The interviews for the 'Poverty in the UK' 1968/69 survey were undertaken by fieldworkers spread across the UK.  A number of these fieldworkers have been tracked down and interviewed about their recollections of working on the survey.  These video interviews throw light onto how these fieldworkers were recruited and trained, how they conducted the interviews on the ground and the problems they encountered and the impact this experience had on them at the time. Below you will find interviews with Ian McCannah, Annie Neligan and Una Widdett.

Ian McCannah

Ian McCannah was studying at the LSE and was recruited to conduct interviews as a summer job and covered Bristol, Yeovil and Oswestry. His video interview is in three parts:

1. recruitment, training and process (11' 43")
2. the interviews (8' 56")
3. the overall experience 96' 50")
   
   

   Ian McCannah 1-3

   Ian McCannah part 1

   Ian McCannah part 2

   Ian McCannah part 3

   Transcripts:

   • Ian-McCannah-1-recruitment-training-process.pdf
   • Ian-McCannah-2-the-interviews.pdf
   • Ian-McCannah-3-the-overall-experience.pdf

Ann Neligan

Ann Neligan was a student at University College and was approached to carrying out interviews in Newcastle where her family lived. Her video interview is in two parts:

1. recruitment and interviewing (9' 29")
2. reflections on the experience  (9' 21")
   

   Ann Neligan parts 1 and 2

   Ann Neligan part 1

   Ann Neligan part 2

   Transcripts:

   • Ann-Neligan-1-recruitment-and-interviewing.pdf
   • Ann-Neligan-2-reflections-on-the-experience.pdf

Una Widdett

Una Widdett had worked for various market research companies and was recruited to work in 'difficult' areas and in the final stages of the interviews. Her video interview is in three parts:

1. recruitment, training and interviewing (14' 07")
2. personal impact (12' 55")
3. reflections (9' 30")

Una Widdett parts 1 to 3

Una Widdett part 1

Una Widdet part 2

Una Widdett part 3

Transcripts:

• Una-Widdett-1-recruitment-training-interviewing.pdf
• Una-Widdett-2-personal-impact.pdf
• Una-Widdett-3-reflections.pdf

Only one of the questionnaires from the interviews she conducted still exists. It can be found by searching by Una Widdett in the1968/69 questionnaires.