Emboldened writing is the part of the clip audible in the recording.
D182
<F Lei8>
<S GW>
<G M>
<A 63>
<O FARMER>
<CLEICESTERSHIRE>
<V TUGBY (FOR GOADBY)>
<D 03-05-56>
<I SE>
<L CN S81>
<T 9:49>
<GW They were interesting.
I mean I [/] I [\] was happy enough in those days.
And I +…
Although I used to put fourteen hours a day in,
perhaps a bit more.
# I was happy enough. GW>
<SE Hmm. SE>
<GW Interesting +/. GW>
<SE # Were you hired then? SE>
<GW Hmm? GW>
<SE Were you hired?
Or working at home? SE>
<GW Hire- +…
I were working down at Noseley. GW>
<SE Oh yes.
Hmm. SE>
<GW For # Sir Arthur Edelry,
# used to be. GW>
<SE Hmm. SE>
<GW I used to see to four horses.
Work three and leave one for +…
Leave a quietish one for # someone else to work with the cart.
Do the # w- +…
jobbing work,
you see? GW>
<SE Hmm. SE>
<GW The +…
I had got one or two though,
as they wouldn’t have uh,
they daren’t work (th)em. GW>
<SE Hmm.
# [!= coughs] SE>
<GW There were one or two that # they daren’t work. GW>
<SE No. SE>
<GW I could get on with them like,
but +…
alright,
but # one or two that +…
I couldn’t leave them behind,
for (th)em to job about,
(be)cause they [/] they [\] daren’t work them. GW>
<SE [!= laughs]
Aye.
# What was the best horse you ‘ve # ever had?
Did you ever # show one or anything like that? SE>
<GW No,
I ‘d have a horse that was +…
got [/] got [\] them instead of the xxx was a good price. GW>
<SE Yes. SE>
<GW # I ‘ll tell you what I once did.
That was when the +…
# I was working at Noseley then.
# It was in nineteen twenty four when the Royal Show was at [/] was at [\] uh # Leicester.
On the Stocking Farm. GW>
<SE Hmm. SE>
<GW It ‘s (a) built uh [/] built [\] up area now.
# made a # [/] a [\] field gate and # cut # an oak tree down,
# for +…
and blacked the posts out of it,
you know,
and something,
took it and hung it at uh the Royal Show. GW>
<SE Aye. SE>
<GW [!= laughs]
There in’t many could say that. GW>
<SE No.
Not a [/] an [\] ordinary +…
I mean just the carpenters and # fancy gates and that,
other than that.
There in’t many ordinary peo- people as can say that. GW>
<SE Hmm. SE>
<GW Take a # gate and +…
# Make a gate and # cut [/] cut [\] the posts out and that.
An ordinary fellow. GW>
<SE Hmm. SE>
<GW How many as can uh say they ‘ve done that and took [: taken] that to the Royal Show,,
is there? GW>
<SE Hmm.
How did you get that uh job then? SE>
<GW # Well I # [/] I was working down at Noseley,
[!= coughs]
and # Sir Arthur # did want me to do this.
And I ‘d +…
I tried to get out of it,
but he [/] he [\] wanted me to do it,
so of course # I couldn’t very well get out of it.
[!= laughs]
So I had to it xxx anyway.
Trying to make sure +…
an excuse you see,
and get out of the job,
(be)cause I mean,
# I didn’t feel +…
I hadn’t xxx tackling the job of going to the Roy- +…
taking something to the Royal Show,
you know. GW>
<SE Hmm. SE>
<GW But anyway +… GW>
<SE But you did. SE>
<GW Yes. GW>
<SE Hmm.
# And # you had a farm at home +…
like,
all the time.
Did you live at home? SE>
<GW No.
No.
I # have uh had this # since those days,
you see.
I see. GW>
<SE I see. SE>
<GW [!= coughs]
I ‘ve taken this on my own,
uh of course.
(Of) course my father never had a farm or anything like that. GW>
<SE Oh,
I see. SE>
<GW No. GW>
<SE What did your father do then? SE>
<GW He went to uh ordinary work. GW>
<SE I see. SE>
<GW This is my own # affair.
