We were sitting (pause) having (pause) a drink (pause) not like you, you know (pause) (interruption) no-one drinks like that

(interruption) No I don't drink I don't drink.

And er (pause) sherry or something like that. At the end of the day we were at the bar. And (pause) of course I must have been there was a couple of German fellows sitting at the next table

Yeah.

Well I didn't know if they were German or not but I knew there were two fellows sitting there. And of course I'm just talking away. And I heard course (pause) I didn't let on to (NAME) 'cause (pause) that would have been enough.

Worky ticket.

erm, but I heard one of them saying (pause) English (pause) English

Yeah

(pause) And I just leaned forward

(laughter)

(pause) and (NAME) says 'what you doing?' I says (pause) 'I'm just having a look at who's sitting next door'

(laughter)

At the next table. I says 'couple of fellows sitting there'

(laughter)

He says, 'well what you looking at them for?' I says 'I'm just having a look'. I says 'I'm just wondering what -- who they are and what their' you know.

Yeah. (laughter)

But they knew that I knew

So they shut up! (laughter)

And -- and they just dropped their eyes and within minutes

mm

they moved

(laughter)

I just gave them that look (pause) Germans a       ; I mean they had me running round here in the bloody war (unclear)

(laughter) (cough)

(unclear) I had to put up in the

You had a nice holiday though (pause) Portugal was the first time you been on a plane wasn't it?

Oh yes that was with Auntie (NAME).

And they got you in the sea just about.

(sigh) Oh God (pause) I says God I hope nowt happens to me 'cause I can't swim (pause) They says 'can you not swim?' I says 'why no'? 'Did you not learn at school?' I says 'listen took us all my time to get to school never mind the days that you would go for swimming lessons you had to walk miles to go to Shippley Street baths.

Oh God that's miles away.

Oh God (pause) so you know by right you should always feel very very sorry for me.

Oh I do I do.

Yes (pause) No I've had it I've enjoyed my life and I love dancing.

You do.

And it's a shame I can't do it now.

Oh you can.

Was that a big hobby of yours? (interruption) Dancing?

(interruption) Oh yes (pause) Our (NAME)'s going to a ball tonight.

Yeah.

That's (NAME)' (pause) (interruption) younger brother.

(interruption) Brother.

Yes

He says, 'grandma I'm going to a ball' (pause) and he was on the phone this morning to us (pause) he says 'I've -- you've' been working a fourteen hour shift at the hospital he's (pause) training to be a nurse

Yeah.

St- s- starting his third year now

Yeah.

And he says um (pause) 'I've order my tuxedo (pause) and I'm going to pick it up today' (pause) and er he says 'Uncle (NAME) said he would drive us there' so I reminded (NAME) the night before huh I forgot I better ring him so (pause) But er (pause) he says 'eee' he says and I just was although this was a couple of weeks ago when he first found out he was invited to a ball

Yeah.

Th- That he told me and he said 'eee' he says 'grandma when I think I used to come to the -- the -- the k- erm (unclear) (pause) Where did granddad used to go?

The army dinners.

The army dinners down in the town.

Next to (interruption) St James' Park.

(interruption) East Park.

Well they had their (pause) yearly dinner on.

mm

And of course we were naturally invited you know (NAME) and me and I used to make Christmas cakes and take them down as -- as -- to put in the raffles and what not (pause) and er (pause) what was I going to say about?

About (NAME) (interruption) dancing with you.

(interruption) Oh yes and he said (NAME) came one night with (NAME) to pick us up (pause) and it was finished and I was still dancing (pause) and I was doing the jive and doing the foxtrot, quickstep (pause) our (NAME)'s (pause) he's looking at (NAME) (pause) and (NAME)'s l- going 'yes I know'.

(laughter)

But our (NAME) (pause) 'cause I was up with different (pause) (NAME) didn't dance.

mm

So I had to get up with anybody else that came and got us and

He wasn't that happy about that was he?

(interruption) No.

(interruption) (laughter)

But there was nowt he could do about it (pause) couldn't get up dance he's -- well he did I used to let him get up for the last once

(laughter)

(laughter)

(interruption) If you could call it a once

(interruption) (laughter)

He jus- just (unclear) just throw us around and

I think I got those genes.

