Richard started work in construction with RG Carter in the early 1960s and stayed with them for 41 year He loved construction industry and worked on many sites, including at Blickling Hall, in the early days without power tools. He describes developments in working conditions over the years,  from lack of health and safety to […]

David was fascinated by architecture at a very early age and after technical school and art college worked in architectural practices in Norwich and Surrey. He formed his own architectural practice in 1976 and had a long career working on many award-winning projects. Later he worked as consultant architect and part-time lecturer on the history […]

Roy describes his apprenticeship in the builder’s trade in 1942. Not having been of exceptional academic ability I was at the age of 14, like many others at secondary modern and elementary schools, told to pack up my books and go to work, My efforts were sorely needed to help win the war. It wasn’t […]

Peter talks about his childhood memories during the war and his long working life, including his extraordinary work with explosives. When I was five I went to the old Victorian school in Thorpe Narrows, and moved to a new school at Hillside Avenue in Thorpe St Andrew in 1937. At a school reunion a teacher […]

Brian tells us about his working life, taking an apprenticeship in the army, working on building sites and gardening, as well as discovering aerobics and Ceroc dancing. I was born in 1952 in the West Norwich Hospital, in Norwich. I was the last of nine children. My father was a printer – he worked for […]

Colin talks about growing up in a pub, National Service, and his working life in the building trade, particularly in the Thetford area. Childhood I was brought up in a pub and lived there for 25 years. My father had been an estate carpenter on the Shadwell Estate at Brettenham, till he was about 20, […]