THIS TAPE HAS BEEN RECORDED ON THE 19TH OF JULY 1978 AT 17 CORNMILL TERRACE, BARNOLDSWICK. THE INFORMANT IS BILLY BROOKS AND THE INTERVIEWER IS STANLEY GRAHAM.
[As near as I have ever been able to make out, Billy was 96 when I recorded the interviews with him. He was very deaf and I have tried to edit the worst effects of this out of the transcript. Though infirm his memory is amazing and every time an opportunity has been available to check a fact given by him has arisen he has been 100% correct.]
Mr Brooks is a very advanced age and I’m not sure how we’re going to get him used to the recorder, we’ll just have to see how we get on.
R-India.
Aye, for the Indian trade.
R-Aye, for India, there were a very big firm at Clitheroe used to make them, Garnetts or sommat at Low Moor and them were dhotis. [A loincloth worn by male Hindus.]
Aye they were an old firm you know, they used to be [weaving] in the 1880’s and 90’s. when they were in’t go, aye. Same as Clough you know, well in’t Clough, in t’top hoil, Robinson Brooks started with eighty looms, Pickles started wi’ some looms, I think Holdens did, aye. Well Brooks flit them eighty loom, they were Pilling looms made at Primet Bridge at Colne, they flit ‘em to Long Ing in 1890 you see and filled up to 400. 420 I think they had there had Brooks, aye. There were some breakdowns there after they put ‘em in you see. There were three [gear] wheels all into one another. There were a wheel that were on the flywheel and then there were a second motion wheel and then there were another on Brook’s line shaft through the wall and they hadn’t been going long when one flew in bits and flew through t’top. Burst an hoil in the top, I used to find looms wi’ bits of metal on, aye, I remember seeing ‘em. I were nobut , well that’d be about 1894 or sommat like that, I were about ten years old. [Billy actually said 1884 but as I say, there is doubt about his date of birth, even he wasn’t sure. As near as I can make out he was born in 1882 so I guess he meant 1894 when he would be twelve] Aye I remember seeing all that. Well, there were allus sommat wrong you know. That much vibration and then we were stopped three weeks wi’ the main shaft cracked, aye, we were off three weeks.
Did you get paid while you were off?
R-No, there were no pay, nowt then you know. Well, and then that wheel that were on the flywheel cracked and when it come it were too big and they couldn’t get it up to the wheel and they’d to bar it, they hadn’t a barring engine same as they have now. They had to bar it round, they had four men all night barring it round to shive that but off you see. It had too much shoulder at side and they had to hire men and they’d a crowbar you know and it were HUP! And that were all night through. Aye, there were some breakdowns, aye.
What sort of an engine were that in there then Billy?
R-Yates and Thom put it in you know.
What did they name the cylinders?
Oh, I don’t know. They were all them wood lags and brass round you know. They were nice, I know that, aye. They’d be t’same like as yours in a way they were the same. They were like two cylinders at each side to see to. But you know they hadn’t them valves that you have that clicks. [Corliss]
Aye, Corliss.
R-Well, you have them, they click back don’t they, these had to go like that you see. [demonstrates sliding motion]
Aye, slide valves.
R-Well, after a time they drove Brooks wi’ ropes. Now let me see, how did they do, I know, they let some big rope wheels into the wall, there were two big wheels for these ropes you see and they drove ‘em wi’ ropes and then in the end they put a little engine in in the same room as t’other one at far end, from a firm in Bolton. Then the ropes went reight away on the engine house side reight on to Brooks lineshaft, it were a fair long way you know but it took the weight off the old engine then. Now they had 1200 loom on [originally]. Three firms had brought 1200 looms [and the engine was sized for that] but [with brooks 400] they had 1600 looms on.
Who owned Long Ing then Billy?
Long Ing Shed Company. Rushworths frae Colne were shareholders, and some of the old Barlickers. Robinson Brooks brother, William Brooks, he lived in Station Road where that building society has its office opposite the Liberal Club. [Croft House opposite what is now the community Centre] Old Willie Broughton and all. A lot of them that founded the Calf Hall Shed Company.
You started work at Long Ing didn’t you Billy?
R-I started work at Long Ing, half time, when I were ten years old. I’d half a crown a week [twelve and a half pence] and a penny for meself.
