THIS TAPE HAS BEEN RECORDED ON THE 30th OF NOVEMBER 1978 AT 14 STONEYBANK ROAD, EARBY. THE INFORMANT IS FRED INMAN, TACKLER AND THE INTERVIEWER IS STANLEY GRAHAM.
Hard times this week, that's what we're on. Narthen, in most parts of the country the 1920's were bad, there were a depression on. What were it like in Earby Fred?
R- Well it didn’t hit 'em as early as it hit some but we'll say when it got to 1926 and 1927 it started hitting ‘em then. And by about 1930 there were, it were bad.
So the cotton trade wasn’t too bad like say 1920 to 25.
R – No. It were after that when it started in Earby. There were some on ‘em, Grove [Nutter Brothers] they shut up and a firm called Thomas Henry Hartley, they shut up. Pickles's [shut], another firm called Joe Foulds [closed] they were on New Road. [Brook Shed] There were one, two, three shut up on New Road but that Foulds were about two hundred looms but it had been a good place to work at up to then. And then they just simply shut up all at once. But like when Grove shut up that were a big do 'cause as I say before, they had looms in Grove, they also had looms in Albion and looms up at Sough, well it all finished did that. Well they called them Nutters [Nutter Bros] what had Grove Mill and then this Grove Mill had been stopped a while, and then Nutters from Barlick came and gaited some up in it. I don’t know whether it ‘ud be Nutters from Bancroft lot or not would it?
Yes I think it were. I think it were Wilfred anyway.
R - Wilfred aye.
I have an idea Wilfred had something to do with it because I’ve heard somebody else talk about that.
R - Mm..
And so what were the effect of that, obviously people out of work. How did you notice people were out of work?
R- Oh there were no doubt there were a real depression on. If ever you went down Earby, you know, standing at street corners and lolling about in lumps, nowt else to do. And at signing on day it were like it used to be when you were going to Blackpool, great long queues waiting of the train.
What, waiting of the train to go up to Barlick?
R- Well no, when they were signing on in Earby..
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Yes, yes.
R - They signed on in Earby but sometimes you had to go to Barnoldswick to sign on but you had it to walk.
Yes.
R- And they had one [dole office] right down Gisburn Road, an old tin chapel down Gisburn Road, we’d to walk to there.
Aye.
R- And after you'd signed on there well you got to sign on at Earby. Top of the Weaver’s Institute.
Aye, I remember you telling me about that. Was your dad out of work? Now wait a minute, I think you told me that none of you were out of work at same time like you were..
R – No.
There was always somebody working,
R- Yes. Aye we were lucky. We were lucky ‘uns.
Of course, the worst hit ‘ud be them that were all working at the same mill wouldn't it.
R- That's it, all what they say, all their eggs in one basket, weren’t it?
Aye. How would that affect such as tramp weavers and that? Would they stop coming, you know, vanish like or were they still about.
R - Aye they stopped coming, there were no work for them. They'd disappear somewhere else. There were Courtaulds what started up down Derby and there were a few from Earby went down there weaving.
Aye.
R- Fellas.
Was that about that time?
R- That time yes.
Yes, how about leaving town for other jobs, you know, like..
R- There were a few vent down Luton, aircraft, motor car. One lad what went down to Luton about same age as me, he went down he did fairly well. Then he got out into business, and back in Earby retired now. That were, you know, if there hadn't have been this depression come he might have been just plodding on ordinary to-day.
When you say that some of them went down Luton, what would persuade 'em to go down Luton. I mean would there be some sort, were people from Luton recruiting up here or what.
(5 mins)
R- Well there were plenty of work with motor works.
Yes but how did they get to know about that work? Have you any idea?
R- They'd be advertised in the paper, wanting workers. Same as they said, beds never got cold. [Laughs] There were three on 'em sleeping in one bed. On three shifts and that kind of carry on. You went down and you get some lodgings and you send for your mates, like come down, I can get you in. Some never came back, stopped there all time.
