right

T L S G three one two

thanks (pause) eh (pause) eh start at the beginning could you tell me ehm first where you were born please

where I was born

yeah

I was born in 1 A Alfred Street

ah yes yeah

just where the school's being built now

that's right yeah ehm and eh whereabouts else you've lived since then (unclear)

pardon

eh whereabouts else you've lived since then for a few (unclear)

whereabouts ehm it's how actually on the High West Street it was on the High West Street before they pulled it down

yes you stayed in Alfred Street (interruption) how long how long before you moved

yes two streets down

yeah

that's where I was born

yes and how long did you live there before you moved

eh well I was only there when I was a baby and after that we moved up beside the Shipcote (unclear)

I see yes yeah and then where

(unclear) (pause) do you want me to continue where I was

yes

oh and and after that we went ehm I went to work at Bainbridge's

yeah

eh in Newcastle and then of course I got married I haven't worked since

no and

not at all

you've lived here since

we bought this house and we lived here all the time

yes yeah ehm (pause) and which of those places do you think was the best one to live in which area do you think was the best (interruption) to live in

which a area do I think is the best well Gateshead is the best area if it was kept as Gateshead

yes

but actually I think Gateshead is dying out

mm yes

too many roads in it now

yes

and it's a shame because it was a beautiful (pause) place Gateshead there was a eh character about it they've spoilt the character of Gateshead

that's true yes

through the roads

yeah you would certainly not say

I can't recognize it as Gateshead

aye you would prefer to live in Gateshead rather than Newcastle for instance

well I'd prefer to move out of Gateshead if I was going to move at all but my husband loves Gateshead

yes yeah

he (unclear) wants to stay here I don't

yes ehm (pause) would you say that ehm you knew the people who live around here very well

well if they kept the character up (pause) of this area it would be there's all there's all these streets (unclear) they've still got the same people living in you know all the old people

yeah yes

all this street here has all the old people

yeah

they're very old they've lived here all their lives

yes

born here sixty and seventy years

yes

and they're still living

yes

we're just strangers to them my husband lived here see oh when he was a boy

do you think it's is is it a very neighbourly eh area to live in

pardon (unclear)

is it a very neighbourly area to live in (pause) do you (unclear)

eh not the type of neighbourliness no people tend to keep themselves to themselves

yes

because these were all big houses you see

yeah

I mean they're they're big terrace houses and there've been big families brought up at them got away and ehm (pause) they were all business people and a lot of railwaymen

yes

lived in this street and it's a shame and there's a street next and the next street was a beautiful street

eh that's

and Denmark Street

Denmark Street yes

it was a beautiful street up to about six years ago

yeah

and of course it's been s ruined

yes

lot of the prominent business people of Gateshead were born there

yes but now they've all sort of (interruption) divided up (unclear) yeah

been spoiled by and then things like that

yes yes

I should should put it back the way it was and (unclear) that would be part of the character of Gateshead

yes

because Gateshead had a right down Gateshead High Street and right up the top they had the the beautiful shopping centre and there's no shops there at all

(unclear)

we lack shopping area proper shops

yes

from the bottom of our street up to about four years ago y you could buy anything

yes

from that side you can't now you must go to Newcastle for whatever you want

yes you do

or Chester le Street I do

yes

I go to Newcastle or Chester le Street

yes

I don't do any shopping in Gateshead hardly

mm mm

it's not worth it there's nowhere to go

yes

you can't get anything

that's eh very true eh do you think that there's anything you would miss (interruption) (unclear)

and I don't fancy the council estates

no

no (pause) I prefer to be i in in an area like this

yeah mm so you would miss this area really if you had to leave it presumably

well my husband would miss it more than me

yes

I would like to get out of it

yeah

any time

yes eh

actually this house is going to be too big for us when my daughter leaves (pause) I would like to move

yes where do you think you would like to move (interruption) to

she'll be leaving July you see

yes

it's a big too big a house a big terrace house is for big families

mm-hm

you see no it's going to be too big for us

yes

but you we can't sell them (unclear)

yes I've heard that it's difficult to sell these houses

eh we can't sell them for the property round the area it's been turned into slum character it's a shame

yes yes ehm (pause) would you ehm do you prefer living on Tyneside compared with (interruption)

do I prefer what

living on Tyneside compared with the rest of the country would you would you willingly move (interruption) away from Tyneside