(laughter)

And er but erm (pause) oh our (NAME) says 'ey grandma when I used to watch you dancing' he says 'with them different men and you just' and one would say 'excuse me my turn'

(laughter)

And er he says 'ey I -- I -- I've just been telling a lady that we thought we were going lose' (interruption) In hospital

(interruption) mm

He says 'she t- took a bad turn' and then he says all of a sudden he says 'she took a turn for the better' (pause) and he says 'I was telling sitting talking to her' and sa- says to her 'you'll never guess you know but I've been invited to a ball (pause) I've never been to one before'. He says 'I wish you could get up you know an- and show me how to dance.' (pause) but this was all for her sake (pause) I mean he wasn't expecting her to

(interruption) (laughter)

(interruption) (laughter)

(interruption) But this is how -- this is how he talks

Yeah.

he's been given

(cough)

He's been given marvellous results

mm

for I mean (pause) patients parents took (pause) bottles in for him chocolates and er

Yeah.

been marvellous for looking after my mother you know and I says well when he first started they said to him 'have you had any experience?' He says 'no' I says 'you should have said yes' (pause) I says 'both you and (NAME) had experience'

mm

I said 'you had three year of it with your mother'.

Yeah.

'yous looked after her (pause) you seen to her medicines'.

mm

'you seen to her food, took her to the toilet'.

Yeah.

Seen to her and everything. I says 'and played her music didn't you?' (pause) And I says 'so what more experience do you want than that when you done it' (interruption) done that you know

(interruption) lucky we didn't sing to her

and of course (pause) with him (pause) being probably (pause) used to (pause) that little bit

Mm

of experience

Yeah.

That m- more or less had shown when he was in the hospital they were surprised at how he could talk to people in

Yeah.

You know and that and er (pause) I says 'well you both done exactly the same'

mm

I mean he done it just the same.

Yeah.

And er (pause) so th- th- that's helped him a lot and he's er (pause) he's put in for when he finishes he had to write down two places of where would like to start nursing and he's put down at intensive care

Yeah (pause) would that be in Newcastle?

Oh yes yes uh-huh sa- and er he's off today and he's going to his ball tonight

Yeah.

Think

Gaw, he'll be coming home late grandma you better get him told off.

(tut) (pause) (NAME) never bothers me when he comes home late (interruption) I don't see him so he doesn't bother me.

(interruption) (cough)

So do you play a musical instrument (NAME)?

I don't, I DJ. But I don't play any instruments.

DJ (pause) what sort of music?

A bit of funk, hip-hop, soul, drum and bass, dub-step bit of everything. Black music mainly.

Have you DJed for (NAME) before?

I haven't she's not so keen although I think she's heard us through the walls haven't you?

I've heard you through the walls you bug-

Your type of music or not really?

I used to play the piano but

W- We went to a concert together didn't we? We went to see the Frank Sinatra (pause) sing-along thing recently.

Yes but (NAME) took us to see La Boheme

All right all right (pause) (interruption) I d- didn't win that battle

'Cause I (interruption) 'cause I used to like to go to the opera

You like the opera's don't you? (pause) So (NAME) took you to see La Boheme a- at the Theatre Royal (pause) I missed out on that one.

Thoroughly enjoyed it (pause) c- couldn't get over it when he seen the big orchestra

Mm-hm

Hey 'does -- doesn't she sing marvellous?' I says 'yes'. And of course I watch in m- my (pause) television book whenever there's any (pause) on

mm

And er (pause) of course I'm -- I'm here on my own I don't just please myself and listen to it

Yeah.

And I have erm (pause) the

The fivers (pause) the three tenors.

The three tenors yes I love t- Pavarotti

Or you like erm (pause) what's his face? The blind one (pause) (interruption) that (NAME) and (NAME) went to see the other day.

(interruption) Oh yes

Well he's brought us a

Bocelli. Andrea Bocelli. That's it.

But he doesn't -- he hasn't been able to put it on for us

Why not?

Well (pause) I asked him (interruption) to put it on

(interruption) Just need to plug it in.

Ey?

I just need to plug it in. I'll plug it in for you.

Well put it on. (interruption) Go on.

I will. (interruption) Not now. Not during the interview.

What interview?

