In the Age of Steel: Oral Histories from Bethlehem Pennsylvania -- Albert M. Reilly

Annotation Albert M. Reilly (ca. 1903-October 7, 1990), born in Lower Saucon Township, was the son of William and Carrie Reilly. He was married to Dorothy E. Reilly, née Allio. Reilly worked with Bethlehem Steel from 1921 to 1968 as a crane operator. In this interview he discusses being injured on the job, safety, strikes, working during World War II, working with women during World War II, trapping as a youth, Mexican and Portuguese workers, and his father's work at the Redington fuse plant. This interview is part of a series of interviews conducted by Lehigh University students and faculty from 1974 through 1977 focusing on retired Bethlehem Steel workers, business people, and the heirs of industrial magnates. The project was co-sponsored by Bethlehem Steel Corporation, who provided contact information for retired steel workers. An oral history interview is an act of memory and hence both highly selective and highly subjective. While it accurately reflects what a narrator remembers (or chooses to tell) of his or her experience and viewpoints, it may not accurately represent what actually transpired or what another person may have experienced. As such users should subject interviews to the same degree of critical scrutiny they would any other historical source.