大象传媒

Explore the 大象传媒
This page has been archived and is no longer updated. Find out more about page archiving.

15 October 2014
WW2 - People's War

大象传媒 Homepage
大象传媒 History
WW2 People's War Homepage Archive List Timeline About This Site

Contact Us

Agricultural labour in Guernsey during the German Occupation

by Guernseymuseum

Contributed by听
Guernseymuseum
People in story:听
Mr Ray Caradeuc, Margaret Le Cras, Doctor Foote, Jack De Garis
Location of story:听
Guernsey
Background to story:听
Civilian
Article ID:听
A5734983
Contributed on:听
14 September 2005

Mr Ray Caradeuc interviewed by Margaret Le Cras

Transcribers note : Transcription difficult at times because interviewer was nearer the microphone and her interjections sometimes upstage Mr Le Caradeuc, who is rather faint. Where the interviewer鈥檚 comments are relevant they have been transcribed in full.

Ray Caradeuc. So, I moved on from there, and then went to er鈥 We were called in, by the States, because we were working for the States, when we finished with your brother.
I鈥︹︹. My uncle. And you would have been weeding, you said, like beetroot.
Ray Caradeuc. Beetroots and carrots and parsnips and whatever. And my brother, and my dad.
I鈥︹︹. So all the Caradeucs would have been weeding?
Ray Caradeuc. Yes.
I鈥︹︹. Yes. Tough.
Ray Caradeuc. [ ]
I鈥︹︹. You knew Cliff, yes, that鈥檚 right.
Ray Caradeuc. He was living there before us, probably,
I鈥︹︹. Oh yes, I should think,
Ray Caradeuc The cottage we lived in was Doctor Foote鈥檚. He asked us if we鈥檇 buy it, my dad said yes we鈥檇 buy it, he named the price of it, my father bought it, and after that I finished with farming, oh no I didn鈥檛, we worked for the States, and the States said 鈥淲ell, it鈥檚 thrashing time, go to St Peters, to Tostevin, go thrashing鈥 and we went from there to the Douit.
I鈥︹︹. Because the thrashing machine would have gone from one farm to another, wouldn鈥檛 it.
Ray Caradeuc. That belonged to De Garis. Jack
I鈥︹︹. From Seaview. Yes
Ray Caradeuc. And then Tomatoes up at the Jardins. We were a couple of months on that,
I鈥︹︹. Yes , you must have been. So after that, what did you do?
Ray Caradeuc. Well, my brother knew a chap that was going round piece working, so we went, the three of us, piece working. We鈥檇 dig a perch in the morning,
I鈥︹︹. oh, crumbs.
Ray Caradeuc. Of ground, I mean, a Perch is twenty-five feet square, we used to do that, and we used to work for Martin Bichard, filling up boxes, for his tomatoes, [he used todo a lot, young plants, we used to work for him,] penny a box.
I鈥︹︹. Penny a box, Oh Lala. But there would have been a lot of Germans around your way, round the Groutez, eh?
Ray Caradeuc. Yes, well I鈥檓 coming to that. And then when we鈥檇 finished with the pieceworking, which was, it was hard work, on the food we had.

Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.

Archive List

This story has been placed in the following categories.

Channel Islands Category
icon for Story with photoStory with photo

Most of the content on this site is created by our users, who are members of the public. The views expressed are theirs and unless specifically stated are not those of the 大象传媒. The 大象传媒 is not responsible for the content of any external sites referenced. In the event that you consider anything on this page to be in breach of the site's House Rules, please click here. For any other comments, please Contact Us.



About the 大象传媒 | Help | Terms of Use | Privacy & Cookies Policy