(laughter)

(laughter)

They might like to hear it.

(laughter)

Can I get you something to eat now? (pause) What time what is it?

We can w- we can wait we'll just wait a bit longer till he's done with his questions and then we'll

(interruption) Oh I didn't know you were

(interruption) It'll just be another (pause) ten minutes or so.

(interruption) He's got a bit more.

Sorry love.

(interruption) We d- we won't do all of them.

(interruption) Sorry.

I'm very sorry.

(interruption) No no no worries.

(interruption) Don't be sorry.

But do you need anything?

Do you want anything?

Do you want tea?

(interruption) I can fix it for you.

(interruption) No no

How do you think the city's changed over the last fifty or so years?

(sigh)

Massively?

I don't know. Listen I could -- when I was a child I could go anywhere in Newcastle

Yeah.

For my mother (pause) if she sent us to (pause) Shields Road or go down to Byker or go into the town and know exactly where I was going

Mm hm

Probably be lost now

Yeah.

'Cause well apart from the fact that I don't go out on my own now

mm

Erm (pause) the er (pause) the other thing is it -- it's been so much of a changed all together you know there's been so much pulled down

Mm hm

Re built

Yeah.

(interruption) Flats and what not

(interruption) Some of it for the better.

Some of it for the better yes.

Swan House. Um what's it called? The bit next to the train station was the most ugly building in the world wasn't it?

The which?

Remember there was that horrible building outside the Central Station. Big (interruption) horrible building.

(interruption) Ah yeah uh-huh yes

They finally knocked that down didn't they

Oh yes it's all -- it's all changed completely now

Yeah.

Even since I was a bairn it's changed hasn't it?

Oh yes yes

Much more multi-cultural (interruption) now was well

(interruption) in fact when sometimes when (NAME) and (NAME) take me out for a run and we go different places and we'd say 'ey I didn't know this was here now'. (interruption) You know

(interruption) mm

And you just -- it's not just in Newcastle as well it's -- it's around and (interruption) you know

(interruption) Around yeah.

Finding erm lots of different places have all changed.

Yeah (pause) What do you think of the Quayside development either of you?

Like down by the Baltic and that.

Oh well I think that's very (interruption) good erm yes uh-huh

(interruption) It's lovely isn't it. Yeah, I like it yeah.

Yeah.

I mean (pause) there again you'd be sick of hearing me saying this but as I say it's just naturally I can only say years ago

Yeah.

I used to go (pause) on a Sunday morning (pause) along the Quayside

mm

'Cause I had all the

All the market used to be there didn't it?

Market was there and (interruption) people doing their little tricks

(interruption) but they stopped using that (pause) ages ago didn't they?

And you know (interruption) people having a dance

(interruption) used to stink along the Quayside though didn't it?

But erm (pause) but the fish place was there as well

(interruption) Ay (pause) well (pause) yeah (pause) no.

(interruption) (unclear)

I liked -- I liked the -- the Baltic and that. I -- I don't like the new (pause) apartments the new fancy apartments that just look the same as each other and (pause) It's definitely changing the kind of people that are around that end of the city. Yeah.

I find well not that I've been in a lot but I finding also looking at them that they seem to be making smaller (pause) rooms in places

Yeah.

you know for people instead of (interruption) just of course erm

(interruption) Charging a fortune.

Yeah.

w- we're used to seeing big houses you know

Yeah.

and that in the town and (pause) great big places but eh you know it's -- it's all it's flats and

You like the bridge though don't you? New bridge

Oh yes (interruption) that's lovely

(interruption) It's nice isn't it?

And it's lovely when it's the night time when it's all lit up.

Yeah.

Flashes the different colours.

Yes definitely.

mm

But erm (pause) no I wouldn't -- I wouldn't go to

I -- It's not sad that they got rid of that big boat that was a nightclub (pause) Tuxedo Royale.

(sigh)

(laughter) (pause) Used to be (interruption) parked underneath the Tyne bridge. Yeah.

(interruption) Is that what it was called?

Nightclub with a revolving dance floor.

Was that a big hot-spot?

Yeah it was something like eighty per cent of the city's (laughter) crime at the weekend c- was within (interruption) a hundred meters of that place. (laughter)

(laughter) (interruption) seriously?

Well I didn't go there.

