Individual results

Interviewee: Peter Hayden
Interviewer: Helen Whitcombe

Track 1
Born 29 April 1964, in Hong Kong. Father was in British Army. Lived there until aged 4 years old. Moved to various army bases in Britain. Came to Coventry aged 8 years old. Moving around all the time was horrible, no long term friendships. Had a lot of family around. Stayed in Coventry because Dad had left the army, found work here, as a carpenter and later the Lord Mayor's chauffeur. Kids known as 'Army Brats', segregated, different to other kids.

Track 2
Regimental army camp lifestyle. Strange to come to Coventry and know they were going to be there for a long time. Dad in a normal job, him in a normal school, making long term friends, growing up with people. Dad was a Bandsman in the army, wanted to settle down, so left. Didn't know his Dad for first eight years of his life, thought it was normal. Had stronger bond with Mother. Tried to get to know him when they lived in Coventry.

Track 3
Took a while to get used to. Getting to know his dad's family. Parents separated when he was about 14 years old. Thinks Dad was selfish for leaving his Mum. They became enemies for a while after that. Would scheme to get them back together but it