John O'Leary

John introduces himself and talks about how he started at Rotol as an apprentice

Original Audio File with Dowty archive at the Gloucestershire Heritage Hub

John recalls his first day at Rotol in the late 1940's and some of the Apprentice Instructors

Original Audio File with Dowty archive at the Gloucestershire Heritage Hub

John recalls the work he was involved with in No.1 & No. 3 Shops

Original Audio File with Dowty archive at the Gloucestershire Heritage Hub

He relates a story of an employee he worked with, who flew on a Fairy Swordfish mission to bomb the Tirpitz in WW2

Original Audio File with Dowty archive at the Gloucestershire Heritage Hub

John recalls his first impressions of No.1 Shop

Original Audio File with Dowty archive at the Gloucestershire Heritage Hub

Rotol 1947 Apprentice

John O’Leary started his working life at Barrons in Gloucester and was hoping to sign an Indenture Agreement for an apprenticeship there but left when this did not materialise.

So he applied to join Rotol as an apprentice in the late 1940’s along with about 20 other applicants.

He remembers his time that he spent at Rotol in No.1 and No. 3 Shops and the people he worked with and recalls that British Messier had a production line within No.3 Shop.

He recalls a story that he was told from an employee that he worked with  at Rotol in No.1 Shop on the Marking Off Tables, who flew on a Fairy Swordfish mission to bomb the Tirpitz in WW2.

After he finished his apprenticeship at Rotol he joined the Merchant Navy where he served 7 years and on completion he found work as a Refrigeration Engineer.

Interviewer: John Herring