Well I know you didn't go there. You just (interruption) go to the Bigg Market

(interruption) I -- I -- No (pause) I went -- the only ship I went down on (pause) i- in the last f- few years was down when they had all the tall ships.

Aye that was at the Quayside. Yeah.

All the tall ships were here and I was invited down to one.

'Cause Uncle (NAME) was looking after the Bulgarian crew wasn't he?

Uh-huh (pause) And when I was on board, (NAME) (NAME) who you seen talking to (NAME) outside

(cough)

today she th- (interruption) she was

(interruption) She was a counsellor. Yeah

(interruption) She was the last, she was a Lady Mayoress, yeah

Right.

A few -- couple of year ago (pause) and she just lives round the corner from me but she used to teach when (NAME) and (NAME) taught and erm (pause) I went on th- this tall ship and I'm s- sitting there

'Cause we were invited on for the closing party.

And erm one of the captains.

The Bulgarian captain.

(pause) Had to come down on my ship (pause) Come down have a drink and says right okay fine fine after me

(interruption) (laughter)

And (NAME) went and that and we had a great time down

Aye we was giving us his eh

He left

His eh (pause) His plum brandy.

He left his (pause) he give me (pause) his address and everything to send to

He tried to get me to go off on the boat with him. He just said 'aye come round -- come round eh the world with us on the boat'. I was like uhh sounds better than uni.

(laughter)

And er (pause) erm Bobby Robson was on there as well wasn't he?

Well (pause) (interruption) when I was on-

(interruption) That was funny. (laughter)

(pause) Erm Mrs (NAME).

(NAME).

(NAME) she was on and she says 'hello (NAME)' and I says 'oh hello (NAME)' she says 'have you seen Bobby Robson?' I says 'oh aye I can see he's down there' of course I don't know if you know who he is?

Yeah.

The old (interruption) Newcastle manager.

(interruption) Right

Yeah. (interruption) (cough)

So I said (interruption) 'oh yes I can see him' (pause) s- she says 'get yourself away down and chat him up' (pause) And I heard somebody say 'eee fancy asking her that as if she would dare'. And I says 'as if I would dare?'

(laughter) (cough)

'Oh I'm on my way' and I just went down.

(laughter)

Was he a nice guy?

He was a bit confused 'cause he was standing (interruption) with his wife at the time.

(interruption) (cough) (pause) More than his wife he was standing in a just in a -- a group.

mm

And I just walked up to him (pause) I says 'hello Bobby'.

(interruption) (laughter)

(laughter)

(cough)

'I don't know you' I says (pause) 'ah come off it'. I says 'don't say you don't know us'

(laughter)

''cause obviously you don't, I know that'. 'But' I says 'you know that I'm a Geordie and I'm here and you know that (interruption) I support Newcastle United so that's the l- least, so that's all you need to know'.

(interruption) (cough)

Yeah.

And then you told him you'd come to chat him up didn't you?

I says 'so come on' and he says 'pleased to meet you' I says 'that's all right I just wanted to let you know that I was here and if you get in any bother any time you know you ca- can give us a call (interruption) (unclear)

(interruption) (cough)

(laughter)

But er (pause) the others were all just watching us to see if I would have dared go.

Well I got to meet him out of it so I was happy.

And I thought anybody daring me to go.

It was public mourning when he died wasn't it, round here.

(sigh)

I was crying my little eyes out.

(sigh) (pause) Shame well he was such a good footballer in his own right as well and years ago but eh (pause) your granddad eh (pause) well my father was alive and that's going back a long time.

mm

I mean he'd be over a hundred and (pause) if I'm eighty-five he must have been a hundred and ten (interruption) or something like that.

(interruption) a hundred and ten yeah.

mm

But anyway he used to put you know how they put the score sheets come on well comes on the television.

Yeah.

But at the stadium.

But at the stadium (pause) them years back

Yeah.

he used to put it up on the b-

Best job going.

In the ground.

Yeah.

In the ground and he used to do that put the -- the scoring.

So you're a Newcastle fan I take it?

Oh yes our listen our (NAME) (unclear) (pause) her and (NAME), I mean they had s- season tickets right up to they were (pause) erm (pause) put down lost their (interruption) premiership.

