OH/005
Reference code
OH/005
Level of description
Item
Title
Smith, Vera
Date
4/10/1993
Scope and content
Interviewed by Vanda Foster
Description: Mrs Smith was born in Southwark in 1920 and followed her sister into the fur trade, starting work, at the age of fourteen, at the firm of S. London Ltd in Regent Street. After the second world war she moved to Calman Links, who were later taken over by Wintersons.Mrs. Smith worked mainly on linings and finishing, but she describes all the processes of making the garments, from the skin men sorting the bundles of furs, through cutting, stranding, nailing, setting and tapping, machining, finishing, lining and later cleaning and repair work.She describes a range of furs - their physical properties and uses, and the different cutting and sewing techniques required by furs such as ermine, Persian broadtail (commonly misnamed astrakhan) and mink. She recalls the stylistic changes from the big shawl collars of the thirties, the New Look, Dior mink-lined raincoats, and the fun furs of the sixties and seventies, and remembers contributing to the making of a mink stole for the present queen. She describes her pre-war pay and conditions and the variety of nationalities who worked in the fur trade. Finally, Mrs. Smith comments on the tools and furs shown in a booklet - \The Fascination of Fur\" - produced by the British Fur Trade Association in about 1970, a photocopy of which accompanies this tape. "
Description: Mrs Smith was born in Southwark in 1920 and followed her sister into the fur trade, starting work, at the age of fourteen, at the firm of S. London Ltd in Regent Street. After the second world war she moved to Calman Links, who were later taken over by Wintersons.Mrs. Smith worked mainly on linings and finishing, but she describes all the processes of making the garments, from the skin men sorting the bundles of furs, through cutting, stranding, nailing, setting and tapping, machining, finishing, lining and later cleaning and repair work.She describes a range of furs - their physical properties and uses, and the different cutting and sewing techniques required by furs such as ermine, Persian broadtail (commonly misnamed astrakhan) and mink. She recalls the stylistic changes from the big shawl collars of the thirties, the New Look, Dior mink-lined raincoats, and the fun furs of the sixties and seventies, and remembers contributing to the making of a mink stole for the present queen. She describes her pre-war pay and conditions and the variety of nationalities who worked in the fur trade. Finally, Mrs. Smith comments on the tools and furs shown in a booklet - \The Fascination of Fur\" - produced by the British Fur Trade Association in about 1970, a photocopy of which accompanies this tape. "