start at the beginning anyway eh whereabouts were you born

New Brancepeth

in eh Durham near Durham (interruption) city (unclear)

aye it is about (pause) four mile out of Durham

(unclear) and ehm (pause) whereabouts eh whereabouts else have you lived you know since since then like you long did you live there

just here (pause) since then

just the two places

oh and well I was born at eh High Branden

yeah

and I left there when I was about six month old and I went to New Brancepeth and live there (pause) up until we came here (pause) in about nineteen what was it nineteen thirty four

yes

we've been here since

was that after you got married like that you moved here

oh I was married before I came here

yeah yeah and ehm (pause) what do you think of the (pause) two places you know (unclear) which did you like best Brancepeth or here

well I I thought I would never leave New Brancepeth (unclear) b- born you know went to school there

yeah

thought I would never leave there but eh (pause) after I got here well I like this here bet- I wouldn't go back there

would you not

not to live

ah yeah (pause) must be very different like is it I mean is is

oh aye

aye (pause) is Brancepeth's just a little place isn't it

well it (pause) oh it was a (pause) it was a biggish place when I was there

aye

and I used to know everybody and every street because I used to go round with groceries and that and

yeah yeah

I used to know every name at every door

yeah yes

because in a place like that you know everybody

mm-hm yes right it's very different in Gateshead like you know (interruption) (unclear)

oh aye well I know a lot here really but eh

do you d- eh do you know sort of everybody in this street and that kind of thing

well I (unclear) I don't know them I know them by sight but not their names

aye aye

not the same as eh (pause) (interruption) a country place

yeah mm (unclear) would you say that eh do you get on very well with people here (interruption) you know with the neighbours (interruption) and that on the street

oh aye yes wey aye (pause) oh aye

eh (pause) do you think eh (pause) there's anywhere else you know in the country that eh that that that you would like to live you know as opposed to the North East like or or do you (interruption) (unclear)

well I would like to go back to a village side me I would like to have a little bungalow and live there (unclear) where it's nice and quiet

aye

so (unclear) can easy get into the town if you wanted to be in the town like

I see yeah yeah

I don't care much about the towns in any case

I see yeah yes

I think every town's the same as another

yeah yeah that's (interruption) (unclear)

wherever you go y- y- you go if you go for your holidays y- you see the same things the shops is the same (interruption) there's no difference

yes that's true yeah yeah (pause) do you eh do you not think that the sort of you know the people in the North East like on Tyneside and that are different from people in other parts of the country

oh well eh Durham (pause) people i- is a lot kinder people than what these is eh Newcastle area

are they

they always say the Newcastle area's kind

aye

but they're not ha- not half as kind as the (pause) (interruption) village people

ah (pause) as what they were at home like aye

no wey no I mean (pause) if anybody was ill there they were in there they would bring the food in for them and

yes

looking after them wey you get nothing of that here

that's true yes yeah (pause) yes I supposed it's just

she's been in bed since (pause) Wednesday there's not a one even come in

yeah yeah that's

well if it had been in a village place they would have been in and out and looking after you

(unclear) they would yeah yeah I suppose that's true I suppose it's just with the place being so big and that people never people don't know each other in the same way you know (interruption) they don't

well they do here because I mean we re (unclear) we get a lot of visitors here

aye aye

but eh (pause) they don't seem to be the same exactly

mm yeah (pause) yes do you think there's any difference between eh sort of Gateshead and Newcastle you know eh (pause) would do you think you would ever move over there to live

well I I don't think I would like to live in Newcastle

no

this is a handy place here you can get into village here you can get into (pause) country

mm-hm yes

you can get to the coast

yeah yeah

you get to the town

yeah

within a a mile or two or three miles really

yeah yeah

either way

yes very (unclear) (pause) ehm (pause) whereabouts were eh your parents born where they ehm born in Brancepeth

eh well (pause) my mother I think she'd be born at New Brancepeth in all she was born on a farm

yes

they were always farmers on my father's side he was born (pause) in the down the south somewhere

was he (pause) right

aye but he he always (unclear) he'd been up (unclear) this way all his life I think