(interruption) they got relegated yeah.

They got relegated and she says 'oh' she says 'I'm not -- I'm not -- re- I'm not repeated my erm (pause) membership for another year'.

Think it was even before that.

And er

The Souness era, the dark days.

but eh for years oh always supported them.

(interruption) You used to go with granddad sometimes didn't you?

(interruption) (cough)

Oh yes.

And he went off to the cup finals.

He -- he went (pause) you know the year that Newcastle won the

FA Cup

(interruption) The FA Cup.

(interruption) In fifty-five

Was that their last trophy?

No that was the Fairs Cup in nineteen sixty-seven or eight or nine.

Oh right. (interruption) (cough)

(interruption) Ah but there was one (unclear)

The equivalent of the UEFA Cup we won.

Yes and erm

That was the last English trophy was the FA Cup.

Is eh is your friend all right?

He's fine aye.

(pause) 'Cause I -- I'll put him right if he's not.

Aye he's fine (pause) so yeah big Newcastle fan. You watch it on the telly.

(cough)

ah well in them days you know (pause) there was football every Saturday afternoon.

Yeah.

None of these daft times.

(cough)

and eh (pause) course we didn't have the televisions and

Aye I -- I remember watching it with granddad when I was little, we used to watch it and

Yes used to go and (pause) go down a lot. They got me to stand in the queue at the Central Station (pause) for bloody hours

(cough)

to get two tickets for that (pause) (interruption) World Cup

(interruption) To get to London (pause) oh what for sixty-six? The year England won.

uh-huh.

They didn't get them though did they?

I did.

Did you?

I got two tickets and it was for him and he took our (NAME).

(laughter)

That's one of (interruption) my sisters.

(interruption) Sisters.

Yeah.

me knew I wasn't (unclear) I stood for them.

and er

Wasn't at the final though was he?

yes he was (unclear) I ha- had to stand for the tickets for hours (interruption) (unclear)

(interruption) Was he?

Was there any matches up in Newcastle during the sixty-six World Cup?

Oh there would have been matches all (interruption) the time up here yes.

(interruption) Yeah.

Yeah (pause) it's b- big part to play doesn't it?

Yes

Everybody knows Jackie Milburn and everyone knows (pause) (interruption) Gallacher

(interruption) Kev- Kevin Keegan

Keegan

And all the rest of them.

and Shearer

(cough)

Shearer, well Shearer

It's that one on the left. Do you want us to get it down for you?

Oh yeah

Got a picture?

It's a funny picture he's not -- it looks like he's in it but he's not.

Who?

Shearer.

He is in it.

He's not. It's a cardboard cut-out.

It's not.

It is.

Ohh I keep telling you (NAME) got it.

I know, but it's -- he wasn't actually sitting there

(laughter)

It's a computer, honestly (pause) it was his dinner but he wasn't sitting there.

He was he told (NAME) to go and (interruption) stand at the back so he could sit beside (NAME)

(interruption) ah okay right.

and that's him there.

Uh-huh

sitting next to (NAME).

mm (pause) so this was at the erm (pause) tribute to Alan Shearer dinner.

Have you met Alan Shearer before?

Ou- Our (NAME) has met him stacks of times and he's been and (pause) all -- lots of the players have been to the school when she was headmistress.

Yeah.

Seeing the children

Yeah.

And taking them used take her maybes one or two footballs in

Yeah.

Or an odd shirt or two so that she could give them (pause) to the children at special occasions f- for and then (pause) had reached

Yeah.

c- certain things you know and erm she er she was the first one (pause) that give the children (pause) yellow card

Really?

(interruption) Yeah she actually introduced the yellow card red card system in the school, yeah.

(interruption) yellow card

Yeah.

And th- th- th- the council had never heard of it before as an education (interruption) policy

(interruption) Yeah.

(unclear) yellow card (pause) Some of them got them some of them got a red card and all.

Yeah.

(interruption) Aye it was in a rough area of Newcastle.

(interruption) Because she w- she taught in the roughest area that I'm talking about in Newcastle.

Yeah.

Benwell.

And erm (pause) it was nothing (pause) for the any really (pause) ruddy boy to act hisself to the teacher.

Yeah.

Give her a bite

(laughter)

Kick. Because they knew that teachers now are not allowed to touch them.

