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Age Group:

61-70

Gender:

Male

Residence:

Tyneside - Newcastle

Education:

Unknown

Occupation:

Youth Training Manager (Painting and Decorating)

:

Age Group:

51-60

Gender:

Male

Residence:

Tyneside - Newcastle

Education:

Unknown

Occupation:

Plumber (retired)

 decten1pvc02

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the pub

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it's String's aye

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mm-hm

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ehm (pause) but (pause) when my father was in it was the Queens

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mm-hm

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and he was second man there

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mm-hm

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because he always wanted to be manager at eh that bar (pause) and he was at the time

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was that Deuchar's was it then

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aye aye the Deuchar's

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(unclear)

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and at the time he was (pause) working for (pause) W H Smith

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do you remember what they called Deuchar's beer

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the eh

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Duddingston Ales

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was it

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aye Duddingston Ales was Deuchar's beer aye

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I didn't know that like

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aye then they went on to Lockstrom

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aye

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Lockside

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that was before I was drinking that

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I'm sorry about that (unclear)

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but eh

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before I was drinking as well

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because what used the cheers mate the ehm (pause) well I always remember eh in eh you know Marlborough Crescent

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(unclear) aye (pause) (NAME) the paper man

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aye (NAME) and the police (pause) down there

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there was (NAME) (NAME)

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eh

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Fatty (NAME)

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aye eh Goofie (pause) we used to call him up the lane

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mm-hm (pause) mm-hm

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you know it's like Polly Realand's the shop (pause) and I remember him

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did you ever gan round the Knightsie's the bookies down at the back lane

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aye w w well that was were it was

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Knightsie's

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down down by Knightsie's but he used to come (pause) and if you were eh anywhere near that Marlborough Crescent (pause) because we were just bairns like

:

mm-hm

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he was eh (pause) give you a good tanning like

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mm-hm

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bring you home (pause) and then your father'd give you a good tanning and all (pause) for being brought in by the police because you were in the wrong place to start with

:

remember when Knightsie's bookies shop was when he had that wey it wasn't a shop it was a house (pause) along the street and he used to have his touts outside because you weren't allowed to bet on the streets

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that's right aye

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we used to gan along there with wor bets and they used to be looking all over the place looking for the police and if the police was there the blokes would just say 'keep on walking son'

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(laughter)

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(unclear) business

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aye

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divn't come in divn't come in (unclear) went straight through up under the arch

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aye

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past Josie's eh (interruption) shop on the corner

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that's (pause) aye that's right aye (interruption) (unclear)

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Polly Realand's (unclear)

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aye

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(unclear)

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but ehm (pause) because I remember down there (pause) eh well now our house is eh City Motors

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aye do you remember Hall Foster's with the with the big eh (pause) factory the back of the (pause) ehm (pause) back of the stall Hall Foster's the chemists the manufacturing chemists

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the back of the stall

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you know the back of the stall

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(interruption) aye

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Hall Foster's had the (unclear)

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(interruption) up ehm

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there was the (unclear) browned for the Guinness

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aye Temple Street

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Temple Street

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aye

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and it was eh Hall Foster's

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that's right aye

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uh-huh

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well

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Sinclair's

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aye

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we used to (unclear) there

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because (pause) it's behind there (pause) where the ehm (pause) the smallest cemetery

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Jewish cemetery

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that's right aye

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it's in it's (interruption) (unclear)

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it's the smallest cemetery in Britain

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aye it's in it's in between the buildings

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that's right aye

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well I was (interruption) (unclear)

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and eh

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I was in did you (unclear) see it

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I never ever went in

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it's (interruption) (unclear) it's about

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I looked (unclear) I've I've overlooked it when I was working down on the eh star

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I went through it because my dad and I (unclear) we used (unclear) well my father was a sign writer and I was (unclear) (unclear) (unclear) (unclear) gan in there and drinking Guinness (pause) and we went in through there (pause) and you had to gan through the bond and out through the back

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that's right (interruption) aye aye

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and it takes you through takes you through in the where there used to be (unclear) wash (unclear) and eh it was enclosed nobody could see it and the grass was beautiful and green

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aye aye

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I think there was a couple of trees in it and there was only about six gravestones

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aye

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you know

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well I divn't know how far it's true (pause) but (pause) the last person to be hanged in Gallowgate is in that cemetery

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well they must have been a Jew because it's a Jewish cemetery

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well that was the last (pause) mind I as I say I divn't know how far it's true (pause) but according you know when you talk to people

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mm-hm

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the last person that was ever hanged at Gallowgate (pause) was eh buried in there

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oh I didn't know that like (unclear)

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as I say I divn't know how far it's true but I mean that's just that was just hearsay (unclear)

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talking about when you know we used to play marbles (unclear) cobbled streets well I used to

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oh aye

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you used to take the cobbles out you'd dig a cobble out

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aye

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and make the holes

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that's

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and have three holes

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aye

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and play killer

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aye

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and you used to play tin block remember you used to put the tin block in the (unclear)

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aye aye

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the two bits of stick on

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aye

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and knock the sticks off

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aye

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and then run away

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ehm (pause) what was that other th what was that game that we all played man one stood at the wall (pause) one stood

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multy kitty

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multy kitty

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aye

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now that was (pause) the game (pause) that everybody played

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aye yeah

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you could play it like anywhere (interruption) you know

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well the back lanes where we used to play the kids would be playing outside and the women would come out in the streets

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oh (interruption) aye

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and they'd turn the skipping rope

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aye (interruption) yeah

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and all the lassies would be playing skippies

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mm

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the lads would be playing football cricket or t or shotty in goals you know used to that's where they learnt all the dribbling

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aye

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you used to you each had a back door

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that's right

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and you defended it

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aye

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you tried to score against (unclear) killer

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aye

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but you learnt to dribble

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aye that was well that's where all the good footballers come from

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aye tops and whips

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eh

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and eh what was the other one (pause) tally ho

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tally ho was a one

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hidey tuggy on high (pause) and the lasses used to play with them (pause) eh (pause) chucks

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oh aye chucks aye five chucks

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used to (pause) throw the ball up and keep picking the the chuck up (unclear)

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just with five stones

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remember that one

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you know it was

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used t used to you used to play bays the hop scotch (unclear) I think (unclear) they've got it in schools now they've got them on the (interruption) on the playgrounds

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got a one on the (unclear) this one here aye

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but you never see kids playing outside here or anywhere (interruption) now

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you never see them

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never see them play eh a game

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no because you see I mean just take the other day I was looking (pause) and there was a laddie there he couldn't have been more than (pause) five years old (pause) just at the bottom here and he's riding around on a ehm

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(unclear)

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on a motorbike a miniature motorbike

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aye I seen it

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you know little (pause) six volt battery driven motorbike well I mean I you just didn't even have them did you

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no

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because

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you didn't have push bikes in them days (unclear)

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no

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I mean (unclear) three wheeler

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(unclear) getting back to your (unclear)

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aye (unclear)

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you know that w that was your only form of transport wasn't it

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mm-hm aye (laughter)

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(laughter)

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aye

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it got you from your mother's to your granny's

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aye

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you know I mean you had no trouble with (pause) punctures because you didn't have (unclear) (interruption) (unclear)

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(unclear) it cost nowt really (unclear) to play

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no nothing we played (pause) cost anything

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no

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your chucks eh was five pebbles

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mm-hm

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you know

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aye

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ehm

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we used to make a

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your can

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you know talking about stuffing a case with a paper we used to we just used to make a t paper tie up in a ball

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aye

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tie with string kick that around

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aye well we had a posh one because we were from a very very posh area of Newcastle

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(unclear)

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(unclear) Street

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(unclear) aye

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and an o an old case ball where you just pressed all the paper in (pause) you know I mean you didn't have the lace to gan in the case ball but

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mm-hm

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you know you just kept filling it with paper didn't you

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you would have been too young to be a evacuee though (NAME) were you

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oh aye oh that was before m I was eh a evacuee from school (pause) when I used to run back to my mother

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(laughter)

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eh

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no I'm thinking about when nineteen thirty or thirty eight thirty nine I can remember thinking about eh Hitler was ganning to supposed to be a bad lad at the time

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aye

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(unclear) it was all the papers (pause) and you were getting fitted up with gas masks and eh we had to gan to school with wor gas masks on and I remember the Mickey Mouse ones for the (pause) for the youngsters about

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aye

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five or something

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aye

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and I remember the the tank ones (pause) about that high (interruption) (unclear)

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oh I can remember that aye

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put the bairns in (interruption) there

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I've seen them I mean

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aye put the bairns

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aye

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in in the in the full case

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were like a Dalek

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aye well with their arms

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aye

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and their legs sticking out and you had to (pause) press the the top for for the air to gan in

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that's right aye

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(unclear) terrifying

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I've seen a one but I've never ever

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I remember when they when they were (interruption) playing

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never seen them being used

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the ARP that was the Air Raid Precaution people

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aye

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and the AFS the Auxiliary Fire Service they are that was the sort of a (pause) amateur fire brigade and they used to do these eh gas attacks and the first time I ever saw this bloke in a suit (pause) all black suit I mean he had the these great big eyes and the he had this mask what we didn't have great big trunk came off into this pouch into there great big gloves on great big

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sorry (NAME)

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great big wellies and they were they had these sign boards they were painted like a mustard colour (pause) or green and they used to turn mustard if they put the gas (interruption) (unclear)

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aye aye aye

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they used to put a touch of gas on colour used to change and these blokes were ganning around with these (unclear) the the rattles you had at the matches

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aye

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well that was the gas warning sign

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the gas warnings aye

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they used to gan round with these rattles and and (unclear) were watching these exhibitions I was terrified when I saw this bloke running about with this great big (pause) massive eyes on this gas mask you know geet big trunk coming out like that I was absolutely terrified and he was (pause) waving a rattle (pause) and then the fire the AFS was running around putting ladders up and all that and then we had the (pause) soldiers pretending they were doing mock street fighting

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yeah

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(unclear) well you you wouldn't (unclear) they used to be eh come along (pause) s at street corners and they had these rifles and there were

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aye

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firing crackers and everything they were supposed to be defending the place (pause) then they when they come and bombed when the Germans come over and bombed Spiller's and we lived (pause) in between there was Jews living on either side of we (pause) the Jerries came over and they dropped incendiaries they went through the houses the roofs (pause) on the Jews on either side of us and we had them in wor house and they were screaming and everything (pause) the fire brigade was there putting fires out and they never touched us

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aye

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because we were Catholics you see (laughter)

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oh aye you would be aye

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so he picked on the two Jews funny (laughter) he hit the two Jews

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(unclear) like

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on either side of we

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aye

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aye and then I was evacuated (pause) I went to first of all I went to Carlisle in nineteen thirty nine eh war broke out on Friday the first of September (pause) no no we were evacuated on Friday the first of September and war broke out on Sunday the third of September and I was in (pause) eh Maryport at the time I was in a Catholic priory (pause) and they called the Italian priest (pause) Father Primavesi that was his name I went back there (pause) about ten year ago (pause) I went back to Maryport

:

mm

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where I had been an evacuee well I was only (pause) seven year old I think nineteen thirty nine

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aye

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and I went to this (unclear) (unclear) they didn't have a (pause) a visitors' book (interruption) (unclear)

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oh aye

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(unclear) I went in and I couldn't remember if I'd signed my name in it and when I went in I I (pause) told them who I was like and they they let us go in the house like and I walked all round the house and I remember it from it hadn't changed

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mm-hm

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from when I'd been a kid the place was still the same (pause) and I asked them if they had a book and they said no they never never had kept a visitors' book you see

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aye

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(unclear) it was very interesting I went in (unclear) i in the walled garden it was completely derelict compared to when we were there because they were it was all we were all cultivating you see we dug all the garden and had plants and everything growing and when I went in there it was that big they couldn't afford anybody (unclear) look after it you see when we were there there was about fourteen of us kids

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aye aye

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and we all (pause) got to dig and weed the garden like you had to dig for victory sort of style and we had all this (pause) lot of gardening (unclear) it was

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mm-hm

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it was champion then but eh (pause) when I was there in nineteen thirty nine I was taken to hospital Carlisle Infirmary had an operation on my foot (pause) called (pause) osteomyelitis and now they treat it with drugs (pause) but then they had to have an operation on it

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aye

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so I went to Carlisle Infirmary (pause) eh (pause) I don't know if that came back from there (pause) and I was sent to Workington on the second evacuation (pause) our little wor little (pause) tags on there you know

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aye

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probably seen them on the news for the

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aye

:

lost children you know (pause) taken over by (unclear) teachers and our parents used to come over I think once a month used to come and visit we (unclear) I enjoyed (pause) (unclear) I enjoyed the war in one sense (pause) it was exciting (pause) course we didn't realize what had happened (interruption) (unclear)

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no you didn't understand it did you

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it was frightening when the aeroplanes w when the sirens went off but you we didn't get much trouble in Newcastle really in compared to what they got down in eh Coventry and London and places like that you know but eh

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oh aye

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it was frightening up to a point but we didn't realize the the dangers fully all I remember was that they put sweets on the ration (pause) we didn't mind when the soap went on the ration (pause) but when sweets went on the ration (interruption) we couldn't get sw

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aye (unclear) big deal aye

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oh dear me

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aye but I mean it's it's like the little ones now (pause) the young ones now I mean they're d (pause) they're doing things there (pause) they don't understand isn't it (interruption) I mean not (unclear) (unclear) child

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they've never been deprived

:

I mean (pause) my little grand bairn there he gets on a bike take the stabilisers off and off he gans (pause) doesn't think falls down hurts his head he didn't think what was going to happen or what could happen you know and that's the way yous were when yous went when you were evacuated

:

mm-hm

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you didn't realize what was happening it was (unclear) a holiday probably

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mm-hm it was in one sense

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aye the only thing that was missing (pause) was your jam and bread and your bottle of water

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(laughter)

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with the crumbs in the bottom wasn't it and (unclear) stamp on your hand

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do you remember when they (pause) used to come round j eh with the milk when you used to get it out the can

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(unclear)

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the churn used to come round on a horse and cart

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oh aye

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and they used to sell milk

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aye

:

aye

:

you used to get that in the town

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aye

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used to come around and your mother used to gan up and get a jug

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they also used to come round selling selling watercress remember a bloke (interruption) (unclear)

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aye watercress aye

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watercress (interruption) vinegar

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they're bringing it all back now like

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aye he used to come a bloke he used to come round selling vinegar

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aye oh aye the vinegar

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(unclear)

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and he used to come round and sharpen all your eh knives

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aye the grinder

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the grinder used to come around

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(unclear) the candy man (unclear)

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aye

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(unclear) (unclear) candy man

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but it was all like a grape vine and all

:

oh aye

:

because (pause) everybody (pause) you know he would say 'oh I've just been talking to Mrs eh (pause) Mrs so and so there did you know (pause) the father was bad' or something like that you know and it just (unclear) used to gan around and and like all round the town everybody knew everybody's business

:

mm-hm

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didn't they

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yeah

:

but nobody used to call people (unclear)

:

you always you always had the local busy body

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aye

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(unclear) if your (pause) mother was ill

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oh aye aye

:

or if your your mother was expecting a bairn she'd be there

:

aye aye

:

she would lay your father out you know

:

aye

:

if if your father died she would if anybody died

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oh yeah aye

:

you had one of these people who lived there would gan (interruption) (unclear)

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(unclear) give them the wash and all of that and lay them out

:

anybody had an accident that busy body

:

aye

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everybody used to say busy body but she was

:

aye

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good as gold

:

aye

:

straight to the house to help you out

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aye

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owt you want nurse (interruption) (unclear)

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but I mean

:

and the one I'm thinking about is Mrs (NAME) she used to terrify me she was a Yorkshire woman and she would come (pause) down she had lived used to live upstairs and she used to be at the window and she used to look and she used to look for somebody that was (unclear) messages she'd just say to you 'come here I want you' and you dursn't gan away you used to stand at the bottom of the stairs she c used to come (unclear) your hand put the note in 'there you are gan get my groceries'

:

aye

:

and she would send you for the groceries then you'd come back and she'd say gan for my veg and you'd n you never got away and she used to send you to the pawn shop (pause) for her man's suit on a Saturday

:

aye

:

this was (unclear) used to gan to the pawn shop (unclear) pawn shop

:

(unclear) aye

:

gan up there use (pause) well I was put (unclear) 'don't let anybody take that off you' gan up there (unclear) might have been about a shilling or something you know (unclear) hell of a lot of money used to gan up there gan in the pawn shop get the suit bring it back give her it and you done about six messages (laughter)

:

aye

:

and she'd she'd give you a penny

:

and you got a penny aye (interruption) or a bullet

:

you used to spend about three hours because you used to stand in the queues you had to you had to queue for everything

:

that's right

:

you had to queue for your groceries queue at the green grocers queue at the butchers you'd queue at the pawn shop and you were ages you used to gan 'I'm only gan to get a penny for this' but it was a hell of a lot of money

:

you could you could run around all morning doing messages for a bullet (pause) and they used to turn around and they used to say to you 'now look (unclear) I'm gan to give you a bullet (pause) (unclear) sweet and you'll get a bullet if you get all these done' and you used to (unclear) about (pause) with your coat tied (interruption) your burberry

:

(unclear)

:

with one button tied there you know because then it was Zorro

:

aye or the Mystery Riders

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or the Mystery Riders aye and you just because you went faster

:

aye (laughter)

:

actually from shop to shop giving yourself (unclear) all the time you know (pause) I think that's how we didn't feel it (pause) hurt when wor mothers hit we you know because we were (unclear)

:

aye we used to gan to the

:

and we used to run around with this burberry (pause) flying in the wind you know you know making marks on the wall like that ehm (pause) but you used to do that and you never (pause) used to argue did you and y you just said something to

:

y you always did what you were told (unclear)

:

if they says you did that you went and done it

:

mm-hm

:

if a if a policeman turned around and says (pause) 'now stop that' y you stopped immediately I mean you didn't think twice you didn't turn around and say 'well w what for like' you just did it

:

mm

:

anything that any elder said you did without question you didn't

:

mm-hm

:

I mean (pause) eh (interruption) (unclear)

:

(unclear) we had discipline (unclear)

:

ay

:

I suppose the worst th even in them days there'd be some (pause) some people wouldn't like you and still had some bad kids didn't you (interruption) (unclear)

:

oh (unclear) but I I'll tell you what

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in the main

:

I wa

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(unclear) we were all disciplined

:

I was gan to say because I mean you got the little pincher I can remember standing (pause) when eh some lads about (pause) I don't know how old they would be then (pause) maybes about fourteen or something like that broke into the back of Sinclair's (pause) and I'd two bags of three penny bits and at the time I would be (pause) eh f three or four (pause) and the police came this was in back of Temple Street

:

mm-hm

:

and I was standing with two bags of three penny bits

:

(unclear) bag (unclear) (unclear)

:

(unclear) and I run out (pause) and pushed the two b he says 'give me the two bags' and I'm standing like a little tin of milk

:

mm-hm

:

with my two bags of three penny bits I'll never ever forget it

:

so you got a criminal record ay (NAME) (laughter)

:

that was before I before I'd left school (laughter)

:

did you know (NAME) (NAME) that lived along there

:

who

:

(NAME) (NAME)

:

(NAME)

:

(NAME) aye

:

oh aye I knew (NAME) aye

:

(interruption) (unclear) (unclear)

:

canny (pause) eh

:

(unclear)

:

the (NAME) they were a heavy squad

:

aye

:

ehm

:

remember (unclear) the bookies (unclear) (pause) little milker

:

no I can not remember them (pause) no (interruption) (unclear)

:

did you ever gan to the Gaiety

:

oh I used to gan to the Gaiety all the time

:

(laughter)

:

oh (interruption) (unclear) Gaiety aye

:

(unclear) (unclear)

:

aye

:

you used to gan in the door and he used to count you along on the seats and he used to put three of yous on on t on t between two seats

:

that's right aye

:

and they knew when it was your turn to gan out

:

aye

:

soon soon as you (unclear) 'get out you've seen the pictures' (unclear) checkie used to (unclear)

:

oh aye

:

Gaiety

:

the Gaiety was something ehm (unclear) used to open a what do you call it open the eh fire exit

:

aye hoy you out

:

aye

:

aye

:

(unclear) used to

:

you only came in one door and went out the other

:

you used aye you used to you used to get loads used to get in

:

mm-hm

:

the Gaiety through the fire exit like you know

:

I remember when I got posh when I was about (pause) about fourteen when I (interruption) started working

:

aye what was it again I think it was ehm

:

(unclear) upstairs (unclear) dead posh

:

I think it was three pence when I used to gan

:

no I think (unclear)

:

(unclear) three pence

:

I think it was less than that like eh two pence downstairs at the front three pence

:

aye at the front

:

downstairs

:

I was always at the front (unclear)

:

three pence downstairs in the back

:

aye

:

and I think it was (pause) nine pence

:

oh oh I never went up there no

:

ni ni upstairs oh you're dead posh then

:

aye

:

nine pence aye

:

never went up there (unclear)

:

didn't get fleas up the stairs you just got fleas when you were downstairs

:

but the Gaiety ehm (interruption) (unclear)

:

you used to gan (pause) you used to gan (interruption) (unclear)

:

they were talking about something there you know all this about (pause) eh blokes messing about with children

:

mm-hm

:

you know the Gaiety I was once there on a Saturday (pause) and a fellow was in it well you know all the bairn (unclear) all sat in front didn't we

:

aye aye

:

you know (pause) Hopalong Cassidy and that (pause) and a fellow was caught there oh he was beaten up and all ehm for touching children now that was when I (pause) when I was about (pause) four maybes three or four

:

mm

:

and that's a long time ago fifty years ago so it happened then (pause) (interruption) as well as now

:

(unclear)

:

but it never ever came out

:

mm

:

then because what happened then was (pause) the ehm (pause) well the women would have turned him over like you know because the women were hard like (unclear) there isn't (pause) any doubt about it is there

:

no (interruption) (unclear)

:

the women were hard I mean they would just as easy put their fists up as

:

(interruption) (unclear)

:

as take any slagging but all they did with that that that fellow I I can remember standing in the in the back lane (pause) w what was the name of the lane

:

Lansdowne Street

:

Lansdowne Street was it

:

mm-hm

:

(unclear) stand s and watch this bloke getting turned over

:

mm-hm

:

you know and I divn't suppose he ever come back I don't suppose he ever showed his face in Newcastle again

:

mm

:

but I can remember that happening one Saturday morning because Saturday morning was your your big day you know that was the day when (pause) and that was another day when your coat was on back to front and

:

(laughter) (unclear) gan to the Gem and all did you

:

the Gem aye

:

the Gem

:

that was another one

:

(unclear) we used to gan to eh

:

eh

:

on the Friday we used to gan to the eh the pi the church hall (pause) eh Park Road and Grey Street used to gan and watch watch Our Gang

:

aye

:

and the (pause) Dead End Street the eh (pause) (unclear)

:

the the Boundary Boys (interruption) (unclear)

:

Boundary Boys

:

that that was (unclear) Boundaries aye

:

(unclear) (unclear) Clutching Hand

:

aye

:

the go was it Clutching Hand eh (pause) and Zorro oh and eh Flash Gordon

:

oh (interruption) Flash aye

:

(laughter)

:

(unclear) he was good like Flash Gordon

:

Buster Crabbe yeah that was exciting (unclear) wasn't it

:

but you know going through them stages like that if you think back to when you were when I was ehm (pause) seventeen (pause) you had eh (pause) the English Martyrs

:

mm-hm

:

you had ehm (pause) Gosforth church dance

:

mm-hm

:

you had eh

:

Saint Michael's

:

Saint Michael's

:

and Tanner Hop

:

Heaton

:

mm-hm

:

you had all of them

:

well you had the eh

:

dances where you went

:

the Brighton

:

and I mean by that age then you were like working and you had a few shilling and eh you saved up didn't you for the James Dean jeans I mean they were the (interruption) (unclear)

:

I was never I was never a trendy guy

:

did you not

:

no

:

I remember my first pair of (interruption) James Deans

:

never had the D A

:

they were four pound (pause) they were four pound (pause) two and six or something like that you know and it was (pause) when I got them (pause) it was a lot of money that like (unclear) you know (pause) and you put them on and you sat in the bath long before it ever come on television here like but you sat in the bath you know you're sitting there with your jeans on smart as a little carrot (unclear) until they shrunk

:

this is my second pair of jeans in my life

:

ah

:

sec (interruption) (unclear)

:

I'll tell you what you're getting good wear out of them like

:

I wouldn't wear (laughter)

:

(laughter)

:

I wouldn't I wouldn't wear jeans and I wouldn't wear trainers

:

oh well you didn't wear trainers

:

no but I mean (unclear) you know the trainers (unclear)

:

aye well your dress for the my dress and I'll the lass was called (NAME) (NAME) (pause) and I can remember her coming into the Cowgate school (pause) to the what did you call it again Play Centre

:

mm-hm

:

remember

:

did you get into the (unclear) did you

:

no oh aye we went to the (interruption) (unclear)

:

you went to the (unclear)

:

but at the Play Centre and I had met this lass (pause) and eh she was most sought after this lassie like (unclear) was a smart lass like (pause) and ehm (pause) I had (unclear) I'd just getten (pause) a James One Two Five the motorbike you know

:

mm-hm

:

so I gans into this dance I've got my Marlon Brando jacket (pause) all right because it went across that way remember

:

mm-hm

:

what was it On The Waterfront

:

yeah

:

the film so everybody had to have them like it was plastic

:

(laughter)

:

yeah bit different to this your James Dean jeans (pause) and your wellies but you had to have sea socks so that when you had your wellies on they turned over the top you know

:

aye l like coasters

:

so your le top of your leg was like that with these wellies on and that was a dance you know for the dance and I went in and here's this (NAME) (NAME) (pause) in a gr in a white (pause) actually I think it was an old eh (pause) sort of wedding dress or something or a bridesmaid's dress cut down a bit you know and here (interruption) she was in this

:

how how old were you

:

I would be eh (pause) just when I got my first bike sixteen (pause) when I went in and I I'll never ever forget it we must have looked great if anybody could have getten a photo there (pause) it would have made the headlines here like

:

(laughter)

:

(laughter) but don't give (unclear) now you know

:

phew

:

(unclear) her with her long dress you know and me with my great wellies on (pause) course your wellies had to have the big thick (unclear) you remember the bottoms that

:

aye

:

you know were about (interruption) that

:

(unclear) aye

:

thick aye with all the ribbing and all that I can remember dancing around with that aye I was smart as a carrot but the place was full you were out you were back in the house long before nine o'clock

:

y did you have the Tony Curtis D A or (pause) did you

:

oh I I could never grow (interruption) (unclear)

:

or did you wear the semi the drapes

:

I I always had long hair

:

did you gan for the drapes

:

actually I think I was grey when I was fourteen

:

(laughter)

:

(laughter) it seems about that (interruption) (unclear)

:

I never followed the trend

:

oh wey the next thing was your drape

:

mm-hm

:

you know now I can remember my first one that my mother got me oh she went crazy

:

Jackson's

:

aye

:

the Jackson's

:

Jackson's oh aye no Marcus Price

:

Marcus Price that was (interruption) (unclear) Newbridge Street

:

and I went in there that's on (interruption) Newbridge Street aye

:

(unclear)

:

and I went in there and it was a light blue and the trend then was you had to have (pause) the brightest lining you could get (pause) it had to be really bright this lining never mind what colour your suit was

:

(laughter)

:

so they had this great thing with the link button you know

:

aye

:

and I

:

and the big droopy shoulders

:

aye and I got (pause) ice blue lining

:

mm

:

and I was so proud of this you know this suit (pause) I still had it actually when I met wor lass you know f (laughter) fifteen years later you know and then she slung it like but then after that (pause) was probably the best style there was which was the Italian style

:

the Manila cut

:

the short one and then the colours for that (interruption) (unclear)

:

and and the haircut that went with it

:

oh no

:

oh did you not get that haircut (interruption) oh

:

I never went in for that haircut

:

I didn't like my brother did oh dear me

:

but the colour for your Italian (interruption) suit was scarlet

:

(unclear) aye I thought he'd eh I thought it was he'd getten a suit that was shrunk you know I thought he'd ha ha had it washed and it shrunk

:

aye

:

he come in he eh paid a lot of stuff eh was it m was it milium li milium milium lining or something

:

aye

:

(unclear) he come in I says 'what's the matter with you' it had the cuffs were up above there

:

that's right

:

they were cut away at the back and they had two buttons on

:

aye

:

and it was like

:

jacket (interruption) come to there

:

short jacket

:

aye

:

and it looked tight on here

:

aye

:

and he had this haircut I says to him 'what's the matter with you are you bad' (laughter)

:

oh aye eeh they were superb (interruption) (unclear)

:

they looked terrible

:

actually I've still got a photo of that

:

terrible and I says (unclear)

:

(unclear)

:

and my other brother was as different again (NAME) he had the zoot suit

:

aye

:

the (unclear) pockets

:

aye

:

and the red and yel eh was it deep blue red like the yankee colour

:

(unclear) aye

:

you know the yankee colours

:

aye

:

geet big tie geet big kipper tie and the and the the D A (pause) and the other time (unclear) the boston string little black boston string

:

oh aye I had one of them aye

:

(unclear)

:

but when you think about (interruption) it (unclear)

:

(unclear) never had wore any of them

:

they're not so different to us you know I mean it's only that (pause) the gear that you get now

:

costs a fortune

:

is a lot more expensive

:

costs a fortune

:

I mean you've got to have an American Express or a Gold Card or something like that

:

phew

:

for to buy a jacket (interruption) now

:

or a gun (laughter)

:

or a gun but I mean we used to do exactly the same if you think about it

:

I didn't I tell you I never followed the trend

:

did you oh we did like of course

:

all I lived for was football

:

aye

:

I never bothered with women I never (interruption) (unclear)

:

oh (unclear) no y your motorbike

:

no no never had a motorbike till I went in the army

:

oh (unclear) I had

:

(unclear) did my nashy

:

I can remember my father getting wrong I had just getten my motorbike and my mother's was ganning to the shops to the stores you know the Co op and eh just off hand like (interruption) the cheque number was six eight six eight

:

(unclear) six double seven nothing nine ours

:

aye I knew (pause) must remember your cheque number because you didn't half get a good clip if you forgot that (pause) and eh when she had went away my father I says to my father 'oh it's gan to start to rain'

:

my bike'll shrink

:

so we carried the bike into the kitchen

:

(laughter)

:

oh and my mother didn't want much shopping you know (pause) because she didn't have much (pause) money left (laughter)

:

(laughter)

:

you know and when she come in and seen this bike a little one two five you know

:

aye

:

by didn't my father get six nowt for that because I naturally let him take the blame you know

:

oh that's right (laughter) (interruption) (unclear)

:

we're trying to get it through the door you know into the kitchen eeh I never lifted the carpet or nowt like that (pause) crazy (pause) but I mean eh (pause) you know (unclear) they were great weren't they

:

I think I think I think they were great because you were young

:

I did like

:

when you didn't seem to have t you didn't seem to have any worries

:

no but I mean you managed to get you managed to pay your mother (pause) gan out (pause) a couple or three nights a week all the and your wages were four pound fifteen

:

well when I started I was on one pound fifty a week as the present rate is

:

aye

:

and I worked a forty four hour week

:

mine was a sixty hour week

:

five and a half days serving his time

:

aye

:

at eh Swalwell apprentice painter I was getting one pound fifty thirty bob and the blokes were on half a crown an hour there and that was just after the war

:

aye uh-huh

:

the war was just finished the blokes were on half a crown an hour six pound a week wages

:

but I mean even (pause) well I was getting four pound fifteen (pause) I mean you give it to your mother (pause) and I was buying a bike and all you know (unclear) (pause) you borrowed it back

:

mm-hm

:

you know (pause) but I divn't know you just seemed to get through

:

well I was getting (interruption) five shilling

:

(unclear)

:

pocket money

:

of course there again I didn't smoke neither

:

at fourteen I didn't smoke

:

(unclear)

:

didn't bother with women didn't drink fourteen

:

you wouldn't buy (interruption) nowt for a lass anyway

:

fourteen year now they're fourteen year now they're they're fathers aren't they some of them half of them was father

:

oh aye

:

fathers at fourteen

:

aye

:

but I had five shilling a week pocket money and I still had money on a Monday morning

:

aye

:

but I didn't get paid till Friday night like you know

:

aye

:

(laughter)

:

oh aye I know

:

(unclear) you got paid on a Friday night (laughter) but eh I just I used to gan (unclear) the pictures I think it was like I say nine pence it was that was big (unclear)

:

aye

:

(unclear) nine pence down the Gaiety

:

aye that's right

:

lord lord and got nowt

:

aye

:

and we used to gan to the eh (pause) the wrestling

:

oh aye Saint James's

:

Saint James's used to gan to the wrestling that was great that

:

aye that was great aye we used to gan there

:

come out there and gan to the fish shop and the fish shops used to shut

:

aye

:

(unclear) half past ten was the latest

:

that's right aye

:

and the big thing in the town then remember Fuller's Cafe opposite Central Station

:

that's right aye

:

that was the only nightclub in Newcastle

:

aye aye

:

(laughter) the only cafe that (unclear) all it was I don't know if you know about it it was a eh excuse me

:

I bet that's for me (pause) but I mean we (unclear) used to have you know like these coffee

:

mm

:

shops there was a one in ehm (pause) in Gosforth where (NAME) and I the wife that in fact that's where I met her in there and eh (pause) you would gan in there and have two cups of coffee (pause) it was like a bikers' caff

:

mm

:

you just used to gan over there just to give your bike a show you know ehm (pause) but the older the bike (pause) the more people appreciated it like the bike I had was (unclear) ehm a nineteen fifty one Vincent (interruption) (unclear)

:

excuse me you've got to ring your mate before quarter past nine at the golf club because there's a change of (pause) programme for tomorrow

:

oh (unclear)

:

so how are we (unclear) running for time

:

okay got a bit longer yet if you (interruption) (unclear)

:

quarter past nine

:

quarter past nine you've got to ring before quarter past nine so if you wanted to go and ring come back (unclear)

:

a at the club

:

she just says he's he's been on twice

:

mm (pause) yeah anyway at the toddle like the older the bike the more you were appreciated you know and I think in our crew (pause) bikes were just like the main thing you know and then you went on like later on to cars I mean the next car I had I think was a eh nineteen forty one Austin (pause) XWD and that was good one because it was an open top actually it was a (pause) it was a convertible