I see so since (interruption) he was fairly young then (unclear) aye aye

lived here all his life aye

ehm (pause) and eh what eh what did your father do for a living

he was a pitman

was he aye (pause) mm and eh mm just to get the rest of the facts eh how old are you at the moment

eh sixty eight k- January

yeah ta and ehm do you eh do you own this house yourself or you (interruption) rent it from

no it's rented

aye yeah yeah ehm (pause) now and whereabouts does your wife come from does sh- was she from

eh she comes from that way and all aye she's born there why not (unclear) she moved eh (unclear) park

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

two

aye d- do they live here or have (interruption) they gone away now

no no they live at Alston

at Alston oh that's nice nice sort of place to live

oh it's cold (interruption) spot up there

(laughter) that's true like aye

cold spot

do you get up there very often to see them

no not very often

no

it's a nice eh in the summer it's lovely place

oh it's nice country and that isn't it

in the countryside I suppose (pause) I still wouldn't like to live up there not that high

(laughter) aye it's where you get snowed up and things like (interruption) in the winter sometimes

aye aye the winter comes it's terrible

aye (laughter)

nice in the summer

aye

do you smoke

eh no thanks no

you've no bad habits

no (laughter) well not that one anyway (laughter)

(laughter)

ehm (pause) what eh a- a- are you retired now are you (interruption) or are you working

oh aye

aye yeah what ehm what what jobs have you done in your life you know what was (interruption) your first job when you left school

everything (interruption) everything

everything have you

I went into the pit when I was just the day I was fourteen

did you (unclear)

and eh (pause) worked in there (pause) everybody was out (unclear) no there was no work and they (unclear) finished them off

mm-hm

and eh (pause) I couldn't get a job after that that's how I come this way

I see yes aye

couldn't get any jobs (interruption) anywhere

yes I suppose after the pit closed there was really nothing (interruption) (unclear)

was there nineteen twenty six strike and all that well (pause) my father bought a wagon at that time and I used to do (pause) go with the wagon and eh (pause) do groceries I used to work at the pit the same time

did you

work two jobs (pause) aye (pause) these days they'll not work at all

yes (laughter)

they won't there's there's no getting away from it they won't work

aye

get some of the old men back in on the jobs they they would be a long way better than these youngsters

mm-hm yes

because they don't want to work and now old people cannot get a job

that's true aye aye

(unclear) look at the what they've got to live on (pause) nothing

aye yes what eh what did you think of working down the pit was it

I used to like

did you aye

well I wasn't in the pit for years and years (pause) I was in the last f- from finishing work about eighteen year I think but I couldn't get a job anywhere at the time

yeah

and I went into back into pits I got in (pause) I used to like the pits

aye

and I (unclear) pretty handy I could (pause) (unclear) anything really

aye what did what did you used to do in the pit (unclear) w- all different jobs (unclear)

everything aye

aye aye (pause) and then what eh what did you do when you came up here like did you did you get a (interruption) different job when you moved up here

first (pause) oh aye well I used to travel in a wagon to a van and that to Scotland every week

aye (pause) were you driving like or

oh aye I've been driving since I was sixteen really

yeah yeah where did you

I got my first licence when I think it was twenty one

aye

that's when eh (pause) you had to w- mind the horses so you didn't run over the horses on the road then they they were just from side to side when you passed them