Aye, I know at least one fella that did that.
R- There were one or two good bands men and they went. Got into the band you know in some of these big works. Wi’ being good bands men they got a job there. And they’re still down is some on ‘em. Some's dead of course but there's some still there, young uns.
Aye. who were out of work first would you say. Well it wouldn't make much difference would it. I were just going to say who were out of work first, men or women, but it wouldn't make any difference would it in Earby. If the mill went out that were it.
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R - That were it.
How long were they before they started picking up again Fred?
R- Nineteen thirty six or thirty seven, just before war.
So you can say there were nearly ten years.
R - Yes. It would be, it ud be ten year.
How did that effect you, did you have any short time working?
R- Very little. No I were lucky, we had very little as regards stopping and signing on but you got so you were working full hours but you'd only like a third of your production or sommat like that. Allus a lot of looms stopped.
Yes.
R- Waiting for warps, orders and that.
Yes. And you were working at that time, you were working at..
R- Birley's, AJ Birley's. At Albion.
Can you remember anything about the general strike in 1926?
R- I can just remember, 1926 were it?
Aye.
R- Yes I can, little bits are coming back. You were getting all sorts of muck in mills to try and burn. Aye that's it, ‘cause the miners were on strike.
R- Aye. And I don’t think they could keep the steam up right. The engine kept stopping. And then you were going up and down looking for wood to put on your fires.
At home.
R- Aye, although it were summer time weren’t it when they were out on strike. But what we call going down by Booth bridge, there’s some rows of trees in a field. Somebody set the tale out you could go down and chop 'em, chop these trees down and fetch your wood home. Well [laughs] they were going down in droves till the police stopped ‘em. There were a lot of big trees cut down and it were impossible to carry 'em home wi’ them fellas what cut ‘em down. They were cutting 'em down wi’ ordinary saws and be the time they'd sawn the tree down they hadn’t strength to saw a piece off to fetch home. I don't think anybody got summonsed for it but the police were down and stopped ‘em.
Aye. Can you remember did it make any difference wi’ the railways being stopped, you know like, things like food coming in, fish and all the rest of it.
(10 mins)
R- Yes they were short of them essential things and first time I went to a football match ud be in 1926. There were a first division [match] that stuck in me mind like, this strike being on.
What do you mean, that stuck in your mind because of the strike?
R- Well that were first time I'd been to a first division football match and it were that year the strike were on.
Aye where were that at?
R- We went to Burnley.
Burnley Aye, Turf moor.
R- And now they’re going when they're five and six year old aren’t they? And I were working then.
Oh aye It's regular isn't it. If they’re at home and if they're away they follow 'em away. Well you mention football, when you started work, once you got working how did your spare time activities change.
R- Well I still used to do a lot round about home for me father like, with the hen pens and garden. Although me brother were, he were very keen on cycling and he hadn't much interest in poultry or gardening. Well, he got older and then he became a gardener then!
Did you do any cycling.
R- I used to do a bit but nowt like he used to do.
Aye.
R- I mean he used to.
Were he in a club?
R- Aye in a club and then eventually he bought a tandem. And I've been on tandem wi’ him a time or two. We had a week off on it once. We set off at Sunday and me mother put us two jam jars full of butter, I think we’d two brown loaves and a couple of bananas and we went to Rhyl first stop. First stop to have bed and breakfast but he were one of these; there wore no stopping for a cup of tea, you'd to [keep going] ..he knew where there were a lot of these wells in villages and that and you went there and you had a pot of water for your dinner, wi’ your grub. Happen butter and bread. [laughs] and a banana. Then when you got to where you wore stopping all night, well, it had to be a very light tea, finish off wi’ fruit. He were like a vegetarian in them days. Then morning following he
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wouldn't have bacon and egg, he’d have a banana, you know off where we got bed and breakfast. I allus had a bit of bacon and egg but that weren’t his way of going on. And I think all told we got back home again at Friday. Set off at Sunday and got back home at Friday and it cost us about £2-10-0 apiece. That's all it cost us. We had a full weeks holiday and went as far as Caernarfon.
