(pause) where you were born, roughly

do you?

Well -- well I presumed you were born in -- near the library, round there

No actually I was born in Windsor Avenue

Oh right, yeah, yes. Is that further down? (interruption) Nearer the river?

(interruption) It's further down, yes, yeah, yes. I -- I -- I've lived in several places in Gateshead. I lived in Third Street after that and then I lived in Elm Grove Terrace which was opposite the baths.

Oh right. Well because I was born in Low Fell and lived in Low Fell all the time, I really didn't know much about Gateshead when I was young because people didn't travel, you know. There wasn't -- there was the tram, which stopped at the -- stopped at the bridge, didn't it?

Oh yes

But, er, I really knew very little about Gateshead then as it -- it seemed like a distance. But it -- for all it -- I was living in Gateshead.

Well I didn't live in Ga- in Low Fell till I got married. I lived in Elm Grove Terrace as I told you then I lived in Whitehall Road. (interruption) A flat in Whitehall Road.

(interruption) So you're right round this area. So you're very

yes this area

Near to your roots, yes, yes.

yes

This -- this was the farthest I ventured into Gateshead when I came to live here. Gradually moved about a little bit in Low Fell but just came here. It's all -- it's all merged now, there's no -- if we, er, -- there's no barriers, it's all merged.

Well we get termed as Low Fell but we're not really

No, no, this is -- the address is Gateshead, yes.

Uh-huh but you know when I was young th- these the Low Fell was up to Valley Drive. And then it was Gateshead after that but they call this Low Fell. Our code number is (PLACE) which is Low Fell you see. But really we are NE8 I would say

Yeah, well, th- somebody I knew who worked for the Post Office said that the Low Fell ended halfway down, um, Valley Drive.

yes, yes

That was the -- so we are in Gateshead. We do live in Gateshead. (laughter) Anyway, this is a strange thing to be doing on a Monday morning, isn't it?

Yes, you've no idea what you're stopping me doing, you know

Absolutely nothing (laughter) I would think. (laughter) But, er, yes, it's different.

mm-mm, yes

now what shall we -- what -- let's have a look and just see what's on here (pause) Oh, well we know that. Yes (pause) How often do you go to Newcastle or Sunderland?

Well, I used to go quite a lot but ah, I've had awful problems with my knees. I've had them done and I'm going to have to have them redone so therefore the last year or so I haven't gone very far.

I know.

I was managing to get on the bus and go to Newcastle. Had to sit down every five minutes but I used to go on the Metro to Sunderland

I know, it's a pity because I -- when I first came to live here I would have said that you were out every day.

I was, I was (interruption) out every day

(interruption) Every day, going to Newcastle or somewhere.

Yes, oh yes, I was always going to Marks And Spencer's, buying stuff and taking it back (laughter)

(laughter) Yes, yes. Now you s- you can't do that.

I can't do that now

However, well (interruption) (unclear)

(interruption) I rely -- (NAME) has a car you see and I rely on her now and again to give me a lift and other peop -- I u- I used to have a car when I came in but I rely on other people. I use their cars, you see.

Yes, and I mean, well, everybody's willing but it is a shame 'cause she's a -- a lady who likes to organise things, I would say, and

I used to organise everything in here. We've had some fantastic, er, trips out, haven't we?

We have.

And we've had some lovely meals in here which we've done the catering for, and concerts

That's right.

Course mind we still do things in here. I go to what you call the Alzheimer class every night. (laughter) We play cards from four till five. (laughter)

And I might say that I started the cards.

No you didn't. (interruption) It was (NAME) (NAME) (NAME) started the cards.

(interruption) Did you have it before I came? Oh, I thought you had none before I came, oh, right.

Oh, yes, no, no, no.

(interruption) Oh, well that's me knocked back.

(interruption) No, it was more int- more intense when she came because she's a bridge addict. If you want to know where (NAME) is, she's playing bridge somewhere. (laughter) Yes.

(laughter) Well, that is a -- a something I -- I didn't start playing bridge, you'll be surprised to learn, until I retired. And I thought when I'm going to -- when I'm going to stop -- I worked for Age Concern actually, at the time, and, er, the g- there was a gentleman -- there was a bridge club there and the gentleman who ran it offered to teach me bridge, and I thought well, that's something I'd be able to do when I retire, w- that didn't involve -- if I came to the stage when I couldn't be so active, I could do that. And he was a hard teacher, but he's been a blessing, blessing, because it's one of the best hobbies to have.

She tries to get me to do it but, oh, it's not my cup of tea.

No, everybody's got to have different things, haven't they.

I have tried.

Yes.

She started -- we were on holiday once in Menorca. We weren't together but we met up and she tried to get us to play bridge (laughter) Yes.

Yes, with -- that wasn't a success.

It wasn't a success, no. Put me off, that.

I know and don't forget we had, erm, (NAME) and (NAME).

(NAME) and (NAME).

(NAME), who regarded as a -- very hilarious, you know, when you said, 'Show your best suit' and he was saying things like, 'well, I haven't brought my best suit' (laughter) However.

yes.

I was just going to say about Sunderland, it's disgraceful, when I live so near, that I've hardly ever been to Sunderland.

Well I don't think you're missing very much there, I don't think it's a very nice, is it's called a town now isn't it? Not a very nice place, it needs a lot doing to it.

And you get the -- well my daughter -- actually my daughter went to college, er, in Sunderland so I used to take her down and eeh, I thought it was horrendous. I got lost every time I went.