ehm well I haven't lived anywhere else

yes

I've lived on Tyneside and I know the area very well

yes

I lived in in the I've worked in Newcastle and I've lived in Gateshead and I know the area very well my husband knows every back street and cranny

yes

around this area

(unclear)

he can take you anywhere in Newcastle and anywhere in Gateshead

yes

all the little short cuts

so you don't (interruption) (unclear)

well he's a cyclist as well

oh I see

he knows all the roads

yes oh I cycle

he actually he wo would have been the best one

yes

because he knows every little place

(laughter) yes

there's not a place he doesn't know

yeah

he takes me shortcuts sometimes I don't know where I am

(laughter) eh so you are in fact fairly attached to Tyneside (interruption) as a (unclear)

eh well I like Tyneside the people are friendly here

mm-hm

but ehm you can get the reverse you know the same as any other area

yes yes

I don't think I'd like to live on one of these modern housing estates

no

no they're too ehm the Joneses trying to beat the next set of Joneses

yes I think that's true yes (pause) eh

you see I I've got a neighbour next door now I can go in if I want to (pause) next door

yeah

she come in here I thought it was her as a matter of fact coming in

yes (laughter)

th w when you're missing off the street I've been missing for six month in ho I've been in hospital eh they all wonder where you are

yes

they all miss you

yes

well on the housing estates they don't

yeah eh so (unclear) you've never actually been away from Tyneside in your life (interruption) never for very long periods

yes I like I stay on Tyneside

yeah (pause) ehm could you tell me please ehm were your parents born in Gateshead as well

pardon me

were your parents born in Gateshead

my parents one of my parents was born here my mother

yeah

she was born where we live two streets down my father comes from Lincolnshire

oh I see right yes

we had a mixed eh (laughter) dialect in our house you know

yes yes that's certainly it's certainly (interruption) (unclear)

but he worked all his life on Tyneside once he came out the army up here

I see I see he had been living up here a long time then (interruption) before you were born

yes he lived up here from ehm from being a young man married

yes I see eh and ehm what was your father's occupation please

pardon me

what was your father's occupation

my father's name

no his occupa occupation

occupation he was a ehm eh instrument assembler in the ships

I see yes yeah yes

my husband's a painter and decorator

yes ta ehm (pause) yes could you tell me ehm which age group you fall into please on that card

eh

if you could just say the letter

yes eh well I've just had my birthday I've just turned fifty and my husband's fifty

I see yes

just had it in hospital (unclear)

yes puts you in D

I'm not ashamed of my age

(laughter)

(laughter)

that's why we we resort (interruption) to the cards because some people are (unclear) (laughter)

no I'm not no I'm not ashamed of my age some can carry it well

yes and eh you own this house y yourself

yes

yes ehm and eh your husband is from Gateshead (interruption) (unclear) very local local yes yes

painter and decorator yes self employed

uh-huh right eh (pause) and eh how many children do you have just

pardon me

how many children do you have just the one

eh just the one daughter

one daughter and she's (interruption) how old

she's twenty five

yeah

she's the Manchester University

is she

yes

yes (pause) ehm (pause) right ehm (pause) are you currently employed

no

no

I don't work at all

I see yes

well I've just come out of hospital you see

yes

eh just at the weekend I've had a heart operation

I see yes

down at Seaham Hall

yeah is is everything all right by the way

yes (pause) well (unclear) today I've had the heart operation

yes

had two valves in the heart put right

yes how do you feel

that's the second one I've had mind I had one seventeen years ago one of the first ones

I see yes

and I've had another one

yes

so I'm lucky to be here sitting talking to you it's only a month a day yet

(laughter) yes indeed yeah ehm could you tell me ehm what jobs you've done in the past please

what jobs we've done

what well what jobs you've (interruption) you've done

that I've done oh well I I did work at ehm Bainbridge's I was cutter and designer there

yes

for gowns

yes

that's before I got married

yes

I haven't worked since I was married

I see yes and that

my husband's a very very old fashioned type he'll be the (pause) bread winner and you (pause) make the bread that type of (laughter)

oh I see yes (laughter) eh

he doesn't believe in work eh w women working

in in the woman working yeah right ehm (pause) and that's the only job you've done in the past

yes it's the only one I've ever done

yes I see yes ehm did you did you think it was a good job

I've continued it mind through my married life I've never bought any clothes

oh I see you've you've sort of kept up (interruption) the skills as it were

uh-huh yeah I've bought no clothes

yeah very useful that (unclear)

here's my neighbour

oh

he's just asked if we've got neighbours

(laughter)

from the eh university here's my neighbour

yes next door eh I've just seen Mr (NAME) a way down but I haven't spoken to him he's right down he was away a fortnight you know but I was only away a week I should have had a fortnight really

eh this chap's interviewing me

pardon

interviewing me for the eh (pause) speech

oh yes uh-huh

eh for the Tyneside dialect you see

oh I see uh-huh yeah

uh-huh (pause) Mr (NAME)'s got a good one (laughter)

oh he has hasn't he

yes mm-hm

ah yeah (pause) it's a pity (unclear) couldn't (unclear)

and I eh (pause) eh I couldn't understand a word in Scotland believe me they're terrible there (interruption) oh dear me

yeah yeah

I wondered if you were up I'm just going up are you having a good time now then

mm-hm

I thought you would be back you know I thought (unclear) (pause) well I'll go and let you get on with it (laughter)

whuh (pause) eh

uh-huh (pause) is that all the question you've got

no there's some more I'm afraid

oh they're just the same ones oh well

could you tell me ehm how old you were when you left school please

how what

how old you were when you left school

how old I was when I left school I was fourteen year old

yeah

and I went straight to work

yeah so did I

and my ehm (pause) relatives had a gown factory that's how I went (interruption) into the

I see yeah

they had the business they had a gown factory in Newcastle

yes were you eh

they taught me the trade you see

yeah

the cutting and designing of course now it's different altogether now

yes

(unclear) a second I'll come in again all the best

I'll see you after (interruption) (unclear)

I'll be seeing you

I'll see you after

right oh

come and see you

uh-huh yes right

I'm on my feet

(laughter) eh were you glad to leave school at the time

pardon me

were you glad to leave school at the time

eh no actually I wasn't glad to leave school ehm I went to ehm a college afterwards

oh I see

at night college

yes

and eh (pause) I liked school very much

yeah

course then we had to leave at fourteen (pause) (interruption) you see

yeah

to go out and earn our own living

yes

there was no ehm very few hand outs for the ehm (pause) universities or anything like that you had to have your name down you know to get into the university but now (pause) it's different because my daughter's been right through it herself

yes yeah ehm

I think they've had the op more opportunity now

yes

than we did

yes eh whereabouts did you go to

but my husband to a grammar school mind

yes

at Seaham Harbour

I see yes eh

I didn't I went to night schools at nights

yes whereabouts did you go to the night schools

eh in Newcastle ehm City Road ehm (pause) oh I forget the place now it was along City Road

and what did you what did you study there

ehm (pause) it wasn't the Northern Counties that just came out it was along City Road it was a school at nights

yeah

used to go

eh

but now and again you know ehm

yeah

but ehm (pause) but my daughter's not Tyneside course she's a schoolteacher

yes (interruption) (unclear)

she's been away quite a while now

it's the sort of thing that would make a difference yes

my husband speaks better Tyneside it comes out now and again when he gets excited you see

yes yes I remember I met him the last time (interruption) I was here you know he was he was here yes

yes oh he'll be in shortly

(unclear) card

yes (pause) eh anyway I've

oh do you smoke

no thanks no no I don't eh (interruption) I never touch them

I shouldn't really but

yeah it's eh

I've got a lot of writing to do you see

yes

for a lot of eh for a lot of book work it's been ke it's been kept for me for six month I've got it all to do

eh oh dear that (pause) will keep you busy

right you'd better

anyway eh fire away some more questions at you if that's if it's all right ehm (pause) could you tell us please eh just eh what you like to do in your spare time you know how you like to spend (interruption) your presumably you like (unclear)

well actually what I like doing in my spare time is making dresses

ah yes that's

yeah that is my trade

very useful yeah

and eh I'm just looking there (laughter) at the at the new fashions I I like to that as a a hobby really

yes

design my own dresses

oh you can design your own oh that's great yes

(unclear) designs I w I was a cutter and designer in town (pause) eh but I haven't worked since I was married but I still keep it up

you still do it (unclear) you make things for yourself and your family

do all my own eh bits and pieces like that because the price of the the the gowns in town I just had a walk round for the first time in six months (pause) this week (pause) and I wouldn't use them as dusters some of them (laughter)

it's incredible isn't it (unclear) they're so expensive

well that is my hobby ehm dress making

yes eh

and I like the sports meetings mind I go to a lot of sports meetings

oh athletics (interruption) (unclear)

eh my husband's an ex eh I'm saying ex he hasn't been on this year cyclist

oh oh that's interesting

and he's pretty well know in the cycling area and we go to most of the sports meetings

yeah

do a lot of the (unclear) on the big races (pause) and eh we're going to one tomorrow Gypsies' Green

where (interruption) whereabouts is that

big cycling meeting on there

yeah whereabouts is that

Gypsies' Green South Shields

is it (interruption) (unclear)

right at the end you go straight along the promenade there's a beautiful stadium there

yeah

anyone can use it from (pause) anywhere

yes

and we're not taking advantage of it

aye yes

beautiful stadium for cycling it's all banked up just like Hearn Hill

aye I don't eh I don't cycle as much as I should now (interruption) you know I like to eh get out

oh do you not eh well I like nothing I like to see to see all the ehm I like to see any kind of sport

mm-hm yes yes do you watch television very much do you watch the (interruption) sport on television

yes

yes would you say eh do you usually watch it every every evening

I well I actually that's that's only pieces o bits and pieces o on the television of the sport

yes

I don't mind the tennis

yes

but ehm I'm not keen on the football

mm

I like the wrestling the tennis and the horse jumping

yes

I think that that is a television type of thing but I like to go and see it in real life

(unclear)

I like to see all the sports

mm (pause) eh (pause) these are just eh just a few questions about your opinions on some eh ordinary matters eh what do you think that ehm parents should do when their children misbehave

what do I think think of the what

that parents should do when their children misbehave you know how do you think parents should

when they don't speak correctly well

well just any sort of misbehaviour you know

eh the parents well (pause) th that type eh when they're when they're not speaking or acting correctly it starts in the home

mm-hm

definitely

yeah

when my daughter was born (pause) I never spoke baby language to her and she never spoke it

mm

back to me

(unclear)

the baby language that children speak are their i it it's their own language

mm-hm

but you don't have to answer them in it

yeah

you have to answer them in the proper language and they correct themselves

yes aye yes (interruption) (unclear)

I never believed in that

I think you're quite right about that

you see I did a lot of nursing in children's places and voluntary

yeah

and eh (pause) I always said I would never speak baby language because you're teaching a child to speak a baby language that that is not spoken

that's right yes

it's not spoken amongst adults

yeah

the child speaks his own baby language and let it enjoy it

mm

I I've got a I'm a great believer in that

yeah

teach your child just to speak plain English because actually if you (pause) speak plain English I'm not talking about this Cambridge lark and this powder puff stuff put on it's all put on that

uh-huh

the plain English started in the North East

yeah

it started on the on the ehm North East coast (pause) the English language

uh-huh

I've been right around England you know I've toured England

yeah yes

all the place and the continent

yeah

and if you speak the plain la English language you can be understood anywhere in the world

yes

because I've travelled quite a lot

right

camping

mm

(unclear) away to see it

yes yeah

my daughter's (pause) she well she's just came back fortnight ago from Cannes she said if you can speak if you speak French or Flemish you can be understood over there

mm mm eh (pause) so do you eh would you say you more or less approve of people speaking in their ordinary local dialects you know

well dialects are beautiful if they're spoken if they're spoken properly

yes

but they're mixed now

yes you don't like (interruption) mixed dialects

yes I like it I good to hear a good dialect

mm-hm

a good one well spoken now on the Northumbrian coast in Northumberland the likes of ehm (pause) these little place Amble Beddlington all those places up there now they have a guttural (pause) dialect of their own and it's beautiful to listen to

mm mm mm what about ehm you know the language of Newcastle or Gateshead (interruption) is it do you think it's yes

well I don't I haven't mixed in with lots of people that type of people you see but I like the ehm (pause) to hear this n Northumbrian (interruption) (unclear) Northumbrian

the most (unclear) sort of rural (unclear) yeah

I can understand it some of them I can't they've got a gravel it's an inheritance the gravel type in their voice and they can get any the can get Scotch they can get any type of language out of it I haven't got any guttural in my (unclear) voice

(unclear)

I wish I had because I could imitate them

(laughter) aye (pause) do you think that ehm you yourself ever change the way you speak according to the person you're talking to or (interruption) any other circumstances

well I I've never changed

no

not in my speech

do you think you've more or less spoken the same all you life

well (pause) yes I haven't changed my speech one little bit

mm and you think that (interruption) you know

mind I have sisters who have

mm-hm

and I can't understand them now and it annoys me

yes

because they come from the North East

aye

and I'm proud of the speech of the North East

uh-huh

and they shouldn't go and imitate where they're living now and they are

and where whereabouts are they

one lives in Carlisle and I don't know whether they're speaking Scotch or broad Cumbrian or what I can't understand that language but I've told them they should keep to your own mother tongue where you were born

mm-hm mm

I'm very very eh I I I don't think sh people should alter their speech to suite their statues in life (unclear) where they were born and brought up

mm aye do you think that eh (pause) apart from these sort of permanent changes do you think that you ever change you know just ehm just according to the company you're in eh

well I think (interruption) people ch

or do you or do you think that you always talk exactly the same in all circumstances

I've always spoke like this you see

aye

but some people change once they get on the sec first rung of the ladder

uh-huh (unclear)

that type of thing and it's all wrong because eh actually when they get excited their mother the tongue they were born with comes out and it spoils all the effect of what they're trying to be

that's right yes (interruption) (unclear)

mind I I believe in eh I believe if you h ever ch children ever get the chance to teach them elocution

mm-hm

because the majority even I've noticed on the television don't open their mouth (pause) they don't sound their words properly

yes

and it's still (pause) they're still teaching A B C (pause) they still teach that at school

uh-huh yes

to start with and then it is A B C now some of them are this language on the television it's Americanized

yes (unclear)

to a certain extent

mm

and they're missing words letters off which they don't ha do at school they've got to still write the letter on at school

yes yeah

I've got a very very eh strong point in that I could argue that anywhere

yeah

but when you write a letter or a word at school you if you miss an E off and they and they put an E and a a D on to sort of eh (pause) I've I've I've pulled to pieces hundreds of things on there (unclear) I watch the children's programmes as well you see

yes yes

but mind there was was a programme on I was very a very interested in last week I think it was on and I with me not getting out much I watch it

mm

this drama (interruption) I don't know whether you've seen it

yeah (unclear) I didn't see it no

but eh is there she's Chancellor of Edinburgh University you know this lady she's a lady about fifty or sixty and she's teaching geo drama there was a Wallsend youth club on

yeah

drama as the children want to play it

yes

in their own language in their own style

yes

of ehm (pause) of eh accent

mm-hm yes

and it was very very good

sounds (interruption) good that yes

they were reacting better than they were learning parts

mm-hm

they were acting to play themselves as they imagined to be

yes it's quite (interruption) exciting (unclear)

and it was very very cleverly done

yes (pause) ehm (pause) do you usually ehm did you used to correct your own children if they ever came out with you know a very broad local expressions I mean if they said (interruption)

oh yes I corrected my daughter yes yes

yes if they said things like I've fallen (interruption) fallen doon

every night (pause) out of the Evening Chronicle give us twenty spellings I used to give her

yeah

I used to correct her that way

yes

her way she asked for them no I didn't used to sort of sit down and hammer it into her

mm-hm yes (pause) but her pronunciation as well apart from the spelling (interruption) (unclear)

the pronunciation yes ehm (pause) if I thought it was going to benefit to her yes

mm-hm

and if I didn't I used to just let her carry on

mm mm-hm mm

I just had a set way of teaching her (pause) speech as the grown ups te teach it she taught me the baby language I didn't teach her

mm-hm

and then she corrected it herself

mm

it was I think it was with me going to ehm I was taught this this e elocution but I never (pause) made a point of teaching her it she passed elocution herself English oral

mm-hm mm (pause) ehm you know eh the way the newsreaders speak on television when they're re

pardon me

you know the way the ehm the newsreaders speak on television when they're reading out the news

well some of them

(unclear) you think of that

yes I know some of them speak the Oxford (pause) and Cambridge accent eh now the Queen I'll bring her into it because I don't think hers is the correct speech