Aye. Course that ud be a weeks wage in them days wouldn't it?
R- Oh yes it were a weeks wage yes. We’d saved up hard for this.
Like folk would save up all year just for weeks holiday wouldn't they.
R- For one week.
One weeks freedom.
R- Aye. And then you lived like a millionaire when you went to Blackpool they used to say.
Aye. I don't know whether it were you I asked that question or whether it were Ernie. When you say you lived like a millionaire, if you went to Blackpool say for a couple of days, not necessarily a week and you lived like a millionaire in them days, what would that consist of? What would you call living like a millionaire?
R- Well you wouldn't be taking your food to a lodging house, you'd board. And it were about 6/6 a day for boarding. And then if you fancied going to a show at afternoon, you'd go to a show at afternoon, if you fancied one at night you'd go to one at night. Whatever you fancied you could afford to do it. And I mean, a millionaire couldn't do any more could he.
No, they could only eat three meals a day Fred.
(15 mins)
R- Aye they could only, if you wanted to go at afternoon, go at afternoon. That's what they used to say. ‘Living like a millionaire’.
Did you have a holiday regular each year?
We did when we got older. But we never did up to starting work. The first time I went to Blackpool I were thirteen. Although I'd been to Morecambe a few times before but first time I’d been to Blackpool I were thirteen.
Were Barlick. holidays same week as Earby?
R- No I don't think they were. I think they varied and their September did as well.
What did they have in September then? September holiday?
R- Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Go back at Thursday,
Aye. That were instead of having like Easter and Whitsun weren’t it.
R- No we didn't have Whitsuntide In Earby.
That's it aye.
R- We used to have Good Friday and Easter Monday.
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Aye.
R- But no Whitsuntide.
Aye.
R- But when I got to be about fifteen and sixteen if there were any chance of going hay timing you know, when I'd had my tea. And down what you call this Booth Bridge, I had a mate and he were on the dole and this farmer wanted a hay time man so he got on there for a fortnight and it were a bit of good weather and this farmer must have said, do you know anybody what’ll come down at nights. And he said “Aye one of me mates will.” So he told me and we finished at half past five; I dashed home, got me tea and on me bike. You could ride on your bike all way there. You used to work while half past ten at night and when it got to be Saturday as they'd finished I didn't know owt about payment for hay time. So he said “What do you want.” I said “I don’t know.” He says “Well, if I give you thirty bob will you be satisfied?” I said aye because every night when you'd finished you went in and it were very plain but you'd two slices of toast and two poached eggs. And about happen eight o'clock at night you got some sad cake or sommat like that and tea. You were well looked after and I thought my word thirty bob! [laughs]
Aye it ud be like a holiday wouldn't it.
R- Aye, you were in clover wi’ that.
It ud be like getting paid for being on holiday. Did you do anymore hay timing for anybody else?
R- Oh yes aye. I did a bit up here [Stoneybank]and 1 used to go as far as Lothersdale. Not going looking or asking for it but fellas what I knew and they'd say will you come up? You know, one ud happen be coming down Earby for some shopping and they'd call, I lived further up then and they'd say to the wife “If Fred’s nowt on to-night, tell him to come up. I've getten a lot ready for leading [carting into the barn]2 I’ve been at Lothersdale at half past ten many a time at night in summer.
Aye. And in the mill in the morning.
R- Aye, [laughs] daren’t miss.
Aye, them were the days Fred.
R - Aye going to bed about twelve and up again at six.
Did you go to any dances?
R- I never went to any dances till I got wed, no I were never interested in them and never interested in billiard halls or owt like that. I preferred to be outside if there were any chance.