It was terrible to drive (interruption) but of course the Metro's very good.

(interruption) to drive, wasn't it, mm. But that was my -- my only knowledge of, um, Sunderland is trying to find the right road. (laughter)

Yes, yes.

Anyway, there's plenty. So of course I -- er, (NAME)'s been in -- you've been in here longer than me, haven't you?

You said my name

I know.

Doesn't matter

No. I'm talking about (NAME) who lives along at the end of the, um, at number five.

Oh, number five, yes, yes, yes

What do you think about the Angel?

I've never liked it

Have you not? Well, I thought -- I went to see the little, em, the m- the model they had at the library before it was put up and I thought I probably wouldn't like it. You had to put comments in the book. But actually because I lived very close to it and I was out with the dog the day it was put up I always remember walking round with the dog and suddenly thinking, 'What's that?'. They didn't have the head on, they had just, and after that I grew attached to it. So I am very proud of it now.

Ooh, I'm not.

I like to say, 'I just live near the Angel. I can't say that now but I could.

It doesn't look a bit like an angel, it looks like an aircraft.

It does.

With its big wings. Well, I used to bowl just next to the Angel, and now and again we found big marks on the green, I says, 'It's that thing been down'. (laughter) During the night. Having a look around. No I don't care for it. Although a lot of people seem to go and see it.

Yes.

I mean that Anthony Gormley's done an awful lot of things which (pause) did you see the things the he -- he did all sorts of statues and

Yeah, I never saw th- I would have liked to have seen them.

I didn't think much of them

Did you see them?

No, I just saw it on the television

Oh, I'd have liked to have seen that.

It were all wires, wasn't it

Well I had a friend who always went to see everything, she went to exhibitions, she never missed anything. And she made me eventually feel very guilty because she used to say, 'Have you s- Oh, you must go and see it!' and I just never do go and see things.

Have you never been to the Baltic?

No.

Oh, it's a revelation. (interruption) You talk about modern art

(interruption) That's what I mean, I think I'm

Modern art, it's terrible (pause) It really is

So it's worth going to see just 'cause it's terrible? (laughter)

Oh. (interruption) I don't

(interruption) Eeh, I do, I feel guilty about things like that but there again I do other things.

When you think of art, you know if you go to the art gallery there and see all of the beautiful pictures and then you go to the Baltic, oh. No, it's not for me, I think I'm too old-fashioned.

It's not for everybody.

No, no. I went to -- my son lives in France and I went there. Were you with me when we went to this big exhibition?

Oh, yeah, at th- outs- where they had -- yes.

i- i- in the mayor's b- big chateau?

I was.

And it was er it was er English Art, eeh, I was ashamed of them (laughter)

Eeh, it was appalling, it was appalling.

(laughter) It was awful. It was terrible (laughter) Eeh

The only thing I liked they had an exhibition in a tent, (interruption) or a marquee, or whatever it was

(interruption) Yes. That's right

And, um, the children had done it. (interruption) And it was lovely!

(interruption) Children had done it. It was much superior, wasn't it?

(laughter) It showed the -- the artists up, didn't it? (laughter)

Yes, yes, it did, yes

So hobbies, well we all l- I like going on holiday, and you (interruption) like going on holiday. Oh, I know.

(interruption) (laughter) I do when I can (laughter) Yes. Ooh, we -- we used to -- we loved Menorca. We'd go there tomorrow wouldn't we?

That's right. And the strange thing is, I didn't know -- I think really I got to know you in Menorca because, er, you went with (interruption) your cousin

(interruption) (NAME)

And we knew the cousin and they'd told us how nice Menorca was and persuaded us to go so we went and stayed in a hotel and they were staying in um, a villa and they brought (NAME) with them. Ah! That's that (NAME) at number five, of course. And (laughter) so anyway, er, er, that was in -- in -- we went prac- it was my husband's favourite place, he used to say, 'Well seeing you like it what's the point in going anywhere else?'. We just went year after year.

Yes, we did

And now I ha- I'm hankering to go one more time but I don't think I'm going to get.

One more time. (laughter) Where you going after that?

I don't know! (laughter) Not far, I hope. No. No.

Oh, she's always away, she was weren't you at Benidorm (interruption) this year

(interruption) Oh, don't mention Benidorm. I ne- I never wanted to go, er, but f- there's three other people that I go with 'cause -- and play bridge, I might say, er, and one of them had been about thirty-five years ago and was dying to go back. So of course eventually we said OK, we'll go. And yes, the beach is lovely, and yes, it's lovely in the old town, but the rest is just chatty. We were staying in the best hotel in Benidorm and the hotel was absolutely fantastic, but I always say if you want to stay in a fantastic hotel why not just walk down to the, er, that new one, (interruption) whatever it is.

(interruption) The Hilton, (interruption) mm-mm

(interruption) The Hilton! Silly to go to Benidorm just to stay in a five star hotel.

Yes, yes

But however, it was an experience and I thoroughly enjoyed the holiday but I don't think I would ever go back. Go somewhere a bit quieter.

Well there's some nice places in England you know

True. True.

