"I remember a big meeting with the hosiery trade in Harold's ministerial room"

In this quote, Barbara Castle is remembering a significant event from her past. She discusses a "huge conference" which suggests that it was a crucial and possibly influential gathering. The meeting happened in Harold's ministerial space, showing that Harold was a high-ranking federal government authorities. The fact that it was a meeting with the hosiery trade recommends that it was connected to the industry of producing and offering stockings, socks, and other comparable products. This could mean that the meeting was discussing policies or guidelines that would impact the hosiery trade. In general, this quote offers a look into Castle's past experiences and her involvement in important discussions and decisions.