Date of Birth: 23rd October 1939

Place of Birth: Millquarter, Newbawn, Co. Wexford

Date Interviewed: 16th February 2010

Summary: Jim Roberts still lives a short distance from where he was born. He talks about the origins of the Roberts name and the family and details his ancestry. The old country manor he grew up no longer exists. It had 13 rooms, some of which were derelict, and was “infested with rats”. The house was hard to keep warm. Tilly lamps were used for lighting and his mother prepared food on a paraffin cooker. They grew their own vegetables and brought their wheat to the local mill. Jim went to Raheen school and attended the Vocational College in New Ross before taking up farming. He remembers his first tractor – a Ferguson TVO. He is a member of the IFA and was involved with Shelburne Co-op for many years.