well eh if we could start at the beginning could you tell us first eh whereabouts you were born please

born I was born in Gateshead

were you whereabouts

ten (unclear) Street

whereabouts is that

it's on the Windmill Hills there it's pulled down (interruption) now

oh aye it's not there anymore

aye

aye and where whereabouts else have you lived since then you know how long did you stay (interruption) (unclear)

oh eh (pause) I lived from there I went to eh (pause) Mulgrave Terrace

(unclear)

and from Mulgrave Terrace (pause) went to Chandler Street and Chandler Street to eh Saint James's Road

did you

Saint James's Road to eh (pause) Herbert Street and then from Herbert Street to here

(unclear) how long have you been living here

eh (pause) about thirty three year (pause) thirty three year in this street now

yeah (pause) eh which which place have you liked best to live in you know (unclear)

oh I like Bensham best

aye

yes I like living here best of course I was (pause) young you know just a child when we were in eh Mulgrave Terrace and these places

mm yeah

it's only eh (pause) I was married from Saint James's from eh Spencer Street

mm

and then went to and then after I lost the wife we went to live in Herbert Street with my mother and then we came (unclear) down here and I've lived here ever since

I see (pause) do you find the eh (pause) people around here are very friendly or not (interruption) (unclear)

oh yes yes now now I'll now I'll tell what I've noticed here now there's a lot of houses changed hands

mm

you see over this last (pause) we'll say this last ten year in fact a little less

mm

now I find this that (pause) the the people we had before seemed to know one another

(unclear)

you see we'd all lived here a good while

aye

ev everybody seemed to know what now this block I'm living on now

yeah

this block here (pause) now there's some of them on this block (pause) I don't know them from Adam you see well you knew everybody about a matter of five year ago you knew everybody

yeah

now they've all moved off and passed on and

mm

and you know there there's only about three that I really know on this block now you see

aye yeah

and of course eh Oak owned all the property

mm-hm

he owned all the property and then it's of course if anybody moved he's just got up for sale for sale for sale the lot they've all been sold you see

aye I see yes

and the lady upstairs is that eh they own this house now

I see

they but they've been very very nice mind

aye (unclear)

ah yes

ehm (pause) do you eh are you pretty fond of Gateshead as a place to live you know do you think you

in Gateshead

aye

oh aye there's only one place in Gateshead I think I know every blade of grass is in it that's Saltwell Park (laughter)

(laughter) yes

well course (pause) and eh I used to travel a lot

oh aye

you know down the south and all over but but since my sister's been this last well last year at this time we were well in June we were down at Southampton and the Isle of Wight

mm-hm

I have a brother lives down there we were staying down there (pause) and since she's come back course she had arthritis then in her leg but since she's she's deteriorated terrible and (pause) to make matters worse eh her memory's going you see now that was why I asked you to come back because if she was sitting here she would say who are you

yes

what are you wanting here you see in a minute you see

yeah

now for an instance (pause) she'd never seen the latest she has two doctors really you see now the lady doctor she had never seen her for about I would have think for about three year now she walked in to see her (pause) Mr (NAME) Doctor (NAME) was on his holidays and she came in to see her oh Doctor (NAME)

(laughter)

and you see now just Tuesday gone (pause) the the Doctor (NAME) has been treating her for two year

aye aye

and he walked in just I knew the ring and the knock it was him and in he come well how are you today she says and who are you

(laughter)

now you see

aye

now that's what the memory (interruption) it plays tricks on you yes

(pause)

oh aye and it makes it very awkward man

mm

you see it (pause) it's awkward in this way that eh (pause) we're brother and sister

mm

now a husband and wife can do a lot (pause) but when it comes to a brother and sister I've got to rely upon other people

aye yes yeah

you see that's the that's the snag (pause) now such as eh she can't get into the bath but she can stand in a dish and sponge herself down but you can onlys but I get the lady to you know (unclear) to help oh I get help all right I'm all right that way

(unclear)

but it eh (pause) it does it makes it you know awkward

aye aye (pause) you were saying you had sort of travelled round quite a lot like (unclear)

oh aye well you see well the reason why is because I've got free travel

aye

you see I worked on the railway all (interruption) practically all my life you see and I have free passes and I have a privileged (unclear) card

oh I see (pause) yes

well I mean it it works this way now it's four guineas to go to Manchester now I used my passes up and I thought oh I'll just go on the privilege ticket well when I went on the privilege ticket I go for twenty four shilling

mm-hm

now that's a big reduction and it's you know they're

yeah

they're things that well I mean y you just take a run up to Hexham run up to Hexham for a shilling you see and oh that's where I that's why but now I can only get out in an afternoon if she's (unclear)

mm-hm yeah yes

she she goes and lies down as soon as she gets her dinner (pause) but I'm chief cook and bottle washer and everything now

aye

aye yeah

ehm (pause) have you found that do you find that (pause) Tynesiders are very different from people from other parts of the country you know

yes I do

aye

now I'll tell you for instance I've got eh I have a daughter lives in Manchester (pause) now I often go through there because I use my passes mostly going to Manchester and eh (pause) I find eh just going about eh you know the I don't know they're to me they don't seem as friendly as they are here

no

I don't e exactly just (pause) you know they shout so and eh there's not much give and take about them you know it's all take kind of thing what I've noticed and eh course I mean that's living in the houses where there're houses like these I don't know what (pause) they'll be like like in eh such as eh (pause) getting away from that

mm-hm yeah

you know in a self contained house (unclear) well oh the daughter lives in a self contained house now where she is is very very nice but it's when you go out into the street and you hear these people course mind you they might have a different dialect might make me think that

yes (unclear) yes well it could well be

you see might make me think that because they've got a different dialect but eh (pause) I'll tell you one thing I've found though (pause) it doesn't matter where you go in this country apart much from in Scotland mind

mm

but in this country alone I find out it doesn't matter no I'll give you an instance two year ago (pause) I went to Margate for a holiday now that's a favourite spot of mine Margate you see

aye

now there was four of us together (pause) and getting on I says bye jove I say we're going to be late for lunch we'd better hurry up so I says we'll get the bus up so we went to get the bus up and I just said to this chap I says eh four to the lido please just the same as I'm saying that to you

yeah yeah

and he says what part of Newcastle do you belong to

yes yeah that's good isn't it

I find that wherever you go now it was the same where went to Canterbury Cathedral

(unclear)

and eh I bought some corn there to feed the pigeons you know and I had a photograph taken feeding the pigeons and that (pause) and eh when I went into the shop for these and I came out and I s I says now I'll I'll bend down here and take a snap that way and this woman's sitting on the seat (laughter) she wouldn't allow us finish and she says and what part of the north where did you come from

(laughter)

now then I had a job (unclear) to convince her that I didn't belong to Scotland

aye

now she was taking me for to be Scottish

aye

I don't course I think myself (pause) you know it's no good you going down there and and and talking Tyneside you know you know you've got to (pause) modernize that as much as you can

aye eh heh

well I think by you modernizing that you give a Scottish accent

aye yeah

I think that's what that's what I think but I was amazed when this chap says to me what part of Newcastle do you belong

yes

but what had happened was he had gone down there in the depression

aye

in the thirties

aye oh I see he came (interruption) from here himself like

and he got a job onto the on the trams and then oh he was he was conducting on the busses

yeah

aye (pause) oh aye

aye (unclear) so you can (interruption) spot (unclear)

well mind eh Scotland I think takes a lot of beating for eh scenery and this sort of thing

aye

oh course I've been very fortunate that way that he's dead now poor soul he was manager of the Co operative stores at Birtley there shoe department and all that he had several shops there was him and his wife and me and a friend we used to go down we used to go by train they went by car well that y as you know the car makes a holiday

(unclear)

it's the same when we go when I go to Manchester now then you never know where you're going to get to you see they have a car

yeah

now you find yourselves in North Wales before you know where you are you're in Prestatyn or y you see

yeah

and it's an easy access

it is (unclear)

from there Southport and all these pl I don't care much for Blackpool it's too much of a

aye

course I dare say if I was a fellow that eh took a drink and that sort of thing Blackpool would be ideal (pause) (interruption) you see

aye yes (pause) aye

but I don't indulge in drink I've never have that I've never seen any I've never had the palate for it

no

I'm not I'm not going to say I've never tried because I have now I would be I'm not bigoted that way that if you if I met you in (unclear) and you know we're out together (pause) and you says come on we'll have a drink I'll go in with you

aye

I'd have a shandy with you

aye

but eh I wouldn't have two

aye

you see you see what I mean I would have a drink but I wouldn't have two

mm-hm

oh no n no and then of course since I've been on my pension well you put a lot of them things to one side (laughter)

(laughter) (unclear) yeah yeah

aye

eh whereabouts were your parents born were they born in Gateshead

eh (pause) now my grandparents was in Scotland yes they're both born in Gateshead but (unclear) eh (pause) I think on eh round about what they used to call the rabbit banks Pipewellgate I don't know whether you know it or not

yes aye mm-hm

I think they were near to my mother and I think (unclear) was a (NAME) I think she was a native of that part

mm-hm

but eh (pause) I don't just know where (pause) my father was a Gateshead but I don't know just where

aye

you know

but your grandparents came from (interruption) Scotland

oh they came from Scotland yes

aye

yes

yes

and eh what was your father's occupation please

eh he was eh (pause) in the engineer's depar he was he worked for Carrick and Wardle's engineers

aye

he's a driller machines driller you know aye he was a driller

aye

I served my time in Carrick and Wardle's (pause) and then I left there and went to Usworth colliery and then from there I went into war

yeah

and then when I came out of there I went onto the railway and I I was on the railway for forty year (pause) (interruption) after that

yeah (pause) have you eh have you always worked in on the engineering side (interruption) of things (unclear)

ah yes so have I yes of course in the I was on more on the electrical side on the railway

oh I see yes

you see now all this Newcastle you had this modernisation (pause) came on and the new signals coloured light signals and the points was wor worked from compressed air and electric you see

mm

now we wired all them up now many a time we put the air piping in from toward the pipes you see they were worked by the the magnet pulled down and released a pin (pause) and when it released that it allowed the air to go through into the cylinder and turn the points

aye I s

and the moment they turned the c the middle valve closed it

mm yes

and it couldn't move anymore then there were course all the colour lights they were on

yeah yes

we did all them and now you see all they're travelling all over wey they're all over from here to London now

aye aye and eh what what sort of job did you do at at eh Usworth pit

Usworth oh I was on the engineering side there as well you see I was in the the fitter shop

yeah

you know well if there was a breakdown down below you went down and tended to it

yes

they had a lot of compressed air engines and that down there and I think you know than at the eh (pause) you see in a little small place they had these what they call a beetle it was a compressed air engine (interruption) in the roof you see

yeah

well they called them beetles and eh (pause) them you know they were shifting them from place to place well you had to (pause) (interruption) lengthen their piping and oh you know that sort of thing

aye (pause) aye yeah yes

oh and of course you got jobs all over the colliery fitting you know

aye mm

because Usworth is a big colliery

yeah I've tal I was yeah I've I've interviewed a a bloke that (interruption) (unclear)

aye it was eh what there was three shafts there you know when I was there

aye

but after I came out the war after I came out the war in nineteen eighteen you know and then at nineteen just the back end I started on eh (pause) I'm not now was it the back end yes aye that's right (pause) at the end oh I tell you why because my birthday's on the eleventh of November and the s I started Usworth colliery the same day

aye aye

aye that's right nineteen nineteen then and then eh (pause) on the railway I mean I started there at I was there ever since

(unclear)

aye oh I had a (pause) oh I never rued working for the railway mind I had I thoroughly enjoyed it

do you think that was the best job

well of course I was just on the railway you see eh you were never in the one place

no

you see now then there'll be a job in Newcastle (pause) big job and then you you get through that then there was a job cropped up at Acklington you'd be sent away to Acklington to do a job

aye

you see we had an area from Berwick

(unclear)

two mile past Berwick Marshal Meadows was the end of the North Eastern area

yeah

and then you went down that way to Ferry Hill (pause) down to Ferry Hill through Durham Croxhill and Ferry Hill and then you took all the surrounding districts you see

aye

and then you went up you didn't go actually into Carlisle the Carlisle people l ms came this way (interruption) to Sprouston and then we worked from there you see

aye (pause) yeah

and then eh (pause) I'm saying Sprouston that's on the Alnwick line that you know going up to Alnwick Sprouston

(unclear)

aye and then there was eh there was the west line was always a favourite for everybodys

yeah

you know on the through Hexham and

aye it's nice (unclear)

Corbridge and ah very beautiful up there beautiful course mind you there was times there we used to go into signal cabins (pause) and eh we used to do a lot of temporary work for the Sunday that they closed that cabin down it had to be closed down and then it the the cabin at this end would work through to the next one

mm-hm

and this middle one was done away with well you weren't always eh greeted (laughter) you know because you they looked upon you as if you're doing away with their jobs right it was only a job you were sent to do you see it's the same way with you started from Gateshead you always started from Gateshead we wired Gateshead up and we wired Pelaw up now Pelaw was a big job (pause) but then when Pelaw was finished it done away with all the signal cabins between there and South Shields

yes

and down to Sunderland

aye

you see the same with Newcastle you had three signal cabins in Newcastle (pause) well you had number one three and the middle one on number eight platform

aye

well then they built this new one they built a new one but the contractors did all the work inside that cabin a contract firm

(unclear)

we did all the outside now when that come into operation when that come into operation them three cabins were closed

aye

now that signal cabin in Newcastle works down to Heaton

aye

he works down to Heaton and then he works he works to Pelaw

aye

and then he he up at Jesmond he goes he goes up to he goes up as far as eh goes through Jesmond up to Backworth

aye

you see oh aye thet're and that one there of course they have a big chart of the wherever the trains are the spotlights comes in wherever he is you see

aye

as he passes one place it goes out and then the next one comes in

yeah yeah

oh it's it's pretty foolproof you know but of course you you do get these accidents you know don't you

yes there's been (interruption) one or two lately yeah

you know well (pause) you can't say it's the human element because you're unless you run your head up again a brick wall but eh he's a lot of t (unclear) a lot you know (pause) oh aye

eh (pause) how old were you when you left school please

fourteen

aye

oh aye you you had to be y they were waiting you fourteen to get away and get some work done

aye

get s fetch some money in

yeah

aye I know how to get that I started at eh (pause) I used to be a weekend boy on Ellison Street where eh the big Presto is there now you know

mm yeah

it used to be Cook's (pause) grocer's shop used to work there at the weekend and you got a Friday Saturday night you got a couple of shilling (pause) aye and then on a then from there I started at Carrick Wardle's and start serve my time in Carrick Wardle's

mm

Redheugh Engine Works we were down at the Redheugh where (pause) the the bridge is built now

mm-hm

there was a scrap yard at the bottom there but I think I think they're defunct now

(unclear)

well that's where the Redheugh Engine Works used to be before the King Edward bridge was built and they shifted then down Park Lane onto Park Road

mm-hm yes

and that was where my father was shifted to there and we came from Mulgrave Terrace when I told you up to Chandler Street and my my father didn't like Chandler Street we were in there about three weeks or something and then we shifted to Saint James's Road well the the works was at the bottom there Carrick Wardle's you see Redheugh Engine Works

aye yeah

and that was where eh (pause) served my time and put it all in there

when was eh when was the Redheugh bridge built do you know was it

Redheugh bridge

aye

the redh the Redheugh bridge

aye

oh I've no idea but the King Edward bridge (interruption) was built about nineteen hundred and six

aye yeah

that one

the Redheugh's earlier than (unclear) (unclear)

yes yes the Redheugh bridge was there then oh yes the Redheugh bridge was there then

yeah

and then there was the (pause) the swing and the high level (pause) you know a lot (pause) underneath that eh high level bridge I don't know if it's any interest to you or not

quite right

the high level bridge now underneath that you've seen a bicycle chain

aye yeah

now all from one end to the other they're like chains together like that and then the big pin in you know

aye

and then the plate the see the plates a big pin in then three and then two now if that bridge was happened to break it's metal that bridge you know

yeah

if it was happened to snap it would rest on them chains

aye

it wouldn't go down the bottom

aye

but then there's a tunnel's underneath there

mm-hm

and you know you can go right to the foot of West Street where they're anchored

aye

that's where they're anchored and periodically they're they're examined every year you know and eh (pause) painted and kept in good condition

aye

oh aye because (pause) many a time I used to be up over the top level just to look at them I was interested in them in these aye

yeah yeah mm

oh aye

eh going back to your eh school days like did you ehm do you think you were glad to leave school you know were you (unclear) did you enjoy (interruption) school very much

well oh yes I I well I I I tell you what upset me a lot at eh now you see as I said we lived at eh I used to go to Barn Close school

mm

now Barn Close school is not there now it's pulled down it's away (pause) and that's where the f car park is on (pause) (interruption) you know just opposite the pub there

mm-hm (pause) aye

and eh then when we shifted away down to Sunderland Road area I had to go to Sunderland Road school (pause) you see

aye

now then this is what bothered me (pause) when we were at Barn Close school (pause) and was in standard four and then when you went into five you got algebra and mensuration well in Sunderland Road school which was to me was just that little bit ahead

mm-hm

now they got their algebra and mensuration at in standard four

(unclear)

well when I went to there I was all at sea

aye

I didn't know what they were talking about

yeah

I didn't and then we went into five I used to come into four to learn this I couldn't pick it up the same way as I had these other lads could

aye

these other lads you see they had got it from the beginning well I went into it near the end of it as a class well I was at sea and I I w I was as you say well when it come to that I I did get the hang of it but I never got it thorough at all

aye (unclear)

no I never got a hold of it at all

it always upsets you (unclear)

and then eh and then at Sunderland Road school you know it wasn't like Barn Close to me and it's no good saying I liked it because I didn't (interruption) I was no

no (unclear)

oh I liked my school days and all that mind I did don't get me wrong that way but of the two schools Barn Close school the the master was (NAME) and mind he he was strict you know he was oh but I'm many time you look back mind and (NAME) was the schoolmaster at Sunderland Road and eh (pause) he was he was a queer bod and all mind

(laughter)

oh my God

(unclear)

but of course in them days you know the you see in them days you see they could eh (pause) they didn't just chastise you y y you got wrong y y you got wrong for it

(unclear)

where nowadays they doesn't look at them

no they (interruption) (unclear)

I can give you an instant of the school across here

aye

I'm not going to mention no names I there was a boy of a playtime came out of there and he sneaked over the shop

aye

now then there was a teacher there he used to take them for he used to take them for eh all gymnastics and all this sort of thing cricket football all sorts he used to take them down to the shuttles and all that

aye

now then I think he's at Breckenbeds school now I'm not quite sure mind but anyway (pause) I was standing at the window and I watched him when this boy came out of the shop and he come across and he he give him the works for go sneaking out of sneaking along the wall and then across

aye

now if he had getten knocked down with a car or anything like that who was to blame now he was in the yard seeing that they didn't go out and this sort of thing there was always a teacher working in the yard

mm-hm

well what happened was I'd just got to know him by playing bowls you see (pause) and eh (pause) he's just telling me that course I expect he was giving it to me confidential likely (pause) he eh (pause) he had put in for a an a job you know a school master's job I would take it or assistant's what

aye

something like that but anyway on the Saturday morning he had to go up and s talk to the education committee and he thought oh he thought it was something to do with the job no this boy had this boy had told his father and the father'd come down here and he had gone to the education committee about him being chastised on the street

yeah

you see now then that get that didn't give that many of them any incentive to for to well if they want to go let them go didn't it it gives you that incentive where in our days you would get a clout across the lug

aye

whether you like it or not they had you know they could do that sort of thing

mm-hm

and I think they just (unclear) (pause) but that's what's lacking today I think they're just (unclear) them

aye

there's nothing to (unclear) them now

no

far from it we used to stand in the schoolyard and you had to show your hands to see that they were clean clean face and hands and your collar had to be clean wey now they're playing football and all sorts yet they just away they go into school just as they are we were never allowed to do that course mind they get a lot more sport than we got

yes that (interruption) (unclear)

you know we did gymnastics in the yard (unclear) don't we didn't get cricket and football and rugby and all you know

no

it it it's you've got to live with the times though

aye

you know and it's no good going back you've got to look forward

yeah do you think they do you think they were ever too strict at school when you were there

mm

do you think they were ever too strict at school you know when you were there

oh no well of course any boy naturally thought they would think that they were

aye

but eh it but I've looked at it many a time and com and common sense it's a it's a pity that it wasn't that way today you I don't think you'd get this vandalism that you've got today man

(unclear)

oh aye and then of course you see you heard a lot of people say the good old days you say oh well look at the money they get now aye yes but I remember the time when I was going to school when we lived in Saint James's Road there was a boggle shop across the road you could go in there for a quarter of sweets and you penny for a quarter penny a quarter of sweets and we used to go and ask for penn'th round the bog they they used to be in little wood boxes then not the cardboard boxes and bottles like they are today they were in wood boxes well you got two out of that two out of that he mixed them all up

aye

penny a quarter you see but eh of course (unclear) the wages you see w my top wage was thirty seven shilling

mm mm

eh for a top rate rate wage was thirty seven shilling well you know what I mean (unclear) (laughter)

mm it's a good job that things have moved since then (laughter)

