Trade, ProfessionTopics: Second World War Memories / Born 2nd June 1919, East Cowes, Isle of Wight / education, good / hated school / left to get married at 19 yrs old / Art school / father influences / Father arranged interview, SAUNDERS ROW / made flying boats / tracing /drawing office / mechanical / two year apprenticeship- seven shillings and six pence week / work description / draughtsmen rough sketches flying boats / Looking at black and white photographs of flying boats / description of flying boat – key point, aeroplane floats on the hull / sea plane – separate floats outwith hull / hull of a boat,wings and engine of plane / on the Solent / propellers / 4/10 engines / Farnborough airport / Duties involved working in the drawing office / draw in black Indian ink / rolls of tracing paper / starched paper / (during the war washed starch out / find ‘linen’ / from used paper maps baby clothes and nappies were made) / Paper shiny one side dull on the other before use it was chalked all over to take the grease off / tracing instruments / box tracing pens / ‘TRAMMELS’ detailed design drawings / Head Tracer / Women’s trade / twelve in office / working at RSRE huge office / did some really good stuff there / no flying boats / SUPER MARINE in Southampton built different designs of flying boat / an engine that pushed and an engine that pulled / ‘ THE WULRUS’ and ‘SEA OTTER’ / Parachute Regiment / EMPIRE FLYING BOAT / ‘armchair’ at door / look out / slow but long – range / still being used in Canada little ‘CATALENA FLYING BOATS’ / isolated waterways and lakes / no opportunity for Christine to go on a flying boat, she never flew in one. ” Firm didn’t encourage women to indulge in such activities”Photo / discussion / Christine’s daughter Judy on her scooter Marriage / moved to Yoeville, Somerset / husband worked for WESTERN AIRCRAFT / made the LISANDER airoplane / War came / little plane four/five seater Photograph / first AUTO-GIRO which landed on ‘the ireland’ / description – the differences between auto-giro and helicopter / FLYING BEE – photograph taken when Christine was sixteen / met the man who designed and built it / GLIDER (RAE) / troop carriers / bombers / two gliders full airborne soldiers / gliders expendible / GLIDER PILOT REGIMENT / Christine worked on gliders / very Heath Robinson / ‘Arrester Hooks’ / ‘WINSTON CHURCHILL’s Capsule’ / presurised, air conditioned compartment / looked like a big Easter Egg / Churchill couldn’t fly / bronchitus / asked RAF to design a capsule / Christine had the job of drawing one / design / plan / description / armchair, bookrest, cigar holder, drinks cabinet / drawing with Churchill sitting in his chair.All Christine’s drawings belong to the RAE / personel vetted by police / Government / official secrets act / in the habit of not talking about work / recomendation / interview / OBOE “The best kept secret of the war…. what helped to win the war …. RAE / BENTLEY PRIORY” / RSRE MALVERN / OBOE ‘boffins’ designed / RADAR / keeping aircraft ‘on track’ / beam / changing tone / ‘fly down the beam’ / DR CUNNINGHAM / worked in NORTH LONDON job offered worked during the war years THE ROYAL MAIL PLANE / RAPIDE / original photographs of flying planes / post office Pinner / Middlesex / RUSSIAN LEASE LAND / baby / worked from home / walked miles to collect drawings / carry home in pram / exacting work / good eyesight and steady hand / AIRO MODELER MAGAZINE / finance / part of the war effort / coping / Descriptions / making model aeroplanes / Balsawood / Japanese tissue / dope / flying / model shops.Photographs / trigger memories / black/whiteDECKERS bought and built factory on the only airodrome on IOW / every year / SIR ALAN COBHAM’S FLYING CIRCUS / SNIDER TROPHYComments:
