Interview with Jacqui Rawlinson
“I went down for a career assessment... I had a number of tests and they found I had a very logical mind, and they suggested computing and a local firm, British Aerospace, which was the British Aircraft Corporation in those days, took me on as a trainee programmer, on the understanding that I would [laughing] provide my own electric typewriter. Can you imagine it?”
Born 6 May 1951
Educated Ashton Kindergarten; St Andrew’s Church of England Infant and Junior school; Ashton-on-Ribble High School; Preston Sixth Form College
Tape 1, side 1
Going to nursery school, near St Andrews, on a trike. Not allowed on school trips. Saul Street Clinic speech therapy. Brownies Golden Bar badge included skipping. Guides First Class Badge, Firefighter’s Badge. Trefoil Guild. Move to secondary school. Bullying. Passed O levels. JR lived in Preston all her life. JR lived independently for seven years in a 3rd floor flat. After mother died, JR moved back home to look after father who had had an accident. Grandfather was a Methodist minister. Getting a car. Eleven Plus exam.
Tape 1, side 2
Going to secondary school. Envy of grammar school uniform. Mother in hospital in London. Sister left home at the age of 18 when Jacqui was 16. Jacqui became a trainee computer programmer with British Aerospace at the age of 18 in 1969 following a careers assessment from the Spastics Society. Jacqui had to bring her own electric typewriter and had to type code before it went to the punch room. Digital photography and the European computer driving licence. Physical difficulties using a comb binder and changing light bulbs. Friends through church and the Trefoil Guild. Using an electric scooter.
Tape 2, side 1
A-levels and careers advisers. The Spastics Society assessment. Interview at County Hall for Lancashire County Council. British Aircraft Corporation took JR on as a trainee programmer in 1969. Electric typewriter on loan from Spastics Society. Computing industry for 27 years. Training new programmers. BA programmers outsourced to American company Computer Sciences in Chorley. In 1993, JR was elected to the Executive Council of Scope. Collapsed at work aged 46. Visit to Scope specialist in cp. Retired on health grounds. Uphill Ski Club holidays in 1982 and 1984. JR became Regional Committee Vice Chairman. Eight years on Executive Council of Scope, including one year as Vice Chairman.
Tape 2, side 2
JR was Chairman of Scope Individual Grants, which had a budget of £220,000 a year. Visit to Buckingham Palace in 2001. St Paul’s Cathedral Thanksgiving Service for The Queen Mother’s Hundredth Birthday, August 2001. Brownie, Guide, Guider and member of the National Council of The Trefoil Guild. Local Secretary, County Treasurer and Region Press and PR Advisor for Trefoil Guild. Chairman of Governors at a local disabled children’s school. Committed Christian. Friends at work. Benefits of living alone. BA disabled parking space.
Download transcript of tape 2
Tape 3, side 1
Brownies. Couldn’t get golden bar badge because she couldn’t skip. First Class badge. Camping. Queen’s Guide badge. Path Finder badge. Duke of Edinburgh Award at Buckingham Palace. Munich Olympic Games 1972. Tawny Owl in the Brownies and Bagheera in the local Cub Pack. Great Tower Scout Camp on Lake Windermere. Natalie first Godchild, daughter of a former Guide. Climbing Bowfell and Ingleburgh at Ingleton. Scarfell Pike. Scooter and trike. Accident with milk float. Raised £3,400 in the Israel bike ride for Scope.
Tape 3, side 2
Electric tricycle. Self-catering holidays to Wales, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset. Holidays to Europe and Scandinavia, Israel and Egypt. Commonwealth Knowledge Badge. New Zealand. Australia. Melbourne. Phillip Island to see the penguins. Great Ocean Road. Gahn Train from Adelaide to Alice Springs. Uluru [Ayer’s Rock]. South Africa. Kruger National Park. Incident with elephants. Pros and cons of organised coach trips. Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island. Grand Canyon in October 2004. Home computers.
Download transcript of tape 3