I prefer Scotland. I love Scotland. I didn't realise, I was in the Wrens as I told you and I didn't realise once you got p- past Perth how different the scenery is in the Highlands. And I was sent to a place called Invergordon and everybody said, 'Ooh, it's the last place before Scapa Flow, you'll not like it' but it was lovely at Invergordon and when I -- when I was off-duty we used to have bicycles, we used to go cycling in the country, all the rhododendron were lovely peachy and different colours to what you get here, it was absolutely lovely. In fact I used to feel the cold when I came home because up there it was a dry cold, down here it was a damp cold. But I thoroughly enjoyed those two years up in the Highlands.

Yes, i- you were lucky. I -- I joined the -- the WAAFS, but because I worked at the RVI at the time, er, they wouldn't let me go, it was reserved occupation. And I was bitterly disappointed, bitterly, because I was joining with a friend and of course she got in, and, er, however. (interruption) That's life. That's life.

(interruption) Never mind. Can't take everybody can they?

Well, I don't know, (interruption) they would have took me, I was accepted, I passed the medical and everything!

(interruption) They took me!

But then they -- the hospital said, 'no, no, you can't go'.

Must be nice to be wanted mustn't it?

(laughter) However, I enj- I liked working in a hospital 'cause you were working with people, you know.

Well, I think y- y- you meet such a lot of different people, don't you? Uh-huh, you've got to be among people

Yes, I wouldn't have liked to work at the ministry or anything like that when it was just sitting at a desk all the time.

No, I wouldn't, no

Well. What -- let's have a look (pause) What about -- it says sporting items, who said they d- oh, you said (interruption) some people don't like sport.

(interruption) Ooh, did you see the tennis yesterday?

It was absolutely wonderful.

Oh, you're talk -- they had me worn out. I sat there for four hours and I was shattered.

Do you mean the final (interruption) of the men's singles?

(interruption) The final of the men's singles. That Nadal didn't half make Federer work.

Well, I missed that, 'cause I was out.

Ooh, oh, (NAME), it was great.

Well I'll tell you what I enjoyed, the doubles. I hate the doubles as a rule.

Ooh, yeah

But I enjoyed it because we had a British (interruption) person in, wasn't it lovely?

(interruption) Jamie Murray, uh-huh

Specially better still that he won.

Ooh, yes, yes. It's a change for an English -- for a British person to win something

Well my granddaughter was up for the weekend as you know, and, er, so of course we along to the -- out for lunch, and m- I didn't -- mad rush afterwards because she wanted to catch the half-past (pause) was it half-past four train, yes, but she made it.

She made it

Made it by the skin of her teeth.

Mm-mm. Mm-mm, yes. Very good.

So there we are. So what are you doing for the rest of the day?

Oh, I don't know. Just flo- I'm waiting for the lift to be put right. Our lift's been off since Wednesday, it's disgraceful.

It is.

I just live on the first floor, I can stagger down the stairs (pause) with an effort, but the people on the top floor are marooned, there's some people disabled and can't get down at all.

Haven't been down since Wednesday or Thursday, have they?

Eeh, I think it's disgraceful, they want shooting.

Well we -- we had a meeting last night

Did you? (pause) Well I think, well there's something wrong with the system

Yes.

There should be -- there should be a cover for safety regulations and health and safety

(unclear)

Yes, I mean they come here and they say they haven't got the part and then they say it's the weekend they can't -- the places are closed to get the part, they'll be back next week. Well, that shouldn't be allowed, should it?

Well, I s- I think that people on the top floor should claim compensation, and I'm -- I'm against that as a rule 'cause I'm sick of these adverts on television: 'Have you had an accident, have you slipped at work, have you done this', it's -- it's really -- th- that appals me, the -- that aspect of the, er, today living.

It does, yes.

One time you just tripped up and got up. Now you stay on the ground and say, 'Oh my God, it's not my fault'. (laughter) However.

(laughter) Uh-huh, yes (pause) And otherwise (NAME) I'm going to have the usual hilarious day

I know. Yes, yes.

I think I'll come down get a chair I can sit outside if it's -- if it's warm

Yes, well, you can sit outside of this

I know, I know (interruption) I can, I can sit out there as well.

(interruption) You can always have my chair, you know that. Although you won't want to sit out there this afternoon 'cause we'll be in here.

Oh no, I'll just go outside the lounge

Along there, uh-huh.

We've got a nice lounge there you know, with French doors, and we have these seats we can take outside and sit. Yes.

Well, every Monday I have my -- I have my bridging friends come

There's -- yes, the gambling school in here.

And they c- (laughter) oh, we don't gamble, no.

I know you don't.

I would love to play for money, mind, but this chap that taught me to play bridge, he said, 'mind, when y- if you're ever away, on holiday or anything like that, don't play for money'. He said one of -- there's one -- at the time they had a programme on television about bridge, and one of the fellows in there, he said he put his son through public school with the money he won by playing bridge for money.

Cor

But I -- I -- I like to -- I do like to gamble as you know 'cause I like to watch the horse racing and I like to have a bet.

Oh she does, you know, yes

So, er, it always -- I would think it would be quite exciting to play bridge for money and I think it would make you a bit better.

Well you see in the lounge as I told you we have -- play these cards, there's about six of us and there's one lady, ooh, she's dead against gambling so when we play Newmarket she gets the tiddlywinks out (laughter) Makes you have these little counters and we play for them, it's not the same.

It's not.

Because we've all got a purse full of pennies, haven't we

That's right. And when she's not there we play for pennies and which it makes the game just that much (interruption) better.

(interruption) And we dish the pennies out and then suddenly you see (NAME) coming along and 'Oh, put your pennies away' (unclear)

Smarties work well for that.