And when I were in the army,
I was drawing three shillings a week. GW>
<SE [!= laughs] SE>
<GW I started work,
I ‘d five shillings a week and got to do everything +…
and lived at home and got everything to provide.
Five shillings a week.
# And every- +…
Keep myself,
everything to provide.
I mean it wasn’t living in or anything and getting my # keep you see and this # on top.
I ‘d got everything.
Living,
out of it,
this five shilling and everything.
When I first started.
Well,
then uh +…
when I was in my +…
in the army,
it was seven shilling a week’s +…
Uh you see,
# you were paid Sunday (the) same as another day.
Well then,
I allowed half that to my mother. GW>
<SE Hmm. SE>
<GW And yet I ‘ve [/] I ‘ve [\] been a bit thrifty and +…
Now I ‘ve got here,
# about (a) hundred acres.
[!= laughs] GW>
<SE [!= laughs]
Have you? SE>
<GW [!= laughs] GW>
<SE Hmm. SE>
<GW You see,
# some people haven’t got the [/] haven’t got the [\] pluck to # tackle anything xxx xxx xxx. GW>
<SE No. SE>
<GW # See?
# They haven’t +…
You know,
they [/] they they [\] ‘d like to and +…
but they ‘re # timid.
They daren’t # just launch out. GW>
<SE Hmm. SE>
<GW And uh # do you know?
I ‘ve had some of the fattest cattle that went in to Leicester market. GW>
<SE # Hmm. SE>
<GW Some of the fattest best cattle that went into Leicester market.
The butcher used to come round me,
uh beg of me to sell (th)em for xxx xxx instead of putting (th)em through the auction. GW>
<SE Aye.
# Hmm. SE>
<GW I used to have some good bullocks. GW>
<SE Hmm.
Have you always gone in for sheep as well? SE>
<GW Yes. GW>
<SE Hmm. SE>
<GW I think I ‘ve topped the market # some of the time # in +…
with sh- +…
fat sheep.
# Some weeks.
# And I could sell my bullocks +…
They were fat.
Whereas some of these people that reckoned to be in a bigger way and be grazing men,
you know,
they +…
Well,
they weren’t up to it.
They [/] they [\] ‘d have to bring (th)em home (be)cause they couldn’t sell (th)em. GW>
||
<GW And uh several years,
# I ‘ve never [/] I ‘ve never [\] shear- sheared my sheep without washing them.
Not yet.
But it ‘s [/] it ‘s it ‘s [\] a fashion that ‘s gone out a lot,
you know. GW>
<SE Yeah. SE>
<GW Well I ‘ve never [/] I ‘ve never [\] sheared mine yet # without washing.
(Of) course I always go down and wash +…
know the people,
do you know.
And I go and dip then for (th)em.
# I mean I ‘ve dipped as many as fourteen hundred sheep,
in a summertime round here you know. GW>
<SE Hmm. SE>
<GW Aye.
it ‘s handling a few,
you know.
I actually dip them,
you see?
And I actually wash them for shearing.
Have done for some years.
Well I ‘ve never sheared yet without washing.
And several years,
or +…
# (A)bout three others and myself,
in the top prices,
in +…
you know,
in the ad- +…
best advertise,
that sort of thing.
# When they used to have a [/] an [\] open uh +…
[!= coughs]
auction,
you see.
(A) public auction at Leicester in the +…
down at the Granby Halls.
# Well for several years,
there were three others and myself in the top prices.
In +…
On the # heading,
like.
# Well one [/] one [\] year,
I mean everybody practically ‘s shown sheep at that time of day,
you know. GW>
<SE Hmm. SE>
<GW Almost everybody.
More than they are now.
# But one year in particular,
I [/] I [\] beat everybody in price.
# Aye. GW>
<SE Hmm. SE>
<GW Individually,
beat everybody.
# [!= coughs]
So in +…
You achieve a bit of something,,
don’t you? GW>
<SE Yes. SE>
<GW [!= laughs] GW>
<SE This washing of them,
do you get a better price for the wool if you wash them? SE>
<GW Oh aye.