(laughter) (unclear)

(laughter) aye

but I but I don't know but I remember well I remember once buying a pair of brown shoes I bought them in Newcastle there used to be a shop in Newcastle in Clayton Street the two Ws

aye

now there used to be a two Ws shop used to deal in nothing but shirts men's shirts and underwear (pause) but this one in Newcastle dealt in nothing but bowler hats and shoes

yeah

it was on Clayton Street (pause) where Hopes the bank is now just next door to that (pause) and eh (pause) I went in there and I bought a pair of brown shoes and I paid ten and five pence for them when I brought them home my mother thought I'd gone mad

(laughter)

they thought I'd gone mad

(unclear)

because I'd paid ten and five pence for them I wore those shoes for about five year and I give them to a cousin of mine before I went in the army

yeah

ten and five wey but they were shoes not like what they get today

(laughter)

I mean you used to (unclear) (unclear) your parents kept a last at home

(unclear)

and they pay and then the children's shoes your father used to repair them

yeah yeah

now you try and repair a a kiddie's shoes you can't repair them

no

you see they're they're more or less all vulcanize and rubbered you see you couldn't where before you could just take a sole off put a new sole on you cannot do them things these days (pause) no but mind there's one thing gets my goat (pause) is eh (pause) you see the price of clothing now you can go onto the high street today and just look in the two Ws and and eh and these Jackson's and one or two of these Curtain's now you can get a sports coat to fit you I mean if you wanted a casual coat you can get a one there today between five and seven pound

yes

now you just go farther down and look in the shop and you'll find you've got that to pay for a little child's coat two year old

mm

and there's most of that clothing for the kiddies you know (pause) is eh (pause) surplus

mm-hm

you see when they when they make ladies's coats they make they don't make one at a time they're they're done by the dozens in the bulk

mm

they roll the cloth back and forward I've seen it done

aye

they roll it back and then the big knife comes and cuts them out but where it's wasted you know there's a

aye

that that makes sides and backs of children's coats well the ladies's coat's already paying for that

(laughter)

that's surplus oh aye (laughter) I know that (unclear) (laughter)

(unclear) (laughter)

aye the my daughter's husband he used to work for that for he used to work for a firm like that in Manchester it was him who telt me and I says never he says (unclear) let you have a look around and he got us a look round and by I was surprised

(laughter)

aye at the

aye

see all this what was going on and well all they had to find was buttons man the lining was the same

mm-hm

the lining was there they only had the buttons and trimmings

(laughter)

oh aye the well of course it's it's a gimmick in everything more or less everything now isn't it

aye (unclear)

(laughter)

eh could you tell us please eh just you know what sort of things you like to do in your spare time like you know (interruption) (unclear)

what div I like to do in my spare time well as I said to you there's nothing I used to like better than walking now I would walk to Newcastle have a good look round you know up to Exhibition Park and the likes of that but I used to get the tram or the bus back (pause) because in nineteen fifty eight I developed thrombosis in my left leg and that curtailed us

oh I see

but eh I still like walking

yeah

oh yes I still like walking and that's what isay if I can just leave here just walk to Saltwell Park and spend an hour there and just having a walk around watch this that and the other have a look at the birds and that I'm very fond of birds and that oh aye I like to as s same as in here I've got the dish on the top there look and then eh

ah yeah

I get I get all the birds in here eh in the in the winter time you know

uh-huh

I get blackbirds and all sorts

aye

comes here

aye (interruption) it's surprising how many birds (unclear)

course I put nuts and everything you know for them and (unclear) but in the summer time they're you don't see much of them because I expect they'll be getting soft grub then you know flies and things

aye yes

but I've got my regular sparrows here (laughter) they're they're funny man (laughter) I get many a good laugh at them

yes

you see them come and I can go and stand in the yard and they'll not fly away they'll just stop there

yeah

and there's one comes and it's as true as I'm sitting here and it'll come and peck on this window hit the window with its beak and yet if I open the door it'll fly away back to the wall it doesn't stop there

(unclear)

but it's wanting me to put some bread out

(unclear)

oh aye they come and tell you (laughter) aye (pause) oh aye you can see all the white marks there look oh my sis my sister she well that's as far as she gets here and in the rooms (unclear)

mm-hm

she thoroughly enjoys watching the birds

there's been a lot of

aye now such as now you see now as I was saying now (unclear) going down to Margate now it doesn't matter where I go (pause) I always love to go through any old churches and all that sort of (interruption) you know

yeah

I don't know whether I d whether I'm daft or what but I can see the I can see the beauty in the building

aye oh I I I am the same

you know now then if you notice this I've often noticed the central station I don't suppose a lot of people'll ever notice it when you come out the (unclear) and walk all up towards the bus station

mm

now then just you take notice of that wall

mm-hm

where them stones are

aye

and the join to the wall

yeah yeah

it's just like a pencil joint you know

mm very well (unclear)

well that them stones is got to be true to sit true

aye

on a thin joint like that where the others you can pile the cement in and

that's right yeah yes

work it aye and you know things like (pause) that well it's a shame mind there's such a lot of buildings been these concrete things built up in the place

oh aye yes yeah it is

but I suppose that's progress isn't it

oh they don't half throw them up like (interruption) I mean they get them up in no time you know

phwor not half well there's that Jewish synagogue up here where they're building those new (interruption) places there

oh aye yeah

well they've been on near nearly two year with that lot

yeah (pause) that's brickwork

course that's ch Jewish charity that

is it

(unclear) yes

(unclear)

they're sleeping quarters you see the other side the park that's what amuses me now a little thing like that now the other side is that they made it like a an open space

yes

we know we know you've got to have these spaces

aye

well then that was all it was a oh ramshackle of a place that

(unclear)

then when the war came on they put one of them balloon barrages on there

oh aye

you see now after the war the Jews wanted to buy that land and have a school and what do you know they've built on there next to the synagogue a sc and no they wouldn't hear tell of it

(unclear)

you see oh no it had to be an open (interruption) space

had to be open aye

now yet if you notice up here round the lane they've got a school built up there crammed in and among the middle of the houses

(unclear)

well where they could have you see they're paying they're paying wages and rates you know

yeah

to look after that park where otherwise they would have had rates coming in off it with this with the buildings

yes

they're paying to keep it where they should have had rates coming in for it

aye I think they must be thinking like that there's not very many you know open spaces around here (interruption) (unclear)

oh no I know oh no I say you you I'm not eh condemning the open space but you can look at it on the other way they're paying to keep that where they should have had rates coming in (interruption) for a pla y (unclear) you know

yes

instead of that they're paying out for it and you know you know what (unclear) they built a lovely shed there you know

mm-hm

in the water (pause) that (unclear) man and then year after that they had to take it down it was just a home for hobos (laughter)

(unclear)

wey aye there was some I suppose I didn't see it mind but they tell me there was some queer things went on there (laughter)

aye

wey aye they had to take it down at the finish man (pause) wey aye and then they had a drinking fountain and it was s smashed the first week

oh they never survive them like even the ones in Saltwell Park (interruption) (unclear)

aye it's it's a shame you know

never work (laughter) (unclear)

no that's one thing this vandalism I don't know what in the name it was or what's (pause) course there's no doubt about it the there's a lot of them that get far too much through their hands man

(unclear)

and these skinheads rival groups it it you wonder where it's going to all finish (unclear)

there was some nasty trouble about week ago in Newcastle (interruption) (unclear)

and then you see I've seen it happen twice I've seen it happen in Jackson Street and I've seen it happen outside Woolworth's an old woman an old lady coming out but you take notice when you leave here (pause) when you leave here just what I'm just saying you notice when you leave here wherever you go next just you watch and see how many people women you pass that's carrying their purse in their hand

(unclear)

now I've seen that I've seen two women knocked on the hand drop their purse and up and off well to me they they ask for that

yes

I mean they know the state of things is and carrying a purse about in their hand I don't know beats me that

yeah

why

do you eh do you play bowls as well you say

no no no no you see the (pause) you see with this leg of mine I I don't

aye

you know I'm happy to be walking about and do what I want to do but stooping down too much would be too much for us

aye

you see (pause) because eh after I got the better after I got the betterness it lasted two year I was in Dunston Hill hospital I was in bed thirteen weeks with it and then from there to Dunston Hill and then I came back and then I just now I had to finish work three (unclear) before my time before I was my birthday's on November the eleventh I had to finish on August bank holiday Monday (unclear)

mm-hm