Sma- (laughter) They wouldn't live long though would they, the Smarties

Oh, that's true, that's true.

Yes, yes, yes. So is there any other sport what you can think of (NAME)?

Any other spo -- oh, well I like football, (interruption) specially if it's England or Newcastle, yes, yes.

(interruption) Specially if Newcastle are doing all right but cor, it makes you wonder, doesn't it

The only thing I -- I can't get enamoured about cricket, it looks b- dead boring to me.

I quite like cricket 'cause my husband was a great cricket fiend, yeah. I couldn't sit and watch it all day mind

No, not like football.

But I do quite like cricket, and golf. I like to watch the golf

I think everybody's more interested in sport than they were.

I see Colin Montgomerie won something for the first time for ages

Did he?

Yeah, 'cause he was always our top player

Mm-mm. Well. Well my son plays golf and he used to be very good. I'm saying used to be, he's still not bad now, I think he's about six now, but he (interruption) used to be -- used to be one.

(interruption) Is his shoulder all right now?

Yes, but he takes care of it. (laughter) He's always getting, 'Ooh, I hope it's not going'.

Mm-mm, mm-mm

Erm, and he lives in the country, as you know, and he was just saying on Saturday, fact he got a bit niggled, because, erm, we were trying to persuade him to go out somewhere and he said, 'Listen', he said, 'Don't forget', he said, 'I live in the country, I live a different life to you', and he said, 'Furthermore to come, it's a long journey, you know, and then you've got to get back at night' and I realised, er, I'll not bring that subject back up again. (laughter) But I couldn't live in the country. He lives in a wonderful place and it's absolutely fantastic and I did stay there one night and I thought, 'It is lovely but I couldn't live here'.

Well that's the same with me with my son in France. He's right in the country and it's all right for a week but after that, oh dear, you get a bit bored.

Yes, I think when you -- when you're a townie you're used to

You miss the people, you miss the conversation.

Well he said it took him two years, 'cause he's a townie, or he was a townie, took him two years to get used. But now, he says he hates to come through the traffic when he comes through. (interruption) Hates Newcastle, or anything like that.

(interruption) Well the traffic's getting worse, isn't it, I mean there's so many people got cars, even in here where there's a job to get parked.

Yes, yes. Eeh, I don't think anybody likes that.

No.

It says on here, 'If you had to move away, w- away, where would you go?'

I would pick a nice little village. I think you have a better social life in a village. Gateshead, you've got no social -- well, you know, not -- nothing like in a village. I used to live at Berwick for a while, you know, when I was doing my training I went in to be -- into the hotel -- hoteliers business to try and learn all the aspects of hotels and I got to know -- had a much more social life than I have here.

Oh, I be- I can imagine that, yes, much more to do. So she knows all about the hotel life, the hotel life, but if we have any do at night, who's the barman? Me!

She's a good barwoman, yeah. Ooh, yes, she is.

I always get that -- mind, I like that job, as well.

Ooh, she does, yes, she does.

Don't mind giving the drinks out.

I just stand with a whip. (laughter)

Eeh, dear, indeed.

People don't realise what a lot of work we put in here, do they?

Well, you do, (NAME). (interruption) I do on the night, but I don't do any in the pra- in the preparation.

(interruption) Well I did

Because we go and buy all the food from Marks and Spencer's, you see, and we've got to calculate if we've got enough 'cause by gum they've got big appetites here, haven't they? (laughter)

Yes.

Because it's all such nice food isn't it from Marks and Sparks, yes

For -- having said that, erm, th- you know, because it -- they're individual flats with your own door, I mean I'm on the ground floor and I'm lucky I can walk out that way, but not get in that way, eh, but every -- you don't have to be living as a community, do you?

Oh no, no

I mean, I really don't, I probably don't mix as much as a- as many do, but a lot of people have the wrong idea, you -- you are entirely self-sufficient, and um

That's right

But if you want company it's always there. And there's always help available.

Oh yes, some people just keep in their own flats but others mix (pause) quite well, mm (pause) Yes.

So I -- I -- I've lived in a -- all sorts of things, I mean I've lived above a shop, er, I was born above a shop, which is still there, and then

(laughter)

Yeah, and if ever I go past I say to people, 'Oh, I was born there, you know', 'cause it's on the main road, and I've lived in a semi-detached, and I've lived in a bungalow, and then I'm back to the, if you want to call it a flat (laughter) again. But still, variety's the spice of life, isn't it?

It is, yes

How did you meet your husband?

Well I met him during the war. (interruption) He was a fighter -- he was a fighter pilot.

(interruption) Mm, was he in the forces?

He was a Spitfire pilot.

But I mean he wouldn't be where you were, was he?

No, he'd just come out of the -- the forces and I had, you see, but er, he was, erm, he was a Spit fire pilot, er, he was the only one in Berwick on Tweed. He came from there but he belonged Middlesbrough. Went to Middlesbrough when he was eleven-year-old. Yes.

So that was after you'd come out the Wrens?

Mm-mm, I'd just come out, yes, yes.

Oh, right, uh-huh. Interesting.

Uh-huh, yeah. And he -- he was working in the Post Office there, he was a teleprinter operator. That's the job he got when he came out of the Air Force.

And then why did you come back to Gateshead then?

Because he -- he got promotion and -- at the General Post Office.

