D229
<F Gl4>
<S William Elliott>
<G M>
<A 80>
<O RETIRED LABOURER>
<C GLOUCESTERSHIRE>
<V WHITESHILL>
<D 12-12-55>
<I SE>
<L CN S83>
<T 5:40>
<WE Oh,
it was hard times then. WE>
<SE Hmm. SE>
<WE They had to # go out,
and # [/] and [\] dance about and get a bit where you could and uh +… WE>
<SE Hmm. SE>
<WE You didn’t go to the +…
Like what they do at the labour exchange.
They find you work.
You had to walk about for it.
Then we had to walk uh probably two or three mile,
an hour walking try +…
and time allowed.
# No pay nor nothing. WE>
<SE Hmm.
# And did you get very much food? SE>
<WE Just rough and enough.
Nothing +…
you know,
special,
you couldn’t +…
Your money didn’t run to it then. WE>
<SE No.
Hmm.
No,
things were difficult,,
weren’t they? SE>
<WE Oh yes.
Yes. WE>
<SE Well,
how did a labouring man # bring up a family on the wages they got in those days. SE>
<WE Well,
it was done.
[!= laughs] WE>
<SE Aye.
But they ‘d +… SE>
<WE Oh but +/. WE>
<SE Nothing spare. SE>
<WE Oh no.
There was nothing to spare.
There was # not nor more in their garden,
look.
They had a big gardens.
You wouldn’t see this one like # it is now,
running so wild.
Grown like to +…
It ‘d be all worked up.
# After doing a day’s work,
you ‘d a come round,
and # have another go at a bit (of the) garden,
to get some grub together.
# Vegetables.
You don’t see it being used now,
nothing much. WE>
||
<SE Where would they bake their bread then,
in the old days? SE>
<WE Oh,
like what you got now.
They had to get it up in front of the fire.
# Get [/] get [\] it +…
The tripod in there,
and # put the plate on and # [/] and [\] then you getting toasted and keep your bit of # cooked food warm on that. WE>
<SE Hmm.
But if [/] if [\] a woman was baking bread,
loaves of bread,
# she wouldn’t make them in a little oven like that? SE>
<WE Oh no.
No.
Not +…
The ovens are +…
They were # baking bread.
That wasn’t the dough.
# that ‘s only just for baking a tart or anything. WE>
<SE Well,
would they have a big brick oven for # baking loaves of bread? SE>
<WE Oh yes.
Yes.
They had ovens.
# Some got (th)em in the uh old houses now.
They haven’t been done away with,
I don’t think. WE>
||
<SE Pretty old fashioned fireplace,,
isn’t it? SE>
<WE Yes.
Yes. WE>
<SE What ‘s that thing? SE>
<WE # Oh,
that ‘s the bar to go over # [/] to go over [\] the [/] over the [\] +…
All their kettle and that on,
look see. WE>
<SE Oh yes. SE>
<WE That chain is what they used to have in the old fashioned time,
you see,
you used to get a hook on there and you could # put the +…
the pots used to be # a little bit different to what they be now,
look see,
and their handles ‘d come over like the kettle look,
and # then that ‘d uh +…
They ‘d uh hang it up to cook it.
Here,
here ‘s an old fashioned pot.
That didn’t use to get so many as what you do get now. WE>
<SE Did they use to do that business of # cooking a whole meal in one pot. SE>
<WE Yes.
Yes.
that ‘s what I mean.
We did use to have that and you used to get the # bit of bacon,
or meat or whatever it was,
and the ve- +…
different kind of vegetables.
It was all mixed up together look,
and # away you go and a little bit of suety dump over the top.
[!= laughs] WE>
<SE It was good food. SE>
<WE Oh aye.
Aye.
It was.
[!= laughs]
I used to get it. WE>
<SE Aye.
# What kind of work have you done then? SE>
<WE In the building trade chiefly.
Oh well,
I used to do anything,
look.
You know,
# when I was out of a job,
look,
we had to go about and get what we could look.
In time gone by.
It was no # labour exchange nor nothing that then. WE>
<SE No. SE>
<WE Not for to go and do it look. WE>
<SE And how long have you been retired? SE>
<WE Beg pardon? WE>
<SE How long have you been retired? SE>
<WE # Oh,
about # twenty five year,
I expect. WE>
<SE Have you? SE>
<WE I xxx had to give up on account of my health look. WE>
<SE Oh yes. SE>
<WE You see,
# I think I was about uh +…
I wouldn’t be sure whether I was turned fifty seven or uh [/] or uh [\] uh or gone,
when [/] when [\] I retired from work look.
course I used to +…
xxx xxx sickness look see,
and # if I did have any food it flinged back look.
You see,
and then I did uh have it,
and then I went to the doctor,
I ‘d been xxx till I went there,
and then # I went into hospital and the examination,
then he had I out,
and then I come out and course,
(a) day or two after look and they told I that uh +…
+” No good riding xxx about anymore Mr. Coleman,
have a rest. “+
that was at +…
What xxx xxx xxx said.
+” And a good one. “+
Then he says I uh was to # go and # retire work.
+” No good to worry anything about any more work. “+
(I) had to give it up. WE>
<SE Hmm. SE>
<WE So I haven’t done nothing [/] nothing [\],
not since look. WE>
<SE I see. 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