(laughter) yeah (unclear) eh and what was what was the last job you did like before you retired

that was pit

oh I see yes you went back which which pit did you work in

Kibblesworth

did you aye (pause) is it very different now working down there from what it was (interruption) when you first started

oh dear me (laughter) as good as being at home

(laughter) is it

it's as good as being at home

aye

there's no work now not what (unclear) call work

aye

all different again

yeah was it eh I- is it automated and that in eh in Kibblesworth pit now the cutting and (interruption) that's eh automatic is it

aye aye (pause) oh it's eh they're cushy jobs now to what they used to be years ago (pause) then if if you you happened to be off one day you were finished (pause) when I was in the young little lads as anything they lost one day they might be bad

aye

but if they didn't get that doctor's note and that right in they were finished the next day had to go to the office in any case

aye yeah

see what the reason they were off

aye

and you had to work six days one week (pause) and five the next eleven days

yeah

and if they asked you to go in and you didn't go in you were finished (interruption) overtime

phew that's pretty pretty hard isn't it

aye (pause) aye (interruption) you see difference now

but is (pause) mm-hm

and them hours (unclear) I mean the the wages you only got thirty shilling to bring home

mm-hm

mine was about thirty five shilling thirty four shilling and five

yeah yeah

and that's eh (pause) with your rent in you got allowance of five shilling rent in them days

yes yes

aye there's no help them days for you

yeah (pause) but you still used to enjoy it

oh aye aye well I mean it was really a time when I was young there was no work anywhere you couldn't get a job

yeah

couldn't get a job

so you were just sort of glad to have a job at all like were you

oh aye

yeah yeah yeah (pause) eh (pause) you must have did you leave school when you were fourteen like you know

fourteen

aye aye what eh what did you think of school when you were there you know did you were you glad to leave school or

well it's funny when I first started school when I was very young (pause) I was only about six or seven I I jumped two classes

yeah

they said I was too clever (pause) they went and jumped us two classes and I was never no good after that

(laughter)

that's telling the truth

aye (laughter)

I says well I they thought I was you know too (interruption) far forward instead of putting us in a higher class they jumped us two well I mean eh I couldn't (interruption)

(interruption) uh-huh yeah (unclear) aye (interruption) yeah (pause) that was too far

too far couldn't understand all the stuff

yeah

and then I didn't care after that

I see aye

you know I was in the

aye

didn't bother about it after that

aye that's not suprising (unclear) mm (pause) and eh d- h- ha- have you had any ehm sort of further education after you left school any night classes

no nothing

nothing like that no no

oh you had to be eh (pause) you couldn't get into night schools them days there was no night schools

aye

nothing of that

eh do you think eh you know looking back on your education like do you think it's eh been worth very much to you in your life (pause) (interruption) since you left school you know

well I wished I'd had more

do you aye

oh certainly

you'd like to have (interruption) stayed on at school would you (unclear) if you had the chance

it's education oh well that it's the main thing in life

aye

if you've got that you've got everything

yeah (pause) is that mainly because of like eh giving you the opportunity (interruption) for a job like or eh

oh that's aye aye you get more opportunities that way

mm (pause) what about for eh like things apart from a job you know do you think it's sort of just like a good thing in itself you know like or or is it mainly for a job that you think it's important

well I eh (pause) I've been a a chap that could do anything and I I think anybody can do anything if they set their mind to do it

mm-hm

if they want to do it they can do it and I've been able to do anything the mechanical side or anything

yeah yeah

electrician electrical side

yeah

all such as that joiners or

yeah and you just sort of picked these things up as you went along did you

aye just picked up myself (unclear) nobody's taught us

(unclear) (pause) yeah most people reckon they learn more learn more after they leave school you know (interruption) (unclear) useful things you know

aye well I think (unclear) I always used to be (pause) wanting to work you know keen on doing something

yeah yeah

and I think that's the reason all these people now when they retire they die soon (pause) because they have nothing to do

yeah yeah

they lose all contact with people (pause) and they're left on their own

yeah yeah do you find have you found this like since you retired or or have you (interruption) managed to sort of (pause) fill your time in

well I I I well I've got myself a garden you see (interruption) I says I'll have to get something

aye that's right that's yes yes

because I mean you're just sitting about all day long (pause) doing nothing well you cannot do it I cannot cannot do it anymore and that's the reason I got a garden

mm-hm

but I give all the stuff away so it doesn't make any difference it's not for what I get from it