So back home (unclear)

Back home again. And then he left there and went to the Press Association. Finished off in the ple- Press Association.

Mm, well, that's interesting.

Eeh, it's a long time ago you know, we're getting on you know. (laughter) Aren't we (NAME)?

Well, it -- yes. Yes. One must admit it.

Yes (pause) This used to be a children's hospital you know.

My two -- my two children had their tonsils out here.

My son had his tonsils out here.

Sorry, my son had his tonsils out here, (NAME) never. My daughter never had her -- her tonsils out.

Yes, (NAME) had his out here.

Yes, always was the children. And the doctors did it, you didn't have hos- (interruption) you didn't have, um, medical staff in the hospi- well, you didn't have doctors in the hospital, you had nurses, but your own pra- doctor did the operation.

(interruption) That's right.

Oh no it wasn't when d- (NAME) had his done, he -- he had it done by a Mr (NAME).

Oh, right.

Always remember this Mr (NAME) was the specialist here.

Oh right, Doctor (NAME), oh right. P'raps it -- p'raps it wasn't common practice. I remember when I was a girl, the, eh, the school board man used to come round and I -- they said (interruption) I had to have

(interruption) 'Why is (NAME) not in school?'

(laughter) No, no. Because (NAME) was supposed to have her tonsils out, there we are, using names again.

Mm. Never mind.

And my mother refused, flatly refused to have my -- she wouldn't -- and he came several times, I can remember that. No, she wouldn't have my tonsils out, and I can't say I've ever had any trouble.

Oh, I used to have terrible trouble with mine. (interruption) I had my tonsils and adenoids out. (interruption) (unclear) phlegm (unclear)

(interruption) I think it's a f- yeah. (interruption) I think it's more of a fad mind then, you hardly ever hear of people having them out now.

You don't now 'cause you see there's antibiotics now. There wasn't when we were young.

No, it's strange the, things go round, n

Oh well it's such -- such an advancement, isn't there.

That's one of the benefits -- I would say there's many not benefits about the present day life but that is one of the benefits. Great progress in medicine.

Yes.

Even when I worked at the RVI, er, it was an insight working in the RVI, because, er, you had contact with the doctors and things, you- know, and you realised when -- when they're not at work, (laughter) how different they are, 'cause I used to go and take minutes at the meetings, sometimes, and they back chat a bit but it was nice, I liked working there. I -- I could have gone and seen an operation but I chickened out of that, I couldn't face that.

Well it's not so bad (NAME), if it's other people's blood. (laughter) When I worked at the medical centre I used to often help the doctor with something. And y- you didn't -- didn't bother you. If it was your blood it was different. (laughter)

Well, that's -- that's strange because em, erm, my son faints if he sees his own blood. (laughter) He can't bear to see his own blood (laughter) but only happened once, I think, mind, but, erm, yes.

It's a good job he wasn't with me when I fell in Newcastle.

Ooh, yes.

I fell in Northumberland Street.

Oh, he wouldn't care about your blood, (interruption) you see, he's selfish.

(interruption) And there was blood all over! You see, if it's other people's blood it doesn't bother you.

Yes, no, ooh no, that's right. (interruption) But (NAME) but you have a -- you

(interruption) yes, we have seen life, haven't we?

You have had several falls really.

(interruption) Don't tell anybody.

(interruption) Whether I'm fortunate or careful, because I d-

Well you walk different to me, I waddle like a duck because I've got these terrible knees, you know. And I find I'm not lifting my feet up so if there's a matchstick, whoops, there I go.

But she's tough. Resilient.

(laughter) resilient.

And refuses -- you refuse to let anybody help you.

I'm very -- oh no, I don't want any help for -- they're always trying to help me in here and I'll say 'I -- I'll do it myself. As long as I can do it I'll do it somehow'. Which I do, yes. (interruption) I must admit

(interruption) It's a good attitude as long as you realise if the time ever comes you've -- will take it.

Oh I will, oh, yes, yes, yes

Well, it looks as if we're going to have a nice day today.

Well the weather forecast said so. It's about time, isn't it.

This -- well, this year, I -- when I -- the year I came in here, don't know if you remember, I didn't come in till the, er, the first of August, I think, and I sat out there, it was lovely weather, every day I could sit out there, and this year it's been appalling.

Well I came in here nine years ago in May. Oh, the heat, 'cause at the front you get all the sun. And I hadn't any blinds up or anything, and the heat was an -- terrible in that flat. You see all these flats they get the heat at the front and it's cold at the back. That's the advantage really of being at the front.

Oh, yes, I w- I'm glad I'm here.

Oh yes.

I got the very last one of course, as you know, 'cause it was the office, so it was ca- I had to take it quickly. But never mind, I haven't regretted it.

Well, it's nice because you -- you go out onto the garden.

I know. I don't know if you noticed my dog in the -- as you came in, you probably didn't. See it on the way out.

Oh, it's a vicious, vicious beast, it is. (laughter)

Because I have a -- had a dog for forty years, eh, I mean, I've had three dogs, but you know, f- and it was terrible, so, er, when I c- I mean the dog -- I didn't have a dog when I came in here because the dog had died, sixteen, that one, but, erm, I saw this dog, life-size Labrador in Collectables and I thought, 'Eeh' it was in the window 'bout two years ago or more and I thought, 'This lovely dog', you know, when -- and I v- I didn't go in then, and then I mentioned it and then I had the horrible feeling, I thought, 'Eeh, I hope my family aren't going to buy me that dog for Christmas', you know, it was -- 'cause it was four hundred pound. Anyway, I went in once and asked, that's how I knew the price, but every time I was in the Metro-Centre I went in to look at this dog and then one day I went in and here's the dog with a thing round: 'Manager's Special', a hundred and thirty nine pound. So I bought it. (laughter) And it's great, I mean, nobody else has a dog in their lobby, (interruption) do they?