Who paid you the half crown Billy?
R-Well, I tented for a chap wi’ six loom. I were what I call a tenter and he paid me half a crown and a penny for meself. Aye, I went at morning one week and school in th’afternoon and vice versa the week after you see.
What year did you start there Billy?
R-[Billy gets a bit mixed up here but settles on the following] I were ten and I was born in 1882 so it was 1892. Aye, I went in wi’ me aunty to learn to weave at nine at Saturday morning at Long Ing. Aye I went in at Saturday mornings after breakfast. They worked seven while twelve then at Saturday morning. I went in wi’ me aunty to learn to weave. Well, when I were ten I were ready for tenting you see, me uncle were the manager and I started tenting reight on me birthday you see.
Which firm were you working for Billy?
R-Robinson Brooks. Built Westfield. In 1911, Brooks and Slaters were directors of that mill. It cost £24,000 to build it. What would it cost today?
God knows Billy.
R-I’ll tell you how I know because one of Robinson’s lads used to come up to me desk in the tape room to do some writing and he told me.
So you got to taping at Westfield?
R-I taped there then, I taped there for thirty two year. I went there in 1911 or 1912 when it started. It says 1911 over the cart race for Westfield but then it might have been 1912. I were there 32 year, well until 1943.
Where were you born Billy?
R-Up in Newtown where Elmer’s chemist shop is now. It were two cottages then you see and they’ve made it into one shop now. They belonged to me uncle did them two cottages and he and me grandmother lived in one and me parents and us lived in 22 Newtown. That there ironmongers shop [Elmer’s] weren’t there then.
What did your father do for a living Billy?
R-Well he used to weave at Wellhouse when Old Billycock had it up to Robinson Brooks starting in Clough. There were 400 looms in Wellhouse I know, I can tell be the roof where they were and t’other were all spinning. Butts and here. Billycock lived at Newfield Edge. Well I can tell they had two beam engines at Wellhouse, they’d one for this wing and one for that. There’s a tank on top of one of them [engine house] now. Well I used to watch the governors going round on this wall side, it’s chopped off now to build a shed. Them governors were old fashioned ‘uns they went like that and I used to stand watching it through the window when I were a lad you know, I’d be four or five year old. [1886/87]
They pulled them engines out in about 1895 didn’t they? [demolition was 1890 and engine was installed and started in 1891]
R-Aye, well I can tell of ‘em dismantling ‘em and chopping them storeys off. You can see the wall boxes in the wall where the shaft used to come through. I used to go down wi’ a truck for a hundredweight of firewood for ninepence, we used to go to the gasworks to weigh it. Aye, oh my God, pitch pine window sides, pitch pine, it were grand stuff. We used to go down wi’ trucks us lads you know, ninepence a hundredweight, aye.
Did your mother weave Billy?
R-No, she came from down South. Now me dad worked there as a weaver first, he were cousin to Robinson Brooks you know. You see they were all one family. Now when Robinson Brooks started to weave in Clough Shed he went weaving there up at Clough because this finished. [Wellhouse?] Now when they went down to Long Ing we were coming on wi’ three or four of a family on us. Robinson said [me dad] he mun learn to tackle, so he learned to tackle and he had a little set you know, he’d happen make about thirty bob a week then, I don’t know. Now when he’d getten a family of about six and Brooks had got a tape, he were for giving up and going to Earby to start on his own so Robinson Brooks said now then Jim, tha’s got a lot of childer, we’ll get thee learned to tape. So Thomas Henry that were leaving learned him to tape you see for two, maybe he charged him £2. So he taped at Long Ing until 1911 and when Robinson Brooks went to Westfield and got 900 looms, it wanted two tapes then. He gave over you see, he didn’t want to go he said I’m not going to work in a shed, there’s no windows at t’side. They were at the top, he said I’m not going, it’s like a prison is this. Well, he were reight you see, they had them there does, [north lights] Well says Robinson, they’re modern! It’s lighter! But you know you couldn’t see owt. He he he!
So what did he do then Billy?