(laughter) no no it's just for something to do like

I just just something to do

aye about how much time do you s- w- say would you say spend down there like a lot of a lot of time (unclear)

well I've started to grow leeks

aye aye

and my first year was last year I've never grown them before (unclear) it was the first year I had the garden (pause) and eh I got third prize so I didn't do so bad (unclear) (pause) there was about fifty four in there's about eighty this time

yeah

so eh it (unclear) (unclear)

yeah yeah whereabouts is your eh garden like

it away (pause) aside (pause) Dryden Road along Dryden Road there and eh Gee's aside Gee's garage if you know where it is

oh yes I know where you mean yes yes

wey just there that first corner there

yeah Joicey Road ah wey up yeah

aye up Joicey aye

yeah oh aye (pause) eh going back to education for a bit like do you think eh do you think education's very important for like kids now you know I mean for (interruption) do you think they should eh do you think they should stay on at school if they can after they're (interruption) fifteen you know after sixteen (unclear)

oh I think (unclear) (pause) I think so (pause) I think so (pause) they get more learning really

aye

that's the reason we have as many strikes (laughter)

(laughter)

they know more to (interruption) worry you (laughter)

(laughter) they're wise to everything aye (pause) yeah it's true do you do you not not think eh education's ever wasted like I mean do you think it's

well eh (pause) after they leave their education it's the getting a job well if they cannot get a job it is wasted really isn't it

mm-hm because that's happening quite a lot now you know you know I mean it doesn't matter how much education you get you still have difficulty getting a job

aye well you've got to s- be with the right people that's the only way you'll get a job these days

(laughter) yes there's a lot of truth in that like mm (pause) and ehm do you think eh education's just as important for girls as for boys or do you think it's less less so for girls

wey less for girls I would say because if they get married well although everybody works now so

yes most of them do

most of them work so school for them in that way

aye (pause) and what about eh (pause) eh like things like discipline in schools you know do you think (pause) (interruption) schools should

oh it's not enough really

y- you think it's they're too too soft (interruption) do you

it's too easy I think now they tell the teacher what to do now the teacher hasn't got tell them if he does he's out or she's out (laughter)

aye (pause) do you think eh do you think school should sort of teach kids ehm you know like the difference between right and wrong things like that or do you think that's mostly a parent's job you know do you think the parents are more important or (interruption) the school

well they'll not taking any notice of the parents to start off

yeah

where (unclear) school they've got to take notice least they had in my day

mm-hm yes

and not only that if you done anything wrong at school you couldn't go back to your parents and tell them

yeah

because they used to chase you back

mm-hm

and give you a good hiding

(laughter) yes

these days they run home to their mothers and tell them that they've been schoolmaster or somebody's beaten them and that

that's right yes

and they're down to the school and they get the schoolmaster into trouble

that's right yeah yeah yeah do you think it was really sort of better in the way it was run when you were young I I mean

well it was more strict then you had to do what you were told

yeah

you had to do it

aye and you think that's a (interruption) (unclear)

and the parents was the same they made you do it

mm

now I mean eh they tell the parents what to do (laughter)

aye (pause) ehm (pause) eh what ehm you know apart from like eh your gardening and that what eh what sorts of things do you (pause) do in your in your spare time you know I mean well all your time's spare now but say when you were when you were working what eh what what sort of things did you used to do in your in your free time

well yes I mean eh (pause) anything that was going really I mean eh (pause) such as eh doing the house I've done done these they've then done them doors put them on and

yeah

they was just wood doors I just took the glass out put glass in

aye

I'm pretty handy at anything really

yeah yeah so y- you've always sort of spent a lot of time on your house have you I mean you sort of do things to it (interruption) (unclear)

not exactly if there was anything to do I used to do it but I'm not so (pause) I cannot get up a height to do anything

aye yeah yes

now this eh this house here has never been done since we come in I think these windows eh painted or anything they're not done up and they're falling out

yeah

can't even paint them

yeah

and that outside oh I had to do that outside there this (pause) last two or three weeks just to say it was done

mm-hm

make it look decent well you cannot I cannot get up the ladders eh you know I turn dizzy up there like

aye yeah (unclear) true (unclear) what about ehm sort of going out for a drink and that do you do you (interruption) (unclear)

oh aye get that every night

do you every night

every night

oh that's great yeah (unclear) that eh

that's one of my pastimes (laughter)