(interruption) No. Oh no, not one like yours, (NAME).

No, they have flowers and nice furniture or things like that.

Yes, but no dogs. So it's just as well, isn't it?

It is. (laughter) And no trouble.

No

No (pause) So, erm, I don't know, er (pause) what's going to happen tomorrow about the, er, is everything normal in the morning?

How do you mean, 'is everything normal?'

Well, I mean to say we haven't got a house manager at the moment but the coffee morning and everything'll (interruption) go on as usual.

(interruption) Oh yes, the coffee morning'll be there. If anybody -- I hope they get that lift put right.

Eeh, my word, yes, or it'll be a

I thought the man would have been at the door at eight o'clock, ready to get cracking.

Well, I think, er, I think a letter's gone off or something. I've already forgotten, but something's been done. Not that it'll be any immediate effect.

No, no.

Well, I think we should, eh, either have a rest or talk about something else.

Oh, well, you're good at that aren't you. (interruption) She'll find something. Won't you?

(interruption) I don't know. The sort of jobs

Yes

So what are you doing tomorrow (NAME)? Did you say you're having the cleaner coming?

Yes, what do you think about that, I am -- I only have her very occasionally but she's coming in the morning.

What time?

Ten past nine.

Uh-huh, till -- for about an hour?

Probably, uh-huh, yes.

Do you know if (NAME) is having her then?

I think it's Wednesday she's having her.

Oh good, because (NAME) usually takes me to Sainsbury's on a Tuesday.

Oh, right, yes.

I try to get everything in, you see. I always forget something. (laughter) Go and get all the bargains. Ha ha.

Yes. Well, you don't really need a cleaner in the -- I these p- but I -- 'cause I'm not -- I'm so careful not to upset my back, I look after it very well.

And of course you know, (NAME) can't see very well. She has hardly any (interruption) sight in one eye, and none in the other

(interruption) I ha-

And she misses things, you see. Little marks that I can see. I sometimes say to her, '(NAME), you've got a mark on your blouse' (laughter)

She keeps me right, don't you?

'(NAME), you've got a cobweb up there (laughter)

Eeh, yes.

So I let you have a cleaner, just now and again.

Well, you see, it -- it is -- it is a ter- that's the worst thing, I think, having poor sight, er, but it's -- the amazing thing is, amazing to me, you've just said I have a car, and when I go to the optician's, he says, 'You -- as far as I'm concerned you can still drive 'cause that eye is good enough'. He said you're supposed to see, oh, a number plate, five cars to see a number plate. Well I know darn fine I can't see one, but he says that as far as he's concerned I'm fit to drive, and I feel I am, (interruption) 'cause I'm exceptionally careful.

(interruption) Oh you are, 'cause she's been driving since she was seventeen you know.

Yes and mind, that's another thing, there weren't many women driving when I was seventeen, it was a rarity.

No. 'Cause that's in the olden days you know.

Yes. I'm not going to tell you when it was, but it was a rarity. In fact, it was during the war, and um, because they didn't have driving tests or anything like that, they didn't have the manpower to do it, at the end of the war if you'd driven, if you'd had a provisional licence for so long, you automatically

passed.

passed. So I have never passed a driving test. (laughter)

Ooh, I have. Took me, I was sixty by the time I fi- I got my driving test, you know.

Yes.

My husband was -- had a very bad back problem and of course I used to drive him here and there and everywhere, not very far, but took me I think it was three times before I passed my test, and I was sixty. I had a car when I came in but I didn't keep it very long, you know, so

Well, you see, it's strange because most people today would be appalled to think you haven't passed a driving test, and not only that, I taught my son to drive. Er, but at the last minute he did go to, um,

driving school

to a driving school and then the best thing was, he came back and said, 'well here, you're showing me things all wrong', so he -- I got a wealth of knowledge from him. So, and my daughter, I don't think I taught her to drive, she, er, she went, t- I did take her out.

What's happened about her car?

Oh she got in. (interruption) It -- it worked when she got home.

(interruption) Oh sh- she

She had one of these, what do you call it,

S- they've just got a new car and they came here yesterday and when she went out with -- with the automatic thing it didn't work.

That's right

She came in, 'Can't get in the car, can't get in the car', and you said, (interruption) 'try the key'!

(interruption) I said to her, 'have you ever tried getting in manually?' She's, 'Oh, you can't get in without this', I says, 'try the key'. She came back she's, 'yes, I've got in the car' (laughter)

Yes. But unfortunately, that set the alarm off

Ooh yes, the alarm was going off

And she didn't know how to stop the alarm. But when she rang up when she got home and she said she put the car away and she thought, it still wasn't working as far as she was concerned, but before she came she thought, 'I'll give one last try', and it worked.

What was -- what do you think was wrong?

She said, 'Do you think it was the wet?' well, I don't think so, pa- I don't know.

I thought -- she thought there might be a battery in that little thing and I said I think there might be a microchip in there

They do have batteries.