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What year did you get married Fred?
R- 1932.
Thirty two.
R- Just a fair do….
Aye you've served your time haven't you! Forty six year. Aye you'll be out of your apprenticeship shortly.
R- And it were one of them does when we got wed, it were just about five there that were about all. Couldn't afford any big do.
Aye 1932. Course times ud be bad then wouldn’t they.
R- They were. I didn't think owt about it and then when we’d been wed forty year, the wife she ordered a do down at the White Lion and there mere about twenty or twenty four came you know, what we really couldn't afford to ask when we did get wed.
Aye but she didn't get you to go to church and have vows again then?
R- No.
No, happen thought that were a bit to dangerous.
R- Happen.
Aye. When you went to dances Fred where were they?
(20 mins)
R- Like wife had allus been a keen dancer but it never appealed to me even when we were courting like, I wouldn't go. Then later on we, eventually we started going a bit. Farmers ball and happen sommat to do wi’ the works, you know, a bit of a do from work.
Aye. How about cinema? Still cinema over the Weavers Institute or had the Empire opened then?
R- Empire were opened aye.
How about, you know, theatre you know, plays. Did any travelling companies ever come to town?
R- Yes they used to come to the Empire, picture place.
Aye. Can you remember any of them?
R- I couldn’t remember their names but I can remember going.
Aye. How about plays you used to see?
R- Well what's the library now, they called that Cosy. They made that into a picture house. There were two picture houses once in Earby. And same as, what do they call them, operatic society, dramatic society. They had a dramatic society and they used to have does on at the Cosy. And Earby Amateur Operatic Society, they used to have the Empire once a year and them were allus good does, well attended and well put over, all local people
(350).
Aye.
R- In fact there wore a fells, they called him Moorhouse, Johnny Moorhouse, he used to compose these, music and everything and conduct 'em and he were gaffer over ‘em. And some on 'em were all about local farms and history and courting these farmers daughters and all that and it all fit in to a real good do.
Aye.
R- And there were one, it allus stuck in me mind. There's a farm up here called Bleara Side isn’t there. And “There's a farm house on the hill side that I haven’t
seen for days.” That's one that's gone away to be a servant or sommat like that. Probably.
Aye, that's it aye.
R- I asked one or two what were in it, if they knew the words and no, they'd forgotten ‘em, they didn't bother. I would have liked all the words of that song 'cause it were a real grand un.
Aye. Talking about songs Fred, you know in a lot of industries there were like work songs and what not that you’d hear people singing. Did you ever hear any songs in the mill?
R- No.
Do you know it's funny, I've never come across anybody that did really. Course I’ll tell you whyI1 think it was, it were that bloody noisy in the mill that they couldn't hear themselves singing and I think that's top and bottom of it. But anyway, how about church? How were you at going to church?
R - Oh I went to church fairly regular. There were about four or six on us. We used to have to go regular and we allus turned up together.
Aye, and like that stuck after you started work?
R- We didn’t actually go mates but we were friends and we all attended church at came time.
Aye.
R - In fact I used to ring bell. they'd only one, it were a pipe and a hammer, I used to hit this pipe!
Is that right?
R- Aye, I rung that for quite a while.
Is that what the bell were at the church?
R- At Earby.
At Earby church.
R- Aye, one pipe and a hammer.
Aye.