He worked, well, he went weaving a bit, aye. Off and on like Aye, he used to go on’t spree a bit and he’d be off a while, him and Tom O’t Edge happen, aye. Me dad worked at Widdups down at Moss and Old Tom O’t Edge were beam to beam to him, did you ever know Tom O’t Edge?
No.
R-He were, he he he! They used to go on’t spree you know, nobut twopence a pint then. Me father once, me father went , Christmas was nobut a day then, just Christmas Day, there weren’t no Boxing Day holiday, you worked on Boxing Day. Well he set off, me mother says yer father’s gone to his work, by God he’s done all right. Well, he landed back. Me mother says what’s to do? Well he says, Tom O’t Edge hasn’t come to work! When he saw Tom hadn’t come he turned round and comes out! Ha ha ha! There were some pubs you know, in them days, they were open all day and they used to go on’ t’spree a lot of ‘em and they were in all day from morning till night.
How did they manage to afford that Billy, did they save up or what?
R-Well you know, twopence a pint, they’d get six pints for a shilling. You know if they got a couple of bob off their wives, well, they’d twelve pints you see. Their wives ‘ud happen give ‘em a couple of bob you know wi’ a bit of playing heck and all sorts you know. They’d work regular and happen be nearly teetotal you see while they’d saved up a bit of brass you know. Happen a couple of pound and then they’d blow the lot, aye, and happen strap a bit as well, aye. Ha ha ha.
How many children were there Billy?
R-Eleven and there’s six living yet. I’m the eldest of the eleven. Me sister’s eighty six and the next is eighty four, me brother and me next sister’s eighty and me brother Ted’s seventy eight.
Aye and when you lived in those cottages on Newtown there, Albert Road wouldn’t be built.
R-Oh no, Just where Elmer’s ironmonger’s shop is on the corner there were a big wall and a gate and Spen Thornton and Sam Heap had some land there which was a plasterer’s yard wi’ all their drain pipes and all sorts, and it were railed off and all t’other was a field right up to the station. Now this side, where that there fancy shop is wi’ all that stuff in it you know [The Occasion, opposite corner to Elmer’s] There were a laithe [barn] there and a slaughterhouse next to it and they used to kill there you see.
Who ran the slaughterhouse Billy?
R-Well, before I knew owt it were a [William] Baldwin [1871 census, William Baldwin was 49 years old, farmer of 16 acres employing one man. Address was Wellhouse Farm.] but in my knowledgeable time it were the cooperative there were a chap called David Raw, his brother were John that had the farm opposite old Coates Mill at that time. John and his brother David used to kill there, aye. Now us young ‘uns, at t’back there were a yard and we could see reight into that slaughterhouse and we used to watch ‘em pull ‘em out wi’ ropes out of the shippon and it used to take two or three to pull ‘em out. They used to pull t’nose down to a ring in the floor and they had an axe wi’ a do on the end about like that, [Billy describes a poleaxe] and they used to hit ‘em here [indicates middle of forehead] and they used to miss sometimes and hit ‘em in the eye. Aye, it were a pity to see them.
What sort of a going on did you have when you were a child Billy? Were you hard up when there were 11 of you at home, they must have taken some feeding.
R-Well, when we got to eleven I started earning a bit you know and me father addled about 35 bob a week.
That ‘ud be a good wage then?
R-Aye, but I don’t know how she managed, course they all used to get in debt a bit. The Brooks family, they were old fashioned grocers where Greenwoods tailors shop is now, Greenwoods. [Chris Brooks and Son of 23/25 Church Street in Barrett’s Directory of 1887. In 1871 census they are on Newtown and described as Christopher Brooks and William Proctor Brooks aged 18 shop man, grocers and drapers.] Brooks had that, Robinson Brooks old father (Christopher?) they started there and they’d supply you wi’ owt, they were old fashioned grocers. They’d supply you upstairs wi’ a pair o’ breeches for childer or owt. Now you allus had a shop book you see. If you couldn’t pay it all it went on to another week and they were never straight while they got their childer up, course they’d clock sommat down for interest you know. Well there were lots of big families in Barlick at that time and they all got into weaving and then they got straight and bought their own houses you see. That’s how they did it, aye.
Can you remember much about the house in Newtown Billy? How many rooms were there in it?
R-There were two bedrooms, a kitchen and a living room.
How about carpets and such? Did you have carpets in those days?