(laughter) yeah yeah yeah and was that the same when you were working like did you usually usually out (interruption) every night like

aye come from work uh-huh

aye

aye I used to get the mate two eh pints or three at night like aye that's

aye whereabouts do you go from here like which eh which pub do you (interruption) go to

oh I go to the club a lot eh

which

Thomas Wilson Club

aye

some nights at the Black Horse

aye

and eh Kibblesworth Club (pause) (interruption) go up there

aye aye oh I I get in the Black Horse one or two times like it's quite a nice (interruption) place in there aye

yeah the back room's round here they've got

yeah the back aye the back room yes aye

the back room's at yeah aye I mean they're straight through round here

eh the gentlemen only room (interruption) you know the little one on the right aye aye (pause) I get in there sometimes

oh aye aye aye (pause) oh yeah I used to go there regularly in that room

aye

I never go in that room now (pause) last time (unclear) there was one time I went in there well eh I don't know whether there was a wedding or something going on or whether it was a funeral now (pause) and we had that room that back room taken full (interruption) we were there from six o'clock

aye yeah

and it eh it used to shut at ten then (pause) and the landlady come in now there's eh two or three chaps come in half past nine they wanted to take our seats said it was that it was their seats I says how can it be your seats we've been sitting here since six o'clock even the landlady come in she says oh yes they sit they sit there well I said they're not getting it tonight

(laughter) aye

so they had to go out they couldn't get in

aye

then eh they were getting a bit nasty about it so I (unclear) got the crowd up I says howay I says we'll go now just (pause) about twenty minutes to ten (pause) and we all left went down to the Cannon

(laughter)

and then she was on her knees trying to get us to stop in after that I (unclear) that serves you right

(laughter) aye that's the ultimate threat is it to take your custom down to the Cannon aye (laughter)

took the lot out

(laughter)

above twenty

aye sort of a pub strike (laughter)

aye (pause) I think that there were nobody in

aye (pause) do you think ehm you know in the way of sort of eh recreation activities and that do you think there's any things that eh you would have liked to have done you know but you've never sort of got round to or you've never had the chance to do you know what I mean

well (pause) I used to play football one time

aye

as a kiddie at school well I got four medals there

yeah

I used to like football well we left school (pause) and eh (pause) I started to play for the scout team

mm

and I got a medal there and I wouldn't I thought I'll get pigeons I got these long distance pigeons

mm-hm yeah

I got interested in them so on the Saturday well I couldn't play football for looking after pigeons

aye yeah

so I give up football (pause) and eh I started up with them then I got that I won that many races if I wasn't first or second or first second and third I was disappointed

aye

so a few year like that and then eh I had to give up give them up because nobody had would fly against us

(laughter) aye

then a- after I gave them up I got pigs

aye (laughter)

and the first one first o- two or three I got I went to these pig men you know and asked them about it

mm

how you what you fed them on and everything

aye

and eh (pause) he told us what they were feeding and you know what they well I got these and they were well eh them days a pig was only about five shilling or seven and six and

aye

and they great big ones

(laughter)

I kept them twelve month (pause) and eh they were less at the end of twelve month less size than what they were when I bought them (laughter)

(laughter)

well all these pig men is laughing well I I had to sell them back wey give it away you couldn't sell them the- the- there was nothing on them

aye (laughter)

so I says oh I I will get some so I went and bought pedigree ones

aye

and I used to turn them out sixteen weeks old (pause) at nine tin ten stone after that but I just fed them on what they should be fed on proper meal and stuff there were no rubbish here after that