yeah

not for the people of England

yes

it's it's eh they don't speak that type of language

(unclear)

but the some the majority of the eh announcers eh speak a very very plain English

mm-hm

and some of them don't

yeah but some of them speak sort of what you would call too posh perhaps

eh well some of them speak a just a bit th now the North East announcers were very very good

mm

I don't know whether this Earl Earls eh I don't forgot his other name Irwin but he was a very good speaker (pause) some of them speak with their mouth closed I don't know how they get their words out

mm-hm yeah

you know thin lips you d I just don't know how the words come out like that and yet some of them speak ehm (pause) with their mouths open we were always taught to be sound our vowels (unclear) that way that way and that way

mm-hm

and the old teaching of the to bring speech out is still the best

mm-hm yes yes that presumably they are sort of good teachers and good speakers and bad speakers are there not but

some people seem to swallow their words chew their words

yes

they don't come out

yes and those are eh those are the only grounds you have for disapproval (interruption) of anybody in any way

yes yes poor speech

(unclear) but it's not a matter of ehm disapproving of certain kinds of accents (interruption) (unclear)

no no it can be easily easily corrected (pause) and this I that's I I don't disapprove of it now mind my husband does because he can't understand some of the stuff he watches on the television so he doesn't watch it

mm-hm

the pop groups are the worst

oh yes some (unclear) (interruption) (unclear)

they chew on their words they're spitting it out and chewing it again you can't understand what they're singing about

ah yes that's that's quite true aye

I switch them off I don't listen to that

ehm

I pick all my eh type of eh listening I'm not eh (pause) I I'm not a great listener of these type of the rub the rubbish that they put on there

mm mm (pause) ehm when you're eh when you're away in other parts of the country you know on holiday or something ehm do people usually guess that you come from Tyneside (interruption) (unclear)

oh when I when i if go away if I go abroad or anything if I can't make myself understood I do the sign language I go and get it and ask them

yes yes

I done all the shopping abroad

(laughter)

I was pushed to the front I didn't understand the language but I got on by the sign language

(unclear) yes

I could point and ask them and they always got

yeah yes I was thinking o of ehm when you're in other parts of England you know (interruption) (unclear)

there's only one place that we weren't understood I was but my husband wasn't and that was right on the borders of Scotland

yes

beside Stirling went to get a camping spot there and my th w w we went to book in at the eh the eh office for a camping spot for a couple of nights and the big fat lady came to the door I can nay understand you laddie to my husband

(laughter)

and we had to no he they couldn't understand him at all

aye

and we had to come and get him

mm I see aye

and all he wanted was two nights (pause) lodging

(laughter)

two nights on the field

yes

and she couldn't understand a word he was saying

mm

I think he was saying it too quickly

yes

the majority of people speak very quickly just now

mm

I don't know why but they're in a hurry the world's moving very fast that's what I said to my daughter it's mo moving too fast for the people in it

yes (interruption) (unclear)

mm-hm scientifically etcetera it's moving fast and people can't keep up with it

mm-hm

I've got some very funny theories but they're true if you lo (interruption) you've ju you've just got to gaze around and watch them

(unclear) I see yes eh do people do people usually know that you come from Tyneside

pardon me

do people usually know that you come from Tyneside from your speech you know do people usually get it

ehm no not me but my husband yes

mm yes aye

they got a bit of eh they've asked Welsh and ehm (pause) Welsh and do you come from the south

yes

eh (pause) certain places where there's a lilt

mm-hm yes

eh (pause) there's a lilt in the voice

yes

evidently they can they c they kept guessing because there's something in the way I speak that I'll end up high

yes

and I c I've never noticed it before

yes but i it sounds like Welsh (interruption) that's right yeah

but you've got a sing a lilt in your voice

yeah

I think the Welsh people have

yes (interruption) that's right yeah

and that's why I I'm very often taken for Welsh

yes I think ehm the strange thing is that lots of lots of Tyneside people are often taken for Welsh

yes yes they have a lilt in their voice and as I'm talking instead of ending up on the lev same level I've tried to correct it you know

(unclear)

on my own but eh you've you just go back to it

(unclear)

it's the way you've been brought up the way you've been taught

mm-hm

and my father and mother never spoke pure Tyneside and I think that's what it is it's in the home where it starts

(unclear)

definite

mm but people people don't usually guess you come from Tyneside

no

no

no they don't guess

no (unclear) (pause) would you say that eh would you say that I came from Tyneside

mm-hm

yes

yes definitely

aye from Gateshead

Gateshead they sometimes ask where it is

yeah but do you think do you think I do you think I come from Gateshead

do you belong Gateshead

aye I do in fact do you think I sound like it (pause) do I sound (interruption) do I sound as if I do

no they don't they don't they don't think of you as coming from Tyneside (pause) and I think that what the percentage must be sixty percent now (pause) eh of the people in Tyneside don't speak Tyneside but (pause) I think (pause) when they get on the television it sounds raw

mm-hm

the n it's beautiful to the Tyneside people

mm yes

the Tyneside language

yes

now there's one person I have the caravan beside me you might his name'll be on the placards as Dickie Irwin

mm

Tyneside comedian now he is broad Tyneside in his turn

mm-hm yes

lives at Gosforth di he lives Dickie Irwin now he has a caravan beside me and we've had many good nights with him

mm-hm

well he's broad Tyneside but he also can speak the Queen's English

mm-hm right

not many people ever heard that

aye

you see he could change

yes does he speak that normally you know

yes

yeah yes and he's

whether it's kidding you up or talking amongst you he's broad Tyneside the the broadest I've ever heard in my life

yeah

and it's nice to hear spoken like that but when he gets on the television people seem to think it's dragging you down and eh it's it's not really it's a it's the language of the Tyneside people the Geordie

mm-hm

where the Geordie came from I don't know I've oft I've investigated that I've been to the library I would love to know when Geordie was actually in introduced

(unclear) (interruption) been here been here all the time

I think it's from George Stephenson actually that's as far as I've got

oh you mean where the name came from

yes

eh well eh I I've got a theory which you might like to consider (interruption) (unclear)

well I had a theory and I looked it up you see

yeah

I think it came from the eh the George Stephensons because there was (interruption) two of them you know two of the Stephensons

do you think so yeah I I heard once that it was on it was thought to be from the time of the Jacobite rebellions when people round here were in favour of King George (interruption) the name Geordie (unclear)

well you see when I was a little girl well I mean I'm not fifty yet but when I was a little girl I can remember lodging houses on Bottle Bank

uh-huh

lodging houses I can just remember them I can remember going for the last time across the high level bridge in a horse and trap

oh yes

for a farthing a ride across when we used to have to pay going across the high level bridge I can remember all of those things

aye

but you see I worked in town

yes

I when I left school and I went to another school in ehm City Road in town for dress design

yes

and I know more about Newcastle (pause) than I knew about Gateshead I lived a bit little bit higher up where the ehm (pause) eh I've always lived in Gateshead though eh little bit higher up where the ehm (pause) eh (pause) the Shipcote is

mm-hm

the Springwood Hotel that's just beside it

yes where the picture house used to be

uh-huh where the picture house was yes (pause) well that's where I lived you see

when can you remember when they ehm when they took the toll off the t off the high level bridge

I can just remember when they took the toll off

do you know

it was just before the war

just before the war was it yes

yes they took the toll off yes

yes

because know I w when we joined the when I joined the guides I had to run the high level bridge it's quarter of a mile long exactly

that's right yes

and I had to run the high level bridge for my for my certificates

is that right

and that was a measured (pause) eh

yes (unclear) quarter of a mile yes

yes

yes (unclear) I suppose in those days there there wouldn't be very much going back and forwards (interruption) between Gateshead and Newcastle

there wasn't much traffic but there was traffic

mm-hm

there wasn't a lot of traffic but you see Gateshead to me when I was a little girl it was an interesting place

uh-huh yes

(unclear) interesting because you could buy block from block salts everything from the Gateshead high street you know the end of Sunderland Road

mm-hm yes

where they're building now

yes

just down to the bottom (pause) there were hundreds of little shops

yes

right right up to a doll's hospital and it was an interesting place it was never you could (pause) stop at every shop

yes

now there's none they've spoiled Gateshead

yes yes it's all empty now

it it is a shame

yes

even Newcastle there's not the shops in Newcastle

mm

you know where I you know where I have to do my shopping in South Shields

do you (laughter) mm hello there

so you're the bike rider are you

that's that's right yes

yes he's away upstairs (laughter)

(unclear) (pause) that's