R-There were no carpets at all, nobut a rug, a peg rug and they were all flag floors and they used to get sand, Aye, all sprinkled wi’ sand and when you were walking about wi’ clogs on they used to crrrrrr on the sand, aye.
Can I ask you a few questions about your mother and the house?
R-Oh aye.
Can you remember any of the furniture Billy?
R-Well there were an old fashioned table you know and an old fashioned chair for father to sit in and there’d be one or two old fashioned chairs wi’ them backs you know. Didn’t bother bout furniture then, there were no furniture. There were them old fashioned mahogany drawers you know, about that high. [Indicates about 3ft6”] You know wi’ big wide drawers in, aye, they nearly all had them in those days, aye.
How about curtains Billy?
R-Well there weren’t much, there were more paper blinds in them days but there were like odd curtains. There were none of that stuff [lace curtains?] and they all had blinds wi’ a roller and they pulled it wi’ a cord you know round a bit of a wheel at the bottom.
How did your mother wash Billy?
R-Th’old do with a dolly, aye. You know in a big dolly tub. Aye, and an old fashioned wringing machine, wood rollers. Isaac Levi used to sell ‘em, they had his name on you know, big heavy cast iron. They were made in Keighley. There were a big shop at Keighley for making them.
You’d have the job of turning that with being the eldest?
R-Well I used to, but I don’t know, they weren’t that bad to twine considering. They were geared very fair, aye, they had a little wheel on the big handle , a little gear wheel you know and they went into big ‘uns. Well, it helped you on a bit you see. Oh aye.
What sort of a life would you say your mother had in those days?
R-Well, when I look back it were a hard life because you know there were all them moths to feed. I wish I had a photograph, my sister has one where we were all on. [I had one] but I must have lost it, but she’s got one that’s framed, I would like you to see that. Aye, tis a grand ‘un. We were taken wi’ a chap… I’d be about nineteen and they were all on, me mother and father sat there, aye, I wish I had one to show you, aye. Well you know, we had New Years Day. Harry Slater that owned Clough, they lived across on that terrace, whatever did they call it. We used to go up to Harry Slater’s at New Years morning for an orange apiece. Aye, we used to go back and come through a gap, aye. We once tried to go twice, Hey, you’ve been here before! Hop it! Aye, we geet an orange apiece.
They tell me Harry [Henry] Slater were a grand feller.
R-Old Harry Slater they called him. I know where he’s buried, he’s buried in Gill. He’s buried in Gill there down at the bottom, aye.
And he’d own Clough?
R-Well, aye, there were Fred Harry Slater, Joe Slater who had Old Billycock’s daughter who lived at Newfield Edge. Ada. Aye, he lived there, well he were one of Slaters. There were Fred Harry Slater, he lived down at Carr Beck there, reight there going down to Horton. And then there were Bumpy [Humpy? Not clear but sounds like a by name.], another brother and Dick Carr Slater, he were another brother. Oh aye it were Old Harry Slater, I were very young when he died but I used to hear ‘em talking about him you know, and I knew all his sons, all the sons you know, aye.
How old was your mother when she died Billy?
R-I think she were 78 or sommat like that and me father died at 62.
Can you remember what year they died?
R-I just forget what year now. I haven’t a reight good memory for looking back to dates, I’ve to go and look at t’gravestones! He he he!
It’s as good a way as any Billy! You don’t do so bad, don’t worry about it.
R-I’ve a brother that could tell you that date to the day. I’ve a letter there frae him from Blackpool, he’s 83. Aye, we worked together, we had two tapes at Westfield, we worked together there aye.
How about school Billy? How old were you when you went to school?
R-Five, same as they do.
Which school were that?
R-Wesleyans on Rainhall Road.
What were school like then.
R-Well of course it’s different in schooling today, I’ve been in a time or two, Miss Riding made me some coffee one time. I said it’s eighty year since I started here, eighty five year then. That were four or five years since, they made me some coffee and I sung a song or two for ‘em that we used to sing when I were at school when we had Christmas concerts like. I said I were in the ‘Fat Boys’ aye. He he he! Aye, I’ve been in a time or two.
Can you remember doctors coming and looking at you when you were at school?