Yeah.

And it was one teacher I must be going back about three or four year now when (NAME) was

I think she retired two years ago now didn't she?

Uh-huh so it must have been about three year ago and but I know it was when she was still headmistress (pause) that erm they give her this (pause) a -- a teacher come and knocked on her door and she said she had this boy with her

(cough)

teacher says 'ey Mrs (NAME)' she says 'I'm sorry but I have to bring him'. She never used to tell me (pause) the child's right name.

Yeah.

So she would say 'we'll call him Tom' but she knew you know.

mm

And she says 'I've had to bring him' she says 'he's disrupting the whole classroom' and she says 'he throwing things around in the classroom and so the other pupils can't get on with their work' and she says 'when I'm trying to c- check him' she says 'he's doing nothing but kick me'

Yeah.

She says 'I've had to bring him to you because I can't teach the rest of the children'.

mm

And our (NAME) says 'oh oh that's all -- righto love just leave him (pause) leave in -- in my room with me' and er (pause) she says 'that all right?' She says 'yes you just go back to the classroom and get on with your work and teach the rest of the children'. She says 'and he'll just stay here with me and sit -- sit in my room with me'.

Yeah.

And she says 'and the phone was keep going all the time' she says 'if it was the Civic Centre it was other schools or other things' you know

Yeah.

And she says 'I would just pick up the phone' and she says course all the time this was going on she says 'I was hearing eee ooo wait till my father gets hold of you'

Yeah.

'Ooo we unt- ooo wait until I get home and tell him ooo wouldn't like to be you' (pause) 'excuse me where you speaking?' (pause) 'No'

(laughter)

'oh I thought you were saying something and then' she says 'I'd just get on with my work' she says 'I had loads of writing work to do answering the phone ringing up this that and the other' and she says 'it went on for ages' and then the teacher comes and says 'it's play time Mrs (NAME)' she says 'want to go out?' She says 'oh no' she says 'he's fine here'.

(interruption) (cough) (pause) (cough) (pause) (cough)

(laughter)

She says 'you see he doesn't like his teacher and he doesn't like being in the classroom you know a- amongst the children'

Yeah.

But he quite happy here with me.

(laughter)

And he says (pause) she says 'he was muttering and oh God and the f-ing word was coming out'.

mm

'Cause that's whe- what they were used to.

Yeah.

Brought up with (pause) I thought and our (NAME) says 'oh if you had have been there mother you would have cut his tongue out of his head.'

(laughter)

I says er so she says erm (pause) she just t- told the teacher to go away she says 'just sat there the whole time' and she says 'and of course then I was just keep getting it out hearing woah wait until my father hears about this (interruption) woah and my mother woah woah wouldn't like to be you tomorrow'.

(interruption) (laughter)

'Wait until the morning comes or tomorrow comes' or whatever he said.

(interruption) (cough)

but erm (pause) just done that and (pause) come to home time.

mm

Just went home and she says all the staff were saying to us 'ey Mrs (NAME) wait until he gets home and tells oh they'll oh God if they come up tomorrow' you know (pause) this that and the other (NAME) says 'that's quite all right if they come if an- if either one of them comes just show them to my room'

Yeah.

And she says er 'you know' she says 'really mam' she says 'I was thinking ooo if his dad comes you know will I be ready for him?' And sh- she always had a (pause) button for the policeman.

Yeah.

Th- That looked after. And she says er 'I thought oh I'm going to have to be ready for this one'. And she says 'however (pause) knock at the door' and she says 'there's the teacher' and she says 'his mother (pause) was with him' (pause) and she says she says 'this is' as I say (NAME)'s mother.

Yeah.

'Would like to see you' and she says 'I just said oh that's quite all right come in Mrs (unclear) yes come in it's quite all right' and she says er 'the teacher was wondering the teacher was going (pause) as if she shouldn't go you know'.

Yeah.

Wondering whether she should hang around or what. And she says she says 'I just looked up and said to the mother er did you want to see me? (pause) The teacher said you wanted to see me.' And she says 'yes I do' and she says 'she just got a hold of the lad's hand' and she says she just says 'here you can have him 'cause you're the only one who can do anything with him.

(laughter)

(laughter)

(laughter)