They do have batteries. But it was so small. But, er, you couldn't tell how to get into it.

Well anyway it -- it worked by the time she got home. But, er, yes, that was quite a panic st-

It was hilarious, wasn't it?

It was, specially when she was -- and (NAME) had walked up the, em, drive while she was doing it and -- and he said, 'What are you doing?' and sh- she said, 'Eeh, I'm -- I'm -- the key, I'm getting in with the key!' and he said, 'Well, that's what keys are for' 'cause he didn't know the story! (laughter) Oh, yes. Eeh, dear. It's very efficient, my daughter, she's erm, er, well she's a nursery school head and, er, not now, she's reti- she's taken early retirement and she's just doing two days a week but she's like all these super-efficient people when she makes bloomers, they're big ones. (laughter) That's my opinion anyway, I wouldn't dare tell her that.

Ooh, I'll tell her, mm, yeah, yeah.

Well my son s- what does my son say ab- I thought this was hil- I thought this was funny. Erm, you know, sh- sh- if you go to town with her she takes ages to choose anything. Anything she's doing it's sh- eh, ages.

Ooh, I couldn't stand that, yes.

So I was saying something t- to him about that and he said, 'Well', he said, 'Once I was indecisive but now I don't know' (laughter) and I thought that was funny. So I always think of (NAME) as that. (laughter) Different (NAME).

Yes. Very common name.

You see that (NAME) that name for her age is out of, you know, keeping, isn't it?

It is, yeah.

But because I had a very unfortunate thing, before (NAME) was born I lost a little girl, and um, when she was born I thought 'I'm not going to be bothered about trifling things like names and everything like that, they were unimportant, you know, the things that seemed so important were not important, and my father used to always sing, 'I'll take you home again, (NAME)' (laughter) and so we just said, 'Right, call her (NAME)'. (laughter) And that was how.

Yes, well, I had no bother with (NAME), I always liked (NAME). No bother at all.

Strange, you see, I d- I always was going to call (NAME) (NAME), my son's called (NAME), so w- we called him (NAME) (NAME). But when, er, when he was born, I said, 'He doesn't look like a (NAME)'.

Well, what does a (NAME) look like?

I've no idea but I just didn't feel he looked like a (NAME). (laughter) So we called him (NAME). (laughter) I'm pleased too, 'cause I like (NAME). (interruption) I think he likes (NAME) too.

(interruption) never heard that one before.

Strange about names, isn't it? Well I've only got one so there's no problem.

So've I, yes (pause) Lots of people have two.

They do, mm-mm (pause) Do you think people around here are religious?

Well, we have got quite a f- lot of religious people in here, (NAME).

Yeah, we have.

We have quite a lot of Methodists, and Catholics. And the house manager was a scie- was a -- what -- was a spiritualist, did you -- did you know?

Was she? No.

Uh-huh

I never think -- it says, 'do you consider yourself religious?' on this little thing, well, (interruption) I don't.

(interruption) No, I don't, no. My -- I'm -- my parents were Presbyterians and I was brought up as a Presbyterian, which is quite a strict, er, you know

Even stricter than the Methodists.

It was, yes, it was. I was a Sunday school teacher. I think the kids taught me more than I taught them! (laughter)

Well, I was a Methodist, which we always have a great laugh about now because the Methodists, you didn't drink, you didn't gamble

Ooh, now she's doing everything (laughter)

I don't smoke.

No, I don't, no. I tried it, mind.

(interruption) Oh, yes, well, everybody did.

(interruption) It was in the Wrens they were very cheap and I did try them, but ugh no, it wasn't for me.

I think -- I think eh, you b- er

I always remember my son when he was eleven, we'd just got a television and I was busy cooking and he came in the kitchen, oh! His face was white as a sheet, 'Mam, I'll never smoke'. I says, 'What's the matter, (NAME)?'. He w- was watching BBC Two and they were showing you a film about how your lungs disintegrate. He's, 'Your lungs disintegrate if you smoke!' (laughter) So he's never smoked, you know.

Well, that's good! Makes you wonder if they didn't

That's what they should show the children now.

I was just going to say, that's just like

Because the -- it's amazing, the young girls that smoke.

Yes. And if -- if -- and I think that's much more effective and people say, 'oh, but it's horrible': doesn't matter. It has a bigger impact, doesn't it? Yes. In fact, show them an operation of somebody who's got lung cancer or something like that (pause) You see, we believe in the hard, er lessons, don't we?

Yes, you learn as you get older.

Not all this namby-pamby business. I'm fed up to the teeth with the do-gooders. I think if they've put their -- put all their effort into other (pause) other things, perhaps it would be better.

Yes.

I know that many people will disagree with me but that's what it's all about. I think we just throw things in to disagree.

Yes. Oh, you've got to have an argument.

Yes, (interruption) well, or a discussion, let's call it a discussion.

(interruption) Yes, well, keeps the place alive, doesn't it?

Yes, devil's advocate.

Uh-huh, yes. Nice when you win as well, isn't it? (laughter)

That's true. Well, that's, yes. Well, yes, because I was just saying that you should never lose your temper, because once you've lost your temper you've lost the argument.

Do you think so? (interruption) Mm

(interruption) Oh yes. Oh yes. You can do much more with words.