R-Aye, I can tell of that, aye. And when you got passed [for] half time you’d to go down to be passed wi’ t’doctor you know, in’t office.
Where did you go for that?
R-Down in’t mill. Doctor ‘ud come, Dr Oldland it were, he’d come down to the office and they send for you and you go in. Now then, he nobut looked at you you know, He says, Is this one of Jimmy’s? That were me father. Aye he says, He’s all right, aye, I can tell on him saying that. And that were it.
So when you started working you started at Long Ing, tenting.
R-Aye, tenting at half a crown a week, aye.
How long were you tenting?
R-Well, wi’ me uncle Will being manager, he were the cut-looker but he were a manager, he were uncle to the boss (Christopher), he were me father’s uncle really but I allus called him uncle Will. He had some hens up at Old Billy Nelson’s up at Clews. [Old Barlick name for Hill Clough up Esp Lane.] Reight up [Esp Lane] aye. Well he shoved me on for sake of [me dad] you see, he put me on to two loom afore I left [school?] afore I were thirteen, and he put another young lass to help me. She did mornings one week and I did mornings the week after and then she did afternoons and we joined at the brass you see. Well we made about eleven bob a week as a rule, we’d five and a tanner apiece. [Tanner=sixpence] Sometimes there were an odd halfpenny and she had the ha’penny one week and I had it the other. They called her Clara Pickles, she’s dead now. We joined at them two loom, me uncle put me on sooner than I should have for the sake of..[family]
How long were you on two looms Billy?
R-Till I were full time and then I got three at 13 years old. Then I got three loom, aye. And then when I were 15, after about a couple of year, I got four loom but I weren’t one [for working at it] I were allus playing about a bit but if I made a pound a week I used to get a penny in the shilling pocket brass, one and eight pence. [20 old pennies]
And could you make a pound a week on four looms then?
R-Well, a good weaver ‘ud make twenty four bob on four loom you know but such as us, we were always tinkering about wi’ keys and all sorts you know, we’d do owt but weave. Aye, well I got to be about sixteen years old I started to learn to tape with me father. At night when he worked over you see, and at dinnertime. Well, I could hardly lift a warp out you know then, well me uncle come up, he says He’s too young to lift warps out. Well, anyway, I went on and on of course. Me father and mother, they’d getten us all up then [reared the family] , they used to go to Southport for a week and put me on to do you see, aye, they had a week at Southport, aye.
And he’d leave you running the tape?
R-I run his tape.
How old were you then Billy/
R-Seventeen.
That were young.
R-Aye, it were young, aye.
You must have been a good man.
R-Well, I’d happen be eighteen or not so far off, I were alreight aye. Well, me father says to me, he says I’ve seen an advertisement where you can get a suit for 18/6 at Newcastle on Tyne and they’ll send you a form to measure wi’. (Did you ever remember anything like that?, I don’t think you, happen you wouldn’t.) he sends for a form and it showed you how to measure, eighteen and a tanner apiece, a suit, waistcoat an’ all. Well this form comes and I measured him you know, suit come and he put it on but it were a bit tight like. I said I think I’ve measured a bit short… Well, they were going to Southport for a week on the nine o’clock train in’t morning. Well, when they went up you know [for the train], me father called in t’Con’ Club you know, it were open. Your father’s going to be late, it’s time, train’ll be going, guard’s ready for whistling, he’s allus like this! Aye. Well father comes running round and you know, they had to step up into the carriages you know, off’t platform. Crrrrrrr! (sound representing tearing cloth.) It tore all t’way down! He he he! Aye. Course, they were made of shoddy stuff you know.
(Laughter from Stanley)
R-Me mother laughed, Eh, just look! There’s nowt to laugh at, isn’t this. Me setting off! She had to pin him up you know, to pin this do up, aye, she telled. Eh, there were some dos! Aye, in th’old days you know when t’Blackpool trip went at t’morning, you know, about half past seven you know. There used to be all th’old men about town you know same as Bill Sagar you know what built th’houses, they used to be there you know. They used to get cigars you know, aye, aye. They used to wave ‘em off you know, aye. Joe Standing and all them you know, aye. Oh aye, there were some characters in them days, they were colourful characters and they were amusing.
They had hard lives an’ all Billy?