R - And it got a bit too much. Another lad and me we said we’d take it on and then this other lad kept missing and it were throwing it on to me all the time and eventually he packed up altogether and they couldn't get anybody else to go. Well I’d to go at ten minutes
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(25 mins)
to eight at Sunday when it were communion, twice a month. I’d to go at ten o’clock for morning service and I'd to go at half past five for six o'clock service and sometimes at night I used to ring the bell and then they all went in church and the choir had gone in and all that I used to come out and I used to go through the vestry and away. [laughs] I didn't go to church. And one Sunday when I landed the parson were waiting and he didn't half dress me down. I were ringing the bell to get people to come to church and then I were dodging away when they'd come. So I say's well it's a bit too much I says I never get a free minute. Oh well if you ring ‘em to come to church you'll have to stop and come in to the service. So I thought well, if that's his attitude I’ll give up ringing the bell. So I mentioned it to one fella what were in the choir, I said he's been on to me.” ‘Cause if they were in the choir, if they didn’t want to come to church, they didn't come to church. I were the only one, parson and me were the only ones what were going regular. So I telled him [the parson] and he said don’t bother. If I’m here and there’s nobody else I’ll ring it for you, have a Sunday off whenever you want. So eventually I faded out wi’ the job an all and I more or less packed up with church. I didn't like his attitudes
So when you got wed, where did you get wed?
R - Oh I got wed at Kelbrook.
Is that right.
R- Aye I didn’t get wed at Earby.
Were they at all sticky in them days about weddings and baptisms if you hadn’t been attending church regular?
R - Aye they were very, very queer were some of the parsons. They varied. This fella at Earby he were a bit of a queer un.
What were his name that bloke? Can you remember?
R- Atkinson. He were the first parson at Earby. He came under Thornton.
Yes.
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R - And there were a service at Thornton at morning and then he used to come to Earby did parson at night. And then it were made into a parish were Earby and this Atkinson he come. And I dare say he were a good man for the church in a lot of ways but he wanted all his own way all the time. It wouldn't do for me. Because it were a case like this, when we went one Saturday night to put the banns in we knocked at door and I says we’re going to get married and I want to put the banns in. And then he comes out wi’ a book, never asked us in and names and all that, ages. We goes from there to Kelbrook, Oh he says, are you getting married at Earby? I says Kelbrook and he’d never asked us in before. We goes to Kelbrook after we left there. Up to Kelbrook, knocks at door and says we're thinking of getting married, like could we put the banns in? Yes come in, sit down. And I should think we’d be there for an hour and he didn't lecture you. He were really interesting to talk to. I thought well, what a difference.
Who were that?
R- Oh, I’ve forgotten his name now.
It's reight Fred.
R- He were a biggish farmer looking type.
These things go out of your mind. It's reight.
R- Anyway like when the lad wanted christening we christened him there an all.
Aye.
And he [Earby parson] came up quite a while after and he wanted to know why we never comed to church.
Who were this? Him from Earby?
R - Atkinson aye. And I told him [we weren’t going]. He says “Well your name’s on the electoral roll.” I says "Well". Well he says “I’m going to cross it off!” I says oh all right. He crossed it off and I never bothered no more. Well I thought that weren’t the way to do, it were the way to make communists were that.
That's it. Now, electoral roll, that's brought us nicely round to it. How about politics, did you take an interest in politics?
R- No, not particularly no.
Did you vote?
R- I voted when I got older, aye. When I were old enough, about eighteen.
(500) (30 mins)
Aye, when did you get the vote?
R- I think it were when I were eighteen. It's going back a bit.
What were your politics, were there any choice in Earby?
R- Well nearly all the young uns were on labour. Which they were labour then, they weren’t socialists they were… Them that were putting up they were more or less genuine.
When you say them that were putting up, that's more or less like for council elections isn't it. Because Parliamentary election you'd come under Skipton would you?
R- Come under Skipton with that yes.
So were there ever a labour candidate for Skipton as you can remember?
R- At Earby?
Yes.
R- Oh yes.
Parliamentary election like.
R - Yes. Aye and they were real genuine you know, Quaker type. Them were the sort as I liked, I used to go and listen to all these speeches. That were one of us pastimes when it were coming general election you know, they were going for a fortnight afore the election meetings here, labour up at Weaver’s Club, Liberals in The Liberal Club, the Cosy. Conservatives up Albion Hall. You'd go flying from one to t’other and pass a good night on for nowt.
Any good speakers?
R- Yes. I can remember one and they had the Empire that particular night had the Labour party. It were George Lansbury. And I were allus glad wi’ [being there] There were just a few on us that were young uns. I suppose some of old uns an all. Half past five, dashed home, got your tea and queuing up at the Empire to get in and it were absolutely packed solid were the Empire. And there’d be four hundred seats and then they were stood up all ower. And I should think anybody that were a bit interested went to listen to George Lansbury ‘cause he were a real good man in them days weren’t he.
(550)
Mm.. How about Snowden, did he ever speak in Earby?
R- Yes. They once had a fella called Snowden put up for M.P. You'll mean Philip Snowden?
Yes.
R- Yes, he spoke in Earby.
Did you hear him?
R- Yes.
What were your impressions of Philip Snowden?
R- Good. And there were another fella called Sir Harry Verney he were a Liberal. And they nearly all got a big man down once and I can’t remember who the Conservative’s were but they had one of their top men coming and talking. But you'd to be very, very, quiet you know, there’d to be no noise, no rowdyisms. And them fellas, they'd no microphones in them days had they.
No.
R- And you could hear 'em at the back of the hall.
How about the mill owner’s politics in Earby? What do you think they were on the whole?
R- Mill owners, well they ware conservative and liberals. But what they call that Earby Manufacturing Company, Liberal lot were that. Similar to Nutters, I think they’d be liberals or sommat wouldn't they?
Yes they were, red hot.
R- Aye well, Earby Manufacturing were.
Did you ever come across any cases where there were repercussions from people voting, you know… How can I put it, not really victimisation, you know, but people getting into trouble because of their political views.
R- No I don’t think there were much of that in Earby. Course if you were, you could be like a big labour man and you'd more or less to keep your mouth shut to a certain extent, you didn’t want to lose your work, there were no flying off the deep end. And they weren’t all bad workers weren’t socialists.
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No.
R- There were some on ‘em as good as any of others and I mean a boss couldn’t afford to lose 'em for the sake of a bit of a do at election time 'cause after that fortnight it were all forgot again.
That's it. Well I mean you were a socialist weren’t you? I mean you were a good worker.
R- Aye.
Narthen where did you meet your wife?
(35 mins)
R- Well you know how they used to do in them days, what they used to call, go on the rabbit run. We used to walk to Colne a lot of a night, four on us.
To Colne.
R- Four Lane Ends and back, if it were fine.
That's like Langroyd isn't it?
R- Aye. We never used to stop, just walk there, no calling in pubs or owt of that. Walk there, home, bed. Clogs on.
That were your night out.
R- Night out aye. And, well she lived on at Hague Houses.
Aye.
R- Well she come to live on there and of course like, ‘there's somebody come to live on there’ [gossip] sort of thing and you know, big does and little does we got talking and got courting. She had a cousin and one of lads that used to go went wi’ her cousin a bit and I went wi’ her and then they fell out, we stuck it. And that were it.
How long did you know each other before you were married7
R- Eighteen month happen. That's all.
Well that wouldn't really be a long courtship for them days would it?
R- No.
Were it fairly common for there to be long courtships Fred?
R- Some on ‘em. Aye, about half and half. I mean them that had a short uns generally had to get wed.
Aye that's it. Aye, well same thing goes on now, things are no different now.
R- No they’re no different.
And what was your wife's job when you got wed.
R- She were a weaver.
Where at?
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R- Foulridge, eh I've forgotten name of them…Roberts's?
[J F and H Roberts, New Shed. According to Worrall’s for 1938 they had 673 looms there and some at Oxenhope.]
Aye it doesn’t matter.
R- Roberts's mill but things were bad. She lived at Hague Houses and used to have to walk in morning and walk home at dinner. Walk back again. Couldn't afford, well happen afford the bus if happen it were chucking it down. It were only a penny.
Aye. When you come to think you know, some difference in them days weren’t there to these.
