Archive Interview: TLSG13

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Speaker 1:

interviewerTLSG13

Speaker 2:

informantTLSG13a

Age Group:

61-70

Gender:

Male

Residence:

Tyneside - Gateshead

Education:

Left school at 14

Occupation:

Nightwatchman (previously Miner)

Speaker 3:

informantTLSG13b

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  Interview Transcript

Speaker 3:

(unclear) for modernisation (unclear)

Speaker 1:

ah yeah you're getting moved out soon are you (interruption) (unclear) aye you moving out soon (interruption)

Speaker 3:

(interruption) (unclear) expecting (interruption) (unclear) he's asking we're moving out soon for modernisation

Speaker 1:

for the (interruption) modernisation you are yeah

Speaker 2:

oh aye yes aye

Speaker 1:

right eh (pause) well eh could you tell us first of all Mr (NAME) where you were born please

Speaker 2:

I'm working

Speaker 1:

no where you're b no where you were born

Speaker 2:

oh Downey Street

Speaker 1:

whereabouts is that

Speaker 3:

in Gateshead (interruption) (unclear) uh-huh

Speaker 2:

Gateshead yes

Speaker 1:

down in Gateshead is it

Speaker 2:

aye

Speaker 1:

is it still up now or has it been

Speaker 2:

oh no it's all pulled down now

Speaker 1:

it's been pulled down now

Speaker 2:

(unclear)

Speaker 1:

and eh where whereabouts else have you lived you know since then

Speaker 3:

Gateshead fif (unclear)

Speaker 2:

eh (pause) (unclear) it was seventeen Davidson Street Gateshead Gateshead

Speaker 1:

yes

Speaker 2:

it's Askew Road like

Speaker 1:

oh aye yes

Speaker 2:

worked lived there worked and lived all my life there

Speaker 1:

I see aye h how long have you been living here

Speaker 2:

many year we been up here

Speaker 3:

(unclear) fifteen when we moved up here and she's eh (pause) twenty three now (unclear) about eh (pause) (interruption) eight year

Speaker 1:

about eight year

Speaker 2:

eight year we've been here

Speaker 1:

yeah

Speaker 3:

(unclear) come up here because about (unclear) so then we've got to move all the kids (unclear) (laughter)

Speaker 1:

I see aye aye do you like living up here you know

Speaker 2:

oh aye it's all right here aye

Speaker 1:

it's not bad

Speaker 2:

no

Speaker 1:

eh (pause) how does it eh is it better or worse than eh

Speaker 2:

oh it's better up here

Speaker 1:

it's better up here (unclear)

Speaker 2:

aye yes

Speaker 1:

do you get on eh do you get on well with people up here you know do you get on with (interruption) (unclear)

Speaker 2:

I dinna bother nobody (unclear)

Speaker 1:

do you not

Speaker 2:

no

Speaker 1:

keep yourself to yourself

Speaker 2:

this the night watchman (unclear) pension in here but (pause) I've got a bit watchman job

Speaker 1:

I see aye yeah

Speaker 2:

I start at five o'clock tonight like till ten

Speaker 1:

five till ten is it

Speaker 2:

aye

Speaker 1:

aye whereabouts is that like

Speaker 2:

Pemberton's paper mill Half Moon Lane

Speaker 1:

oh Half Moon Lane aye

Speaker 2:

Pemberton's paper mill work there

Speaker 3:

(unclear) different time (unclear) five to ten tonight or from one to (unclear) middle of next week (unclear) from eh ten till (pause) seven you see (unclear)

Speaker 1:

yeah

Speaker 3:

(unclear)

Speaker 1:

that's right yeah what eh how long you been doing that job

Speaker 2:

this'll be twe twenty five month I only started up there last year in October

Speaker 1:

yeah

Speaker 2:

twenty five month I've been there

Speaker 1:

aye what did

Speaker 3:

(unclear) last October he started

Speaker 2:

I got sick of sitting (unclear)

Speaker 1:

aye

Speaker 2:

I used to get in the garden you see doing the garden I got s sit up sitting here

Speaker 1:

yeah

Speaker 2:

in the house

Speaker 1:

had you been you'd been retired like had you for a bit (interruption) before

Speaker 2:

since May

Speaker 3:

(unclear) you're sixty seven this year

Speaker 1:

yeah

Speaker 3:

be about three about two year he's been retired

Speaker 2:

(unclear) two years

Speaker 1:

eh can you tell us ehm whereabouts were your parents born as well were they born in Gateshead

Speaker 2:

oh aye Gateshead as well aye

Speaker 1:

both of them (interruption) yeah

Speaker 2:

aye

Speaker 1:

and ehm what eh what did your father do what was his occupation

Speaker 2:

well he he (unclear) he got killed in the first war

Speaker 1:

was he (interruption) yeah

Speaker 2:

aye

Speaker 3:

but he was a coal hauler before that you know (interruption) (unclear) coal and that

Speaker 2:

aye he's (unclear) coal you know them days like

Speaker 1:

yeah and eh (pause) and you're you're how old now sixty seven

Speaker 2:

sixty seven

Speaker 1:

yes aye (pause) and eh have you got any children

Speaker 2:

(unclear)

Speaker 3:

we've had we had six

Speaker 2:

we had six

Speaker 3:

one died but the other five are still living

Speaker 1:

yeah where are they all now

Speaker 3:

two (pause) one the oldest boy's living up Leam Lane

Speaker 2:

he's married him (interruption) he's the oldest one

Speaker 3:

and eh (pause) (unclear) daughter lives down in Lavender Gardens Low Fell

Speaker 1:

oh yes I know where that is aye

Speaker 3:

she's eh she's eh a midwife and the other two daughters well one's married lives down at (unclear) other daughter was married but just separated living here and have a younger son nine eh twenty just turned twenty so he's eh he's a plasterer

Speaker 1:

yeah (pause) eh what did eh what did you used to work at Mr (NAME) (interruption) before you retired

Speaker 2:

pits in the pits

Speaker 1:

were you

Speaker 2:

aye

Speaker 1:

did you do that there all your life

Speaker 2:

no

Speaker 3:

except for the war

Speaker 2:

when I come out the Second World War I was in the Second World War like when I come out I got a job at the pits

Speaker 1:

aye

Speaker 2:

been there twenty three year

Speaker 1:

had you aye

Speaker 2:

aye

Speaker 1:

which pit did you work at

Speaker 2:

Seaton Burn Gosforth (unclear) Gosforth

Speaker 1:

yeah yes what did you think of that as a job like did you

Speaker 2:

oh I liked it all right

Speaker 1:

did you

Speaker 2:

I'd gan back again if I got the chance

Speaker 1:

would you

Speaker 2:

oh aye (unclear) you've got to finish when you're sixty five they'll not s not keep you on

Speaker 1:

aye you would have stayed on if you could (interruption) would you

Speaker 2:

oh aye yes it was all right

Speaker 1:

mm did you

Speaker 2:

I had I had a canny job you know like

Speaker 1:

aye

Speaker 2:

on the butt on the buttons you know when the coals come down the conveyer belts

Speaker 1:

yeah

Speaker 2:

yous had to watch them that's all

Speaker 1:

yeah was that underground or

Speaker 2:

underground oh aye

Speaker 1:

(unclear) aye aye yeah and eh what eh what job did you do when you first left school you know what was the first job (interruption) you had

Speaker 2:

it was in the pits

Speaker 1:

was it

Speaker 2:

oh aye fourteen (interruption) before my father killed in the first war aye

Speaker 1:

when you were fourteen yeah and you were you went straight in the pit

Speaker 2:

aye over there Redheugh Colliery there (unclear) just down Askew Road there it's closed now like you know

Speaker 1:

that's right there's the pit field

Speaker 2:

aye (laughter)

Speaker 1:

and eh what have you done any other kinds of jobs in your life

Speaker 2:

oh

Speaker 3:

you've just eh (pause) well you come out with (unclear) keeping the (pause) camouflage off some of the doors (unclear) month (interruption) (unclear)

Speaker 2:

aye couple of month just ehm (pause) helping the painter you know because he's he's eh (pause) my brother like used to go round doing the corporative stores painting well you know the black outs used to strip the stuff off the window and that that's all

Speaker 1:

yeah

Speaker 2:

aye

Speaker 1:

did you not eh (pause) was it you didn't find it hard work down the pit did you (unclear)

Speaker 2:

oh no oh I'd go back if I got the chance (unclear) cannot cannot get back you see

Speaker 1:

yes

Speaker 2:

because they're getting good money now you know

Speaker 1:

yeah yes aye they got a they got a canny rise now didn't they not (unclear) mm

Speaker 2:

aye

Speaker 1:

eh h how old did you say how old were you when you left school again

Speaker 2:

fourteen

Speaker 1:

fourteen

Speaker 2:

aye

Speaker 1:

eh do you think you were glad to leave school or not

Speaker 2:

oh aye

Speaker 1:

did you enjoy school though

Speaker 2:

(unclear) school like (unclear) got job straight down the pit though when I left school like

Speaker 1:

aye

Speaker 2:

I was only I was getting eleven shilling a week I was driving a pony like pulling the tubs of coal you know when they tub them taking them away

Speaker 1:

aye (pause) mm and eh did you have any eh any other education after you left school like (unclear)

Speaker 2:

no

Speaker 1:

no no no eh (pause) what eh do you think eh you know do you think education's very important like for well say for kids now you know

Speaker 2:

oh

Speaker 1:

do you d do you think your own education was worth very much to you

Speaker 2:

oh (laughter) (pause) well there's no jobs for kids now is there

Speaker 1:

oh that's that's true like aye

Speaker 2:

no like there's no jobs man for them

Speaker 1:

aye (pause) it doesn't even matter if you have got an education I think

Speaker 2:

no

Speaker 3:

well I don't know about him there's no jobs but I think if the kids went out and looked for a work but there's my youngest son now when he's out of a job he doesn't he doesn't just descend and go onto the dole once a week or that for it

Speaker 1:

yeah

Speaker 3:

he goes (pause) around every day sear round looking all over the place for (unclear) job he usually ends up (unclear) one in a week's time so I mean if there's work there there's a right to go and look for it

Speaker 1:

yeah (pause) eh (pause) ehm whereabouts were you living you know when you were when you were fairly young say when you were when you were under twelve you know whereabouts were you living then

Speaker 2:

oh still down there Gateshead

Speaker 1:

down Gateshead

Speaker 2:

all my life oh aye

Speaker 1:

did you eh did you have a good time down there you know as a kid like would you say

Speaker 2:

oh I was going about in bare feet selling papers

Speaker 1:

did you

Speaker 2:

oh aye snow on the ground aye them days (unclear) shoes us

Speaker 1:

pretty hard times (interruption) in fact really (unclear)

Speaker 2:

aye yes (pause) (unclear) couldn't get nowt to eat you know them days (unclear) was on the (unclear) you know to get something to eat much money it cost in them days (pause) couldn't get nothing

Speaker 1:

(unclear) (pause) can you remember any of the ehm (pause) you know any of the kind of things you used to get up to or games you used to play you know when you were

Speaker 2:

hm

Speaker 1:

can you remember any of the (pause) games you used to play or things you used to get up to when you (unclear) a lad you know

Speaker 2:

oh we used to play quoits and that you know quoits (interruption) (unclear) aye

Speaker 3:

quoits mm-hm

Speaker 1:

aye

Speaker 2:

clay (unclear) clays (unclear) clay holes

Speaker 1:

aye

Speaker 2:

like quoits and that oh aye

Speaker 1:

(unclear)

Speaker 2:

down there

Speaker 1:

that's a new one on me that like (unclear)

Speaker 2:

(laughter) aye

Speaker 3:

(laughter) new one on me too

Speaker 1:

(laughter)

Speaker 2:

aye clay call them the clay holes like quoits you know you used to hoy them (unclear) like a hook you know used to fling them like to get them on

Speaker 1:

aye

Speaker 2:

oh aye (pause) but there's a great place over newca didn't go over there like Newcastle call it the Gas Yard you know

Speaker 1:

yeah

Speaker 2:

used to play gambling there every Sunday there for money

Speaker 1:

did they

Speaker 2:

oh aye policeman used to (unclear) I didn't go over there like

Speaker 1:

uh-huh

Speaker 2:

aye they gambled for money every Sunday every Sunday morning aye

Speaker 1:

aye yeah (pause) it was illegal was it I mean eh

Speaker 2:

oh aye but the police would be after them the police oh aye

Speaker 1:

(laughter)

Speaker 3:

will you two shut up (pause) (unclear)

Speaker 1:

eh (pause) what eh what kinds of things do you like to do in your spare time now you know I mean (unclear) like well (pause) you're not really free in the nights now (interruption) are you in the night times like but wh wh what eh (interruption) what

Speaker 2:

(interruption) oh no no just (interruption) just go to bed and get up again in morning for work again that's all

Speaker 1:

aye

Speaker 2:

wey aye

Speaker 1:

what eh wh what kinds of things do you do at weekends and that you know when you've got some free time what sort of things do you like to do

Speaker 2:

well I'm at work at ten to well till ten tomorrow see (unclear)

Speaker 3:

(unclear) works at ten till one

Speaker 1:

you work on Saturdays as well

Speaker 2:

oh yes Sundays

Speaker 1:

aye

Speaker 2:

only get ten pound a week it is sixty four hours I do there (pause) sixty four hours for ten pound

Speaker 1:

that's pretty bad yeah

Speaker 3:

it works out though to like works out (unclear) do you put that all to (unclear) you know

Speaker 1:

yeah

Speaker 3:

like there's people (unclear) five till ten and then he's on from eh one till ten tomorrow one till two on Sunday it's like a ten hour day he's off Tuesday on w (unclear) on seven till seven (pause) and then he's at on his (interruption) next week he's on ten till ten

Speaker 2:

(unclear)

Speaker 1:

ten hour shifts a long time that

Speaker 2:

aye they keep nineteen shilling off the old age pension

Speaker 1:

yeah

Speaker 2:

and they keep about twenty five pence tax

Speaker 1:

oh (interruption) wey it's hardly worth your while doing it really is it when you think about it

Speaker 2:

not worth not worth it no

Speaker 3:

but it it gives you something to do

Speaker 2:

well my my mate he's he's seventy one my mate what relieves me he's seventy one (pause) he's been there eight year that man eight year

Speaker 1:

aye (pause) and he's still (interruption) still (pause) plugging on is he

Speaker 2:

oh aye well he's going to stay till till he packs it in like he does (unclear) like bag of snuff see he's using (interruption) it you see (unclear) take a bag of snuff

Speaker 1:

aye I see aye

Speaker 3:

(unclear)

Speaker 2:

you see he likes the job so

Speaker 1:

aye

Speaker 3:

I think men (unclear) that are f like his like ehm been used to working all their life and then when they find they haven't any they do that's when they begin to fret

Speaker 1:

yes it's true like some people you know they need to need to have something to do yeah (pause) yeah mm what eh well what what what kind of things did you used to do when you were younger you know did you race the dogs like

Speaker 2:

oh no that's my son in law belongs to his father

Speaker 1:

aye

Speaker 2:

I just look after it comes back from work you see

Speaker 1:

oh I see aye

Speaker 2:

I take it for walks like

Speaker 1:

aye

Speaker 2:

I take it out three times a day it races a Saturday night

Speaker 1:

aye (pause) is he very good

Speaker 2:

oh aye a good dog (unclear) Gosforth him

Speaker 1:

aye

Speaker 2:

call him big glory up there

Speaker 1:

yeah (pause) (unclear)

Speaker 2:

aye

Speaker 1:

did you used to eh did you used to go out very much you know when you were w when you were younger like you know did you used to were you the sort of bloke that went out a lot or

Speaker 2:

no no

Speaker 1:

no (pause) yous used to stay in did you

Speaker 2:

stay in (unclear) I divn't think much about going out

Speaker 1:

mm (pause) what about eh watching the television (interruption) and that you know do you watch that

Speaker 2:

oh I watch the television oh I'll sit and watch that of a night oh aye

Speaker 1:

what kinds of things do you like to watch on it

Speaker 2:

oh I like to see the films that's all (laughter)

Speaker 1:

do you watch the films

Speaker 2:

aye

Speaker 1:

(pause) do you do you think most of the stuff on there's good I mean do you think the programmes are pretty good like

Speaker 2:

oh aye yes

Speaker 1:

(unclear) okay (unclear) (pause) eh (pause) eh (pause) this is eh is a question we always ask everybody but you don't have to answer it if you don't want because some people keep it quiet eh which way do you vote

Speaker 2:

mm

Speaker 1:

which way do you vote

Speaker 2:

vote

Speaker 1:

aye

Speaker 2:

Labour

Speaker 1:

do you

Speaker 2:

aye

Speaker 1:

have you always voted the same (interruption) way

Speaker 2:

Labour oh aye Labour all the time aye

Speaker 3:

I don't

Speaker 1:

(laughter) eh why why do you think it is that you've always voted that way you know

Speaker 2:

I've always voted all m my life Labour

Speaker 1:

aye do you do you think they look after your interests like when they when they're in power

Speaker 2:

oh they done all right last time he give we a rise like Wilson like you know and he's give we a rise the other ones say no they give we a rise

Speaker 1:

aye

Speaker 2:

and they let we make let we make (unclear) nine pound ten now so it's not too bad

Speaker 1:

yeah but eh (pause) do you ehm do you think there's very much to choose between the the two parties you know a lot of people say that they're just more or less both the same

Speaker 2:

they're all the same what gets in they reckon they're just the same I reckon whoever gets in

Speaker 1:

aye

Speaker 2:

do nowt for you

Speaker 1:

yeah

Speaker 2:

that's what they say do nowt for you all the same whoever gets in

Speaker 1:

do you eh do you usually vote eh you know in every election like do you usually bother

Speaker 2:

eh

Speaker 1:

do you usually vote whenever there's an election

Speaker 2:

oh aye (unclear)

Speaker 1:

yes ehm (pause) if we could just go on to talk for a bit about what we are most interested in like that's the way you talk and that you know and eh what what you think about it ehm (pause) firstly do you think ehm do you think you ever change the way you speak

Speaker 2:

mm

Speaker 1:

do you think you ever change the way you speak you know according to like who you're talking to or any other circumstances

Speaker 2:

oh (pause) I never speak to nobody hardly nobody I don't know nobody round here

Speaker 1:

yeah so you always talk more or less the same in fact

Speaker 2:

just the neighbour next door here

Speaker 1:

aye (pause) do you think you talk in the same way say when you're at work as what you do (interruption) when you're in the house you know

Speaker 2:

oh aye oh aye aye

Speaker 1:

more or less the same never change

Speaker 2:

no

Speaker 1:

aye eh (pause) and do you think you talked ehm do you think you've talked more or less the same all during your life (pause) or do you think you've ever changed your speech in any way

Speaker 2:

no no it's I never say nothing

Speaker 1:

you don't think you've ever changed the way you talk (pause) you think it's been more or less the same