Right, well, you've got quite a lot of words, you know. That (interruption) depends upon how many you have

(interruption) Well, I have a friend who always says that, 'You're good with words'. And it's true an- an- the little upsets we have had, she loses her temper

Oh, does she? Mm

And I (pause) well I don't know who -- nobody wins in the long run but, erm,

No

And the way -- the way -- this was er, a discussion in the family, and I said, 'Do you know, there's', to my son and daughter, 'there's one way not to lose your temper, do you know what -- what makes you not lose your temper?' 'No.' I said, 'Live with somebody who loses their temper. (interruption) And that's a fact!

(interruption) (laughter) Don't tell me (NAME) did!

He did!

Did he really?

He had the same temper (interruption) as (NAME), it's a family trait.

(interruption) Oh, I thought he was a quiet, inoffensive man.

Oh he is, he was a nice man, a completely nice man, but the whole family had a very hasty temper.

Oh, had they?

Well I remember once he -- his sister throwing a plate at him. (interruption) (laughter) And that was the first time I'd been to their house! I was taken aback!

(interruption) (laughter) I hope he missed! (laughter)

Oh yes, well I don't know, didn't hurt him anyway. Yes they did, very sho- very short temper, and (NAME) has the same, but they mellow with age, and you see you knew him as he was older.

Oh, yes, I did. Yes, he was a very nice person.

And after all, he didn't, er, he had f- he did -- I had faults that he didn't have.

Ooh, she's admitting it now, you know.

I can't think offhand what they are mind, (laughter) but there might have been something.

Uh-huh, it's nice when you think you're perfect.

No, it's just as bad 'cause I use sarcasm. (interruption) I would use -- I would use sarcasm in an -- in an encounter like that.

(interruption) Oh, do you?

Mm-mm. Ooh, she can be funny, her, you know, when you -- she can be funny at times.

But on the whole

Very sardonic, I would say.

Oh, that's a good word!

That's the word, sardonic.

That's a good word, yes.

Yes.

Well, it says in here, 'How do you think Gateshead has changed?' Well, I'm not in a position to say much but

Well, I think if -- if our parents came back and saw it they'd be amazed, wouldn't they?

They would.

Specially down by the Quayside there, but High Street, oh gosh, that -- will that ever change in our lifetime? They keep saying it's going to be pulled down and it's going to be renovated.

It is appalling.

mind, Jackson Street's going to be changed, you know the Co-op's closed and this er, fellow from London who belongs here is going to do all sorts with it.

Oh good, good.

Oh yes. And then the college, Gateshead's College (interruption) is going down to the Quayside.

(interruption) Ooh, it's moving! Well, I'm sorry about that.

I think it's awful, that big building there. Where's all the money coming from, (NAME)?

And I think they're going to build flats there, you know.

Yes, I heard there's going to be luxury flats there.

uh-huh. So many flats.

They're building that many flats now, but I think they're finding that sometimes flats aren't working (pause) It's the young people I'm sorry for.

That's right.

They can't get their feet into a (interruption) house

(interruption) can't get a first time (interruption) buyers, yes.

(interruption) First time house, no. No, I think it's awful.

Eeh, it's a changing world. Well, Low Fell was a village. You know I w- we used to walk down from L- we used to walk from Low Fell as children. You could walk right down to the railway line, and it was only, um, orchards, fields. No houses at all. You know, amazing.

Look at that big school down there, the Swan -- what do they call it?

Er (pause) Joseph Swan

Joseph Swan School. It's massive, isn't it? Have you noticed it, or you probably didn't look at it, did you?

Well (NAME) -- my daughter lives opposite (interruption) so in fact if you -- s- go on in her lounge which has all windows on one side (interruption) you can look straight onto it.

(interruption) She lives opposite, mm.

(interruption) You'd be looking onto it, yes, yes.

Across the road.

And they pull these schools down such -- I think when they pulled the grammar school down was terrible.

Oh, yes.

Because it was such a lovely building.

I went there, you know.

I know you did. Well, it was such a lovely building (interruption) and they put all this temporary stuff up who didn't last long.

(interruption) It was.

It was, it was a beautiful, beautiful building. I mean, I didn't think so at the time, I might tell you, but, er

mind, the buildings now are a bit better than they were, because some of the buildings they put up, say, nineteen fifty onwards were terrible, weren't they?

Yes (pause) I remember standing in that grammar school, I had been put out the room by the way, I was standing outside in the corridor and (laughter) a friend of ours was getting married at that church opposite and I saw them coming out so that was quite nice.

She stood and watched the wedding. Hee! (laughter)

That's a little thing that sticks to you -- And you know who it was? You know (NAME) (NAME) who arrived from Australia last week?

Oh, yes, yes

It was his father getting married.

Oh, good life! Uh-huh. That's a bit ago, isn't it?

Eeh, it is indeed. I this -- this -- they all went to Australia eventually, that family, we were very friendly with them and my father was friendly with the one that got married and er, out of the blue last week this erm, the son, who's the same age as my son turned up. I was away at the time but, er, he was persistent, he came back. Caught me on the Saturday.

It's funny how they all go abroad and yet they like to come back again, don't they?

That's right. He says he doesn't think he'll come back again.

No.

But having said that, he said that the last time he came. But, er, p'raps he means it this time (pause) Eeh, well. So, how we doing?

right, well, unless you want to talk about any of the other things, that's, that's -- we've got about forty-five minutes there, so do you want to leave it at that?

Fine.

Yeah. I think so.

I think we've run out.

I think we've run dry (laughter)

Does anybody want