R- And she lived with her grandmother, like her parents were dead and the grandmother come to live at Kelbrook. Well it were a case of walking from Kelbrook to work and walking back again at night.
Kelbrook to Foulridge.
R- Kelbrook to Foulridge aye.
A lot of people ud call that a days work now, just walking there and back.
R- Yes, aye. And she'll tell you the same, walked it there and then a packet of potato crisps for her dinner and a slice of bread and happen come home to a boiled egg, that were about all and a slice of bread. 'Cause there were only th’old woman and you only had a bit of an old age pension, that were nowt.
And when you got wed where did you live?
R - Up Beech Avenue a side of the station.
Aye. Rented house?
R- Yes.
How much were the rent Fred?
R- Thirteen shilling I think. It were a lot too much. It were one of theme does, the grandmother were going to flit, she were going somewhere else and this fella that belonged the house says you can have the house when the grandmother goes. So we started thinking about getting wed and we actually had banns in and the grand
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mother decided not to flit. We hadn't a house then and then there were this and we just took it for a put on until we could get sommat else.
Aye. How long were you there?
R- Oh twelve month happen.
And then where did you go?
R- I went from there up to Coolham aside of the reservoir. There were a farm aside of the reservoir and a cottage. I went into that cottage ‘cause me father had bought this land up here.
Yes.
R - Started his poultry farm up. Well I were handy for that, helping him there and then another cottage came to let a side of Well. And when I went home one night wife says I've seen Jim Cowgill and he says we can have that cottage a side of Well if we want it. So I says aye all reight. So we come down into that cottage and we were there for a long, long while, until the landlord wanted it back and he more or less made wife poorly, allus on to her about getting out. So I bought one on Longroyd then.
(40 mins)
Aye.
R - We weren’t on Longroyd long and then me mother started being badly and it got as me father couldn't manage to look after her so we came here. And then me mother died, we hadn't been here long when me mother died, and then me father died. Well I paid me brother out and we stopped here.
Aye. Narthen your cottage that you moved into, now I mean 1932, a year up yonder 1933, so in 1934 something like that you were at that cottage up at Coolham.
R - Mm..
(750)
When you moved in there, I mean, you and your missus would not be people of wealth. You'd be hard up.
R - Oh we were hard up aye.
Now how did you go on. Flag floors, what were it, two down two up were it cottage?
R - No one down and one up.
One down and one up right, flag floors.
R – Aye.
How do you go on about moving into a house when you've nowt?
R- Well we had us furniture like, we weren’t badly off for that.
Where had that come from?
R - Furniture?
Yes.
R- Oh we bought it new with a bit of money what I had in the bank.
Yes.
R- It all went within about five pound to fit the home up. There weren’t that much money. We went up there and it were on spring water, you emptied your own toilet and you emptied your own dustbins. I think it were four shilling a week all in. Well I were happy and the wife were happy an all and she weren’t working then. She’d finished work where she were. And she’d think nowt of walking down at night, down at Earby, go to pictures and walk back again at night. Aye. And she, I wouldn't like to think anybody else were doing it now these days, but there were no motor cars running up and down. There were no hooligans about. Sometimes I'd walk partly what down and meet her. Or sometimes me mother ud go with her and me mother ud go, you know, she lived half way up then did me mother.
So what did you have on floor like, flag floor down stairs.
R- Aye carpet square, oilcloth and a carpet square.
Oilcloth and a carpet square.
(800)
And..
R - Oilcloth and a carpet square upstairs. It were a good wood floor were that.
Yes
R - It had a new wood floor in upstairs and all new windows, it were a nice little cottage.
Aye.
R - But one day, we’d been off one Sunday and when we came back it had started snowing while we were away and we’d to shovel snow away to get in at the door. Piled half way up the cottage, cause it were just down a bit. And then at morning.
Big fire going when you got in eh?