(laughter)

and they used to come from all arts and parts to see them

aye (laughter)

and I used to wash them and all

aye

oh there were I had a good show (pause) well I liked them a big size if I had a place I would have gone in for that that's what I wanted to go in for like the farming

aye

but I never got the chance the wife wouldn't go like

mm

aye that's a good life eh farm life the open life you know fresh air and

(unclear) nice and quiet and that

aye

ehm what eh what do you think would happen if eh say if you won the pools or something tomorrow (interruption) you know do you think (unclear)

wouldn't make wouldn't make haporth of difference to me all I would do I would buy find a nice spot like and have a bungalow built

aye

and then that'll be (unclear)

aye

I would still like maybe a b- bit land to it you know and eh just to potter about

aye it wouldn't change your way of life very much like

oh not at all no

aye you would still do the same sort of things as (interruption) (unclear)

just the same wey what else is there to do (pause) ay

(laughter) oh well I don't know some people reckon it would cha- you know it would change their life completely like (interruption) they would sort of start travelling round the world and things like this and (interruption) (unclear)

(interruption) wouldn't change mine (interruption) well (unclear) (pause) I I cannot to me there's no not no place different to another one

yeah I I think that as well

you could travel wherever you like if you go away for a holiday wey you can get a better holiday here in the country

mm-hm

there's more countryside here than anywhere get up round Hexham and them places

yeah that's true

the nicest country there is (pause) countryside

yes I usually reckon that it's (interruption) more or less the same

yeah I I went to I travelled I was at Belgium one- eh I was in Belgium (unclear) I went to eh Ireland well we travelled them roads all over Ireland

aye

once I took the car over the car we took it over like and eh there's nothing really different there only it was level country

that's right aye yeah

level country that's all you know

mm-hm

and then they didn't seem to like us in any case there

did they (interruption) not

the English like oh (pause) I never knew that

aye (interruption) oh aye

they were on about the Black and Tans I said why are we always the Black and Tans (laughter) I didn't know who the Black and Tans were

(laughter)

they must have been learning that at school

yeah well I suppose so yes actually I aye I think it's different now like I find them very friendly when I go over there you know

oh well they were friendly enough

aye

but they seemed to have had just that eh way of eh w- when we went into a public house you had to be careful we went into one near the top and and this fellow started eh throwing the glasses and bottles eh right along to where we were we had to I said let's get out of here

(laughter) yeah

and he's got to make you know he must have had a spite against them

yes aye (pause) eh do you watch television very much eh

well I sa- I used to watch now I think the television there there's nothing (unclear) rubbish but rubbish on it

(laughter) you don't like it very much do you

wey aye no I like to see a picture or

aye

there's a lot of rubbish on

aye so do do you sort of eh you don't watch it unless there's something special you want to watch do you not

well at night time if I'm in I always put it on

aye

I supposing there's there's nothing I generally just shove it on

mm-hm eh (pause) eh just n- eh just a couple of questions about your your opinions on a couple of things what ehm (pause) you know when eh when children misbehave themselves like you know what what do you think parents should do like to check them how do you think they should eh they should check them

well you don't like to hi- really hit them but I think that's the best cure sometimes for them just depends what they've done

aye

because how can you punish them any other way

mm mm (pause) so if it was something pretty serious like you would you would hit them

oh wey wey you've got to I mean (unclear)

yeah

I think eh (pause) the policemen used to do at one time if he caught any kiddies he would give them a good (interruption) crack you know well that was it but now well I mean th- they're try and hit anybody now and the- you'll be fetched up for it you'll be put inside

aye (pause) yeah yeah that's true

they've took the authority off from them even

mm-hm

they have no authority not only that if there's any break ins (unclear) th- they fly away out the road

(laughter)

we had a break in here

what in this house did you

aye not long ago (pause) (unclear) I went I wasn't out an hou- one hour

aye

they had a took a ladder down to that front door put it up against that I couldn't get in

aye

they'd drawn all the blinds and they gone right went right through the house everything was scattered e- everywhere

yeah

called for the police when we got ba- when we did get in (pause) called for the police (pause) three times

aye

it was two hours lo- more than two hours before they come what chance if there'd been somebody in you could have got them

yes

they're supposed to be on the job where are they off

yeah yeah uh-huh eh this is eh just eh

(unclear) me just now do you think

yeah

and we're still having to pay for that

yeah (pause) that's bad ehm this is a question eh that you don't have to answer if you don't want because some people don't eh which way do you vote

well (pause) there's none of then wanting w- worth voting for in the first place there's no man in the country can run it at present (pause) I've I've been voting eh Tory I was vote (unclear) Tory and then I voted Labour but I to tell the truth (pause) they want to get a coalition government in

aye

somebody pick the best in the country not of any parties it's just parties and just fight again each other like these just like kiddies gan to school

aye that's true (laughter)

they only they they it's only bluff

aye aye

they're bluffing the public all the time one trying to fight against the other

aye

you want to get the best men in and throw the old ones out

yeah

whether Labour I don't care what they are

I see yes

they can be Chinese ir- Irish or whatever they have a mind to be long as they are good men

I see yeah yes

that's what you want in

yeah aye I see so you're not really eh you're not really very committed then to either party (interruption) (unclear)

well there's none of them any good

yeah

not one of them any good

mm (pause) you don't feel that eh sort of eh that that Labour really sort of does anything for the working man for instance as opposed (interruption) to the Tories

well I mean they haven't any (unclear) either eh I mean they they were trying to do something for the working man but (pause) what's it got to now

mm

there's none of them does anything (pause) for anybody but theirselves them's the only ones they look after self first they've all give theirselves a rise that went in

that's true (laughter)

they've never thought about the old people yet they say they've got plenty to live on we have nine pound fourteen a week that's what we've got coming in and no help

yeah (unclear)

and we've still got our rent to pay we've still got to live

yeah

and these fellows go in for tens twenty pound rises

that's right yeah and they just award themselves sort of ten (interruption) (unclear)

and there is that's not enough to live on and yet the other people's got to live on that

aye yeah yeah unfair yes it d- doesn't matter which party's in does it I mean pensioners always get a lousy deal you know what I-mean

well they're getting a raw deal right through but these eh when they give them a rise they put it in nine month nine months time or twelve months time they'll get their rise

aye

with other people they date it back twelve month

that's that's true

they do

yes

but they waiting of them dying to get them into (unclear) to save a little bit of few coppers

(laughter) yeah (laughter) do you eh do you usually vote in every election like do you usually bother to vote (interruption) in every election or do you sometimes skip it

oh I don't bother it's not worth it it's not worth voting (unclear) (unclear) put some decent people in it wouldn't be so bad

aye

I generally vote eh the big eh you know the government (unclear)

aye the aye

but I didn't bother the other side because you know who's getting in any case (interruption) it's them eh

yes it's true yeah yeah (pause) eh (pause) if we can just go on to talk for a bit about eh what we are most interested in like you know that's the way you talk and that and what you think about it eh (pause) firstly d- do you ever think eh do you think you ever change the way you talk according to like you know the person you're talking to or the you know (interruption) the company you're in

nah no I don't no that's what I don't do

aye

now there's some goes away for a holiday and they're away two or three days and they come back Yorkshiremen (interruption) Irishmen Welshmen and they been away three four days

mm-hm that's right yeah (unclear) yeah

but I never change mine eh talk

yeah

because if you're trying to change it you sure do made a mess of it if you try to talk posh now you're sure put your foot in it (laughter)

(laughter) that's true aye aye a- and eh do you think you've talked the same more or less all during your life you know I mean (interruption) ever since you were young has it always been the same

oh I've never changed there's a lot likes to hear me talking

aye aye

there's one chap he's schoolteacher he says I love to get where you are at to hear you talk (interruption) he always does

aye aye aye because it's it's different (unclear)

I don't know what difference there is I cannot eh tell any difference

oh do you not notice the difference between (interruption) you and the sort of the average Gateshead sort of

(interruption) no (pause) oh well wey the average Tyneside this is they want to call them Tyneside eh I don't talk that Tyneside I've been here since oh thirty between thirty three and thirty four I've been eh how many year is that t- t- six (pause) thirty four f- say (interruption) forty

getting on for forty

aye

and you haven't really changed at all have you I mean it's eh

not in (unclear) talk

you don't sound as if you've been influenced by (interruption) Tyneside

no it doesn't make any difference I think the only way you change is when you're kiddies and you go to school I think that's the time eh (pause) y- your dialect changes then if if you're brought up left one school and you're pretty young go to another one you'd pick that dialect up

mm-hm yeah yeah

course there's always words (pause) different places you say you can hear them say you know different eh you see now there're lot here you hear them say you see you see you see

aye

eh what's that word where I came from you'd never say thou

mm-hm

you know thou

mm yeah

and there was some other words there's two or three words I don't say now that I used to say

that you used to say aye I see

you know that but (unclear) they used to come in all the time you know

aye at one time you would have said thou and that (interruption) would you

aye aye

yes so I suppose yes that's changed like

that was the only change I've done

aye

think I've be- it was different I can always say a little bit (pause) if I go to these places and I hear them talk well I know I used to say them same words

aye

that I think is funny now

uh-huh yeah yeah aye

you know when you hear them

aye you can tell the difference like when you go back

aye a little bit of difference

aye I see yes yes yes eh (pause) do you eh do you ever feel that ehm you know that you get on better with people who talk the same as you you know when you hear somebody talking in your (interruption) accent

doesn't make any difference

no

I think one man's as good as another (unclear) don't care how he talks

aye (unclear)

everybody's as good as one another

yeah

there's only difference is one has bit more money than the others the only difference

mm mm mm

I think everybody's alike even darkies blackies or whatever they are

mm-hm yeah

I could get on with any of them

aye yes mind m- most people say you know that they sort of eh you know if they're Tynesiders they feel more at home with Tynesiders you know and this sort of thing but y- you don't (interruption) feel that way

oh wey no it doesn't make any difference where you live it's where how you make it

aye yes

I mean if you (pause) like people I don't fall out with anybody why should I

yeah that's it yeah

and if I had a argument with somebody now I would I would still speak to them tomorrow but some they'd never speak again

mm-hm (unclear) (laughter)

different types

(laughter) do you eh do you like to hear people talking in eh their local accents like you know do you like to hear a Tyneside accent (interruption) or a Durham accent you know

wey it doesn't it doesn't bother me at all that

you you're not bothered one way or the other (interruption) are you not no (unclear)

oh no

aye (unclear) (pause) did you ever used to eh you know when your when your children were young like did you ever used to correct them about the way they talk you know did you ever used to tell them you know (interruption) don't say that

oh aye if they said any rough words eh

aye

you know like trying to speak properly eh (pause) (interruption) (unclear)

aye what do you mean by what do you mean by rough words like you know

well it's eh how do I explain it well you know t- talking rough like eh some people talk rough

aye

why they taught at school the proper language well they come out they (unclear) maybe their parents talk and they come out with some of them words not eh (pause) swear words anything (interruption) like that

mm-hm aye aye aye I know what you mean aye aye (laughter)

I mean if they did say them well they (unclear) well they did get the hiding but eh other words no not properly not (interruption) talking properly

aye I see what you mean yes so you used to you used (interruption) to correct them about it (laughter)

well I don't talk properly myself (laughter) it's just eh the my language (unclear) (interruption) my dialect

aye but you still used to but you still used to pull them up about it didn't you I mean (interruption) if they sort of said I've fallen doon and things like this you know

oh aye aye aye aye such as them things aye

mm-hm yeah yeah ehm eh