R-One Sunday morning I thought it sounds a bit funny, it were soon on, sounds to be a lot of carry on outside, there were a whole crowd out in’t road. And it seems that there were a chap called Dr McTackham [Billy’s pronunciation. Barrett for 1899 has a Rev. McCallum, a Baptist Minister, could this be him?] or sommat, he’d knocked a damn great top stone of that wall. He said There used to be a road here, reight onto t’canal bank. I’m barn to open it again, and he prised a big [stone] wi’ a crowbar. Well, t’police had to come and stop him you know.
Whereabouts was that Billy?
R-In Newtown. Aye, he he he! There used to be a road down here he says and I’m barn to open it out again, they’ve shut it up! Well he gets this crowbar you know, crash with this here, aye, there used to be some fun! At Saturday night when t’pubs turned out there were nearly allus somebody locked up every Saturday night and they brought ‘em down at Monday morning frae t’police station for t’first train to Skipton, aye.
To go up to court. What were drunk and disorderly?
R-Aye, aye. Eh aye. There were, o’course, we, us as youngsters, we used to make us own entertainment and us own amusement you know. We’d make a big ring in Newtown reight in t’middle o’t road and play at tops, you know, whip and tops. You put a top in there in the middle and we had to whip us top into the ring and if it stopped in that ring yours took it, took t’top aye. There were no traffic you see. We could play at owt in the road, ‘cause there were nowt coming you see, aye. Eh aye, we used to set off to Gisburn wi’ hoops you know wi’ a picking stick for a knock you know. And then we’d get old Stevie Parker [blacksmith on Skipton Road, Barrett 1902] blacksmith to put us a guider on you know for your…. Aye. [‘guider’ was a metal hook that you allowed the iron hoop to roll through and was used for steering] Oh happen twelve, twenty of us all set off to Gisburn aye, and back again, aye.
Can you remember any music at home when you were a lad Billy. Were there any musical instruments in the house.
R-Well there were in Barlick, a good band in Barlick at that time and me father were in it and he were the secretary for it aye. Aye, there were a good band in them days, all Barlickers, aye.
So your dad ‘ud play an instrument?
R-He played tenor horn aye. He’d be in the band twenty odd year aye, aye he were. I remember him going, when I were quite a lad, I were in bed and I heard the band playing through on Sunday morning, eh it did sound grand. They’d been in Scotland to a contest and they’d landed back to Skipton and they came by wagonette you know, to Barlick and they played through at about seven o’clock in the morning, it were dark you know, aye, grand. I remember all them does aye. They used to have a flower show down at Brick School, it were all fields in them days.
What do you call the Brick School Billy?
R-Oh, it’s Ouzledale Club now you know at Fountain Street. Well, before them houses were built it were a field and they had t’flower show in there and there were a band contest. Black Dyke Band come once, aye, about six or seven bands marched through the streets there wi’ a board up wi’ their name on and that were about, I’d be about six it‘d be 1888. I remember we lived there, they all come playing you know, aye.
So you’ll remember them building Albert Road?
R-Oh yes, there were a field there.
Those ‘ud be houses then wouldn’t they Billy.
R-All houses bar that shop at the end that Sneath has, at this end. [John Sneath, hairdresser. Barrett 1902. Now Nutters newsagents in 2000] That weren’t made into, it were built as a shop aye, they were all houses there, Bill Sagar built ‘em and he built Ivory Hall an all. Sagar’s Chambers they’re called. There’s a door if you look, if you go up Brook Street there be Redman’s you’ll see Sagar’s Chambers, Bill Sagar built them, aye, aye. Oh aye, Joe Standing built some houses up here [Cornmill Terrace area?] I think Proctor Barrett built these and that row across there all of them, Proctor Barrett, course you wouldn’t know them.
No, Proctor Barrett, I know a fair bit about him, he was one of the main men at the Calf Hall Shed Company.
R-That’s reight.
Aye, a bit of a case were Proctor I should think? From what I’ve heard about him you know, from what I’ve seen written down about him, he were a bit of a sharp lad were Proctor weren’t he?
R-Well, they were old fashioned ‘uns in those days. Proctor, he were a big church man, oh aye, he were.
SCG/09 December 2000
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