R- Oh we’d a good fire going. As snug as a bug in a rug. Eh it were a warm little shop. And I mean, coal were cheap, although we were poor, I think you could afford coal better then than what you can now. 'Cause when you put a lump of coal on it lasted for an hour with them Silkstone hards [a good coal from Silkstone Colliery in Yorkshire.] and we’d no bother about groceries, they come like ‘Can we deliver groceries?” Wanting to deliver 'em for you. Same wi’ coal, same wi’ paraffin. We had a paraffin lamp, there were no gas or electric.
What were the paraffin lamp? Were it a wick or were it Aladdin?
R- It were Aladdin.
Mantle.
[Aladdin Lamps made three different sorts of paraffin lamp. One had a plain wick, a better sort had a wick and an upright mantle and then there were the pressure lamps, same type as Tilley and Vapalux]
R- There were just one snag about them, when they opened door you'd to watch 'em. If they got in a draught they blackened the mantle didn’t they.
That's it aye. They were a good light though weren’t they.
R- They were, oh they were, they were. Well I mean these now, a lot of these are only for fancy aren’t they.
Aye.
(850)
R - Oh they were real were them Aladdins.
Ave.
R- And then th’old candle to go to bed wi’.
Aye. And you had one lad didn't you.
R - Yes. Aye well..
Where were you living when wife had him?
R- Down here a side of Well.
Cottage down below.
R- 1942 down at cottage, during the war.
Aye, and did she have him at home?
R- No. Colne what do they call it, Christina Hartley's.
[Hartley Hospital at Laneshawbridge. Founded by the Colne family who made a fortune out of Jam making. Hartleys.]
Hartley’s. Yes.
R- At Colne.
How did she go? On the train? Or bus or…?
R - No. There were a fella up Stoneybank he had a car although you know, petrol were rationed. He says when she wants to go let me know and I'll take her.
Aye.
(45 mins)
R - So and when she wants to come back I’ll fetch her back and that were it. I think she were in a fortnight.
Aye. He were a gentleman.
R - And I used to go on the bus to get off at Four Lane Ends and then you used to wander down Longroyd and all way on it were a fair old trip.
Aye it is, it is out to Christina Hartley, it's nearly a mile from the middle of Colne.
R - Aye and then walk back to Longroyd.
Aye.
(900)
R – Oh many a time like it were nine o'clock when you got back home.
Aye, when you come to weigh up there were some time spent walking to get from one place to t’other.
R- There were. But I were lucky, it were fine all the time. Happen cold but it were fine. I never had a wet un.
What do you think is the biggest improvement you've seen since those days? When I say those days I mean, I’m thinking about when you and your wife got wed, say about 1930/35. What are the biggest Improvements you've seen since then Fred?
R- I wouldn't like to say.
Well any improvements, you know. I mean how have things improved since then, that’s a better question, how have things improved?
R- Well I think we are really better off for one thing now than what we were then. But I allus used to look at it this way and I still think it's the same, when you get wed at first you’re allus hard up and as you get older you've got all the stuff what you want in your house and then it comes to. You seem to have a bit of surplus money then for buying other things with. But I know we were years and years and years when we’d never owt to throw away. Although like we allus had a holiday or sommat like that. But a lot of this were done wi’ me going up and down and doing odd jobs and I'd happen do a job for a farmer and held give me a lump of bacon. Well that saved a bob or two. And I could allus get plenty of eggs at home, eggs cost nowt, I used to help me father a lot and then he’d a big garden and we never had any cabbages to buy or cauliflowers. And like new potatoes, plenty of new potatoes and peas. Well we were lucky that way but as I say I worked for 'em. Well it weren’t everybody that had chance of doing that. I used to do a bit for one farmer and I’ve allus thought he were poorer than me but occasionally he’d come down and he’d leave a pound of butter. Well, it all added up to us.
Aye It does, it does.
R - Yes.
(978)
SCG/03 May 2003
7,018 words.