File 70 - Alan Road

1 minidisc, 1 cd, 1 file, 1 AIFF file (243.2 MB)

Interview with Alan Road, journalist for the Observer. Conducted by Rick Thomas on 12 September 2001. Also includes a data sheet containing biographical details about the subject and information about the recording.

Summary contents of interview (with rough timings):

Disc 1:
Track 1
00.00 Began in October 1959 - has been supplying material since
00.40 Inherited the job of Welsh stringer from John Morgan
01.40 Rate of pay was amazing to a local newspaper reporter
02.00 Observer staff jobs were never advertised and they hardly ever occurred
02.29 Ability to work with artists
03.00 On Aberfan disaster, Merthyr Tydfil
05.40 Varied career - front page, back page. Pendennis, real utility player
06.40 Interviewed by John Thompson for job on the staff
08.00 Pride of working for Observer - wouldn't have come to London for another job

10.00 Michael Foot getting Ebbw Vale seat, Blaenau Gwent
12.45 Advantage of writing longer stories since paid per word
12.45 Paid in guineas by Coote's cheques
14.00 First impressions of Fleet Street - kept his head down for quite a while
14.00 Fleet Street was like a 'club' and he felt very lucky to be in it
16.45 Young Observer - got it from the second week, did it for number of years
16.45 This was the only piece David Astor didn't get complaints about
16.45 Felt the Young Observer was probably read by more adults than children

20.40 Observer was a writers' paper. Happy memories of literate subs
22.10 Definite 'gentlemen and players' culture. Players had all worked on other papers; gentlemen had entered by mysterious methods. Could easily divide staff into these two camps

Access to recording via GNM Digital Repository

Copyright: Guardian News & Media Ltd and Alan Road