You +…
I should think it ‘d be about uh eightpence or ninepence a pound more. GW>
<SE Is it? SE>
<GW Oh,
it pays for washing. GW>
<SE Aye. SE>
<GW Now you see,
[!= coughs]
# you get eightpence or ninepence a pound,
# and a sheep cuts # five or six pound,
# well uh uh I mean there ‘s five shillings for you,,
in’t there? GW>
<SE Hmm. SE>
<GW Well,
that ‘s money you know. GW>
<SE Aye. SE>
<GW Five shillings a sheep money,
you know. GW>
<SE Hmm. SE>
<GW It doesn’t cost five shillings a +…
each to wash (th)em,
you know. GW>
<SE No. SE>
<GW Well,
you know,
when the w- +…
this last war started,
# uh before [/] before [\] that they +…
it used to be sold by public auction at Leicester.
They used to have two days on view. GW>
<SE Hmm. SE>
<GW And I said to one +…
[!= coughs]
when I [/] when I [\] took it in once,
I said to the +…
one of the auctioneers,
I says,
+” Well how do they know what they +… “+
They used to +…
These merchants used to go and have a couple of days # looking,
in fetching it,
you see?
Before the sale.
I says,
+” Well how do they know # what they ‘re going to # give for this wool? “+
+” Well, “+
he says,
+” I asked [/] I asked [\] the same question myself. “+
# He says,
+” And this here wool stapler,
told me,
he said if [/] if [\] we couldn’t value [/] value [\] it to the tenth of a penny, “+
he said,
+” We shouldn’t be wanted. “+
So I mean it ‘s fine valuing.
I +…
(Be)cause I mean,
the variety uh and classes of wool there is,
you know,
it takes a bit of doing. GW>
<SE Hmm. SE>
<GW So I mean they ‘ve got to know +…
understand their job,
to value it to the # tenth of a penny,,
haven’t they? GW>
<SE Oh yes. SE>
<GW Well,
that ‘s what he told me.
He says,
+” I asked the same question myself,
and he [/] he [\] told me,
if I +…
if we couldn’t value it to the tenth of a penny,
per pound, “+
he said,
+” It +…
We [/] we [\] shouldn’t be wanted.”+ GW>
<SE Hmm. SE>
<GW [!= coughs]
Well,
I tell you,
I beat everybody individually.
One year in particular.
But I were they ‘re uh +…
For several years,
there were # myself and # (a)bout three others,
in the headlines.
# Well then,
when the +…
when this last war started,
the government took it over,
you see. GW>
<SE Hmm. SE>
<GW They requisitioned it.
Well when the +…
# My mother was alive at that time,
and uh # when [/] when uh when [\] they sent the # [/] the [\] weight of wool back and the # prices,
xxx,
that sort of thing,
and the cheque,
I just opened,
had a look and see what it come [: came] to in +…
# the cheque come [: came] in value that sort of thing,
# and uh # I didn’t take much notice of it.
And I handed it to my mother to have a look at,
you know.
# She soon seen [: saw] written on the bottom,
+” This is a very nice clip of wool,
has been well looked after,
and they ‘ve given you the top price. “+
That was written +…
I says,
+” Here.
Let’s have a look at that.
I xxx +… “+
[!= laughs]
I hadn’t seen it.
[!= laughs] GW>
<SE You missed that. SE>
<GW She soon saw it though. GW>
<SE Hmm. SE>
<GW Well that was written on the bottom.
+” This is a very nice clip of wool,
and has been well looked after.
And we ‘ve given you the top price # for it. “+ GW>
<SE Hmm. SE>
<GW Well I mean what do +…
[!= laughs] GW>
<SE Aye.
It ‘s worth doing. SE>
<GW Aye.
Well I [/] I [\] sh- +…
I expect it ‘s about somewhere.
But I don’t know where.
# that ‘s quite true. GW>
<SE Hmm. SE>
<GW there ‘s no romance about it.
[!= laughs] GW>
<SE No. SE>
Transcription by Juhani Klemola and Mark Jones, 1999 See http://digital.library.leeds.ac.uk/381/1/LSE_1999_pp17-30_Klemola_Jones_article.pdf and http://www2.iath.virginia.edu/ach-allc.99/proceedings/scott.html