Speaker 2:

aye I do aye

Speaker 1:

yeah and ehm (pause) what do you think about eh you know the the Geordie dialect like do you like to hear people talking it

Speaker 2:

oh aye yes

Speaker 1:

yeah (pause) do you think you're a very very Geordie speaker you know

Speaker 2:

I'm not a very good speaker like (laughter)

Speaker 1:

(laughter) (pause) did you ever used to ehm did you ever used to (pause) correct your children about the way they used to talk you know do you ever

Speaker 2:

no I never say nothing to them (interruption) never check them no

Speaker 1:

did you not used to let them t talk any way they wanted like aye

Speaker 2:

aye

Speaker 1:

what ehm what do you think about eh you know the other accents of England like you know say Liverpool or Cockney accents like do you like any do you like them or

Speaker 2:

no (pause) Liverpool

Speaker 1:

yeah

Speaker 2:

I've never been down there yet Liverpool

Speaker 1:

have you not ah but you must you hear people (interruption) on telly

Speaker 2:

oh aye talking oh aye (unclear) heard them talking about like asking questions you mean on the telly

Speaker 1:

aye

Speaker 2:

oh aye

Speaker 1:

do you like the way they talk

Speaker 2:

oh aye yes I just like to listen to them like oh aye

Speaker 1:

okay

Speaker 2:

aye

Speaker 1:

aye (pause) what about eh (pause) what do you what do you think about eh (pause) the way the way I'm talking now what would you would you say that I was a Tynesider to listen to would you where do you think I come from

Speaker 2:

couldn't say (unclear) well I'm a Geordie me like

Speaker 1:

aye what do you do you think do you think I come from Tyneside as well

Speaker 2:

aye (laughter) aye (laughter)

Speaker 1:

you reckon

Speaker 2:

aye

Speaker 1:

yeah well you're right like I'm from Gateshead (unclear) (pause) eh (pause) have you ever been have you ever lived away from Tyneside

Speaker 2:

mm

Speaker 1:

you know have you ever been away from Tyneside (interruption) for any for any length of time

Speaker 2:

oh not me no no

Speaker 3:

(unclear)

Speaker 1:

except during the war

Speaker 2:

that's the only time I was away like oh aye seven year in the war

Speaker 1:

yeah could people usually tell you were a Geordie then

Speaker 2:

mm

Speaker 1:

could people usually tell you were a Geordie then

Speaker 2:

the people like

Speaker 1:

aye the blokes you know you were in the army with

Speaker 2:

oh aye

Speaker 1:

aye

Speaker 2:

was all (unclear) lot of mates like

Speaker 1:

aye

Speaker 2:

well there were about twenty six in a in a section of men you know (unclear) of a night time you couldn't get out you had to do guard you see you couldn't get out

Speaker 1:

yeah

Speaker 2:

you see when you're abroad you're on guard just the same take your turn I think it was (pause) four hours on four off used to get

Speaker 1:

yeah

Speaker 2:

aye it used to be the same when you were abroad as well (unclear) (unclear) a guard

Speaker 1:

yeah was there was there blokes there from all different parts of the country like you know did they

Speaker 2:

oh aye

Speaker 1:

aye

Speaker 2:

there was ehm Scotch people as well you know Scotch (unclear) the Hampshires

Speaker 1:

aye

Speaker 2:

engineers (pause) there was

Speaker 1:

and what did you think about their patter like what did you think about the way they talked

Speaker 2:

oh the Scotsmen I couldn't make them out them (laughter)

Speaker 1:

could you not

Speaker 2:

no

Speaker 1:

couldn't understand them

Speaker 2:

because we nearly (unclear) used to play the bagpipes them lads it was good actually like oh

Speaker 1:

aye

Speaker 2:

we haven't got much time because I've got to get away for work (laughter)

Speaker 1:

eh oh that's right aye (unclear) yeah

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