:

mm

:

but I I opened (unclear) roof once (pause) and then that was it it just fell to pieces you know

:

(laughter)

:

(laughter)

:

and I I tried (pause) and I tried doing it up you know with a bit of your mastic paint that didn't help much

:

(unclear)

:

you know when it just when you closed it up it just all broke away (unclear)

:

(laughter)

:

and eh (pause) but there was just always something to do there was King's College (pause) the King's Club they had a place there where you could gan down and there was eh and this is all in one big room there was draughts (pause) eh (pause) dominoes there was all sorts painting (pause) (interruption) chess

:

was this like a Play Centre w when yous (interruption) (unclear)

:

aye a little bit grown up this was when I was about (pause) ehm (pause) about s (pause) seventeen or something like that

:

mm-hm

:

you know but it was at King's College

:

mm-hm

:

it was called the King's Club it was in (pause) Leazes (pause) you know the Leazes ehm (pause) houses of residence

:

yeah

:

it was in (interruption) there

:

halls of residence (unclear) (unclear)

:

aye the halls of residence (pause) when they were nice

:

mm-hm (interruption) lads used to play football

:

and eh aye

:

and cricket

:

but they were good there was stacks of places to go

:

mm

:

I mean here (pause) the young ones'd tend to be limited (unclear) (interruption) you know

:

the only thing is (unclear)

:

they can not really

:

eh there wasn't a nightlife when we were youngsters

:

no because you weren't allowed out

:

no I'm talking about I'm talking about when you up got up to the age of eighteen eh I mean the dance halls I think the dance hall was finished eleven o'clock that was the latest thing (interruption) (unclear)

:

aye yeah

:

the pubs used to shut at ten o'clock

:

that's right

:

there was no nightclubs in Newcastle

:

no no

:

there was no nightlife after th there was no cafes open in Newcastle

:

(interruption) (unclear)

:

the (unclear) I was telling you about was the Fuller's (pause) that was the

:

aye

:

that was the big place in Newcastle there was this Fuller's it was good the length of that there (pause) and all it was was like a shed

:

aye

:

open shed and you used to get cups of hot (pause) Bovril I think that was the thing and a pie

:

aye

:

and all the lowest form of nightlife and all the ladies of the streets (pause) used to parade their talents around there (interruption) in Pink Lane (unclear) Pink Lane

:

aye that's Pink Lane that's right aye

:

and that was the nightlife in Newcastle

:

aye

:

when I was a kid not that I went there but I just I knew (interruption) of it

:

aye

:

you see I mean you used to (pause) you used to hear the big lads talking 'oh I'm ganning out to Fuller's' I couldn't (unclear)

:

aye

:

ganning out to Fuller's for a cup of cof cup of eh Oxo (interruption) (unclear)

:

you know what Oxo was aye

:

it was just the the plastic type cups then and that was the big thing down there and of course when I got older I'd I knew about this so we'd all gan down there to Fuller's and see what what all the crack is (pause) went down there and I thought oh standing here freezing (laughter)

:

aye (interruption) (unclear)

:

you stand there freezing looking to see what's happening because they were always telling you (pause) tales about you saw the bloke getting (pause) pulled up by the cops and you saw this bloke (interruption) (unclear)

:

aye aye

:

and they were telling you all these stories and when I went (unclear) I was standing

:

aye

:

I was it was freezing

:

aye

:

(unclear) (interruption) (unclear)

:

(unclear) all the time

:

and it was terrible stuff (unclear) absolutely hideous

:

aye

:

and and I didn't fancy the the looked and I saw the all these blokes (unclear) pies and (pause) (unclear) (unclear)

:

aye

:

and these ladies (unclear) (interruption) (unclear)

:

we used to gan down there like when we were young

:

aye

:

just to see these (pause) women of ill repute you know just to see what they look like you know the curiosity you'd heard (pause) all the grown ups talking about the these things and this that and the other and like (NAME) says you know (pause) all the time your little ears were listening you know and (pause) you had to gan and have a look

:

aye

:

you know knowing fine well if you ever got caught

:

(laughter)

:

it was going to be the biggest scudding of your life like

:

(laughter) did you ever gan down the quayside on a Sunday morning

:

oh aye

:

to see the bloke

:

quays

:

tying the chains

:

aye and the chains and that

:

(unclear) many a time he (laughter) got tied up and he couldn't get out

:

aye but that was aye I know when he was full of the drink

:

aye

:

that was the whole family went didn't it

:

yeah

:

you all went down (interruption) there

:

oh aye Sunday morning was good entertainment

:

but ehm (pause) because I mean the Sunday dinner was well but the Sunday dinner was your main

:

aye (interruption) after your father came out the bar

:

(unclear) of the week wasn't it when your father come in

:

aye

:

it was the main thing that like your Sunday dinner I mean everybody lived for the Sunday dinner you know but it (pause) because the rest of the week which is something (pause) that I don't think many (pause) young ones can do now is to make (pause) three days' meals after the Sunday from the left overs

:

mm-hm

:

ehm

:

and fry ups

:

your mother (pause) well she a loaf of bread (pause) eh milk pudding

:

mm-hm

:

they never threw if there was a couple of slices left

:

(unclear)

:

that were eh

:

(unclear)

:

that were getting past it and your (unclear) and you had just getten another loaf of bread that week you know (pause) it went into the pot and they made this bread boily you know

:

that's it you used to (interruption) hoy a few currants in

:

(unclear) bread boily aye it oh aye currants if you could get them like but bread boily I I must have eaten (pause) twenty ton of that like

:

(laughter)

:

y it had to be but it was all it was was eh (pause) bread hot water and the m and the milk powder remember that powder

:

mm-hm aye National Dried Milk

:

aye and a bit of sugar and (pause) I think I was still eating that when I was twenty one (laughter)

:

(laughter)

:

but bread boily eh dripping and bread now dripping and bread was a meal

:

mm

:

mm-hm

:

I mean now

:

that's right (interruption) it's bad for your health

:

eh you (unclear) diet

:

it's bad for your health well now (unclear) tell you all these things that's bad for your health

:

everything's bad for your health

:

aye aye

:

it hasn't done us bad

:

no

:

ye've just been playing football up to the last year

:

mm-hm

:

I mean that can not you can not be bad

:

mm

:

if you're playing football at your age (pause) a year ago (pause) ehm

:

(unclear)

:

but it it's it's the same as smoking I've been smoking since I was a young one (pause) I mean I I divn't know what my insides are like but I'm still ganning on I mean my mother (pause) and my father and I mean they didn't have tipped cigarettes

:

aye the woodbines (interruption) (unclear) first time

:

uh-huh the old woodbines I mean that was the real stuff and they're still knocking about at eighty years old

:

mm

:

so it can not be everything (pause) you know well I mean getting back to the grub stakes they could the mothers could make anything out of anything

:

mm

:

you know just (pause) an old pie turned into to a banquet anyway by the time (interruption) we were finished with it

:

(laughter) rabbit (interruption) rabbit was a great thing

:

rabbit rabbit now there's

:

aye

:

oh aye

:

poor man's pheasant

:

that was a

:

that was great that

:

beautiful (unclear) my father my mother used to make rabbit

:

humpity back pie (interruption) we used to call it

:

for my father aye

:

humpity back pie (interruption) (unclear) in the middle

:

that was his that was his treat that

:

aye great that

:

you know if he got a bit of overtime in you know

:

great

:

and then eh (pause) once he'd got into the post when he was a postman he used to do all the outly the Cheviots you know he used to come in with a rabbit and that you know off the farmers

:

mm

:

because what the farmers used to do was (pause) ehm if they wanted a letter posted (pause) they used to put a little ehm envelope in a window you know because in the deep snow it saved the postman walking right up to the house you know

:

mm

:

if there wasn't an envelope there he didn't have to walk up the big drive or across the fields you know but then he used to get ehm (pause) taties and that if the farmers came into town you know to the cattle market (unclear) used to drop him a little bag of taties off (pause) and some veg (pause) all sorts but it was all like that wasn't it ehm (pause) if you did (pause) you know if you worked on push bikes (pause) you would fix a puncture for I would fix a puncture for (NAME)

:

mm

:

(NAME) was his painter you know and you had getten some paint

:

(laughter)

:

(laughter) (unclear) somewhere (laughter) you know he would do a little bit of painting or (pause) it was all like that wasn't it

:

yeah I think that was great comradeship (interruption) (unclear)

:

it used to be all like bartering

:

in those days well of course things were a lot well when I was particularly when I was a kid things were very hard

:

(unclear)

:

there was a means test for people who didn't have jobs (unclear)

:

that's right aye aye

:

there was soup kitchens

:

aye

:

eh

:

well they've just opened them again you know (interruption) just to show you

:

there was the b there was the barefoot days when I was a kid

:

(unclear) uh-huh

:

kids running round the streets with no shoes on

:

aye

:

a lot of people out of work then you know

:

I mean my brother complained for years (pause) why he always got my seconds (pause) you know

:

mm-hm

:

but he was forty two at the time (unclear) (laughter)

:

(laughter) there was a lot of hand me downs went around in them days

:

aye

:

have we any more angles we need to look on

:

well I I must eh you must excuse me

:

oh right (unclear)

:

a sheet a beetle a metre (pause) I beat it gate paint fatal later (pause) I hate I hate it eighty eight bet bent felt fettle better (pause) I met him it's hard to say that isn't it hat ant battle batter drat it cart can not carter pot totter bottle font salt I got it caught daughter chortle (pause) haunt I bought it boat total motor (pause) I wrote it put footer put it in boot Bootle hooter bite title mitre pint bite it out fount outer pit bitter brittle print I hit it hilt (pause) beak wreck back I seek it I wreck it I back it (pause) bank lamp leap cap steep it lap it apron matron micro Metro leprosy petrol (pause) acrid atlas hopper butter hacker topple bottle hackle whisper custard after whisker doctor chapter jumper hunter (pause) bunker appear attend occur appearance attendance occurrence (pause) alpine altar polka (pause) staircase half past half cut (laughter) oh automatic Jupiter epileptic (pause) sheet read breeze key (pause) gate made may boat load (pause) go boot brewed booze brew out loud cow (pause) sight side size sigh sighted knife five knives dive dial Friday diary (pause) I've got to do it tomorrow I had to put it off he meant what he said he's booking separate tables for supper a simple sentence pick up a packet of fire lighters pack it in or beat it he's putting it off he's put it in a b he's put in a bid (pause) jump up on the tractor he won't do that in a hurry put a comma in it

:

t beetle metre I beat it gate paint fatal later I hate it eighty eight bet bent felt fettle better I met him hat ant battle batter drat it cart can't carter pot totter bottle font salt I got it caught daughter chortle (pause) haunt I bought it boat total motor I wrote it put footer put it in boot Bootle hooter bite title mitre pint bite it out fount outer pit bitter brittle print I hit it hilt beak wreck back I seek it I wreck it I back it (pause) bank lamp leap cap steep it lap it apron matron micro Metro leprosy petrol acrid atlas hopper butter hacker topple bottle hackle whisper custard after whisker doctor chapter (pause) jumper hunter bunker appear attend occur appearance attendance occurrence alpine altar polka staircase half past half cut automatic Jupiter epileptic sheet read breeze key gate made may boat load (pause) go boot brewed booze brew out loud cow sight side size sigh sighed knife five knives dive dial Friday diary (pause) I've got to do it tomorrow I had to put it off he meant what he said he's booking separate tables for supper a simple sentence pick up a packet of fire lighters pack it in or beat it he's putting it off he put in a bid jump up on the tractor he won't do that in a hurry put a comma in it (pause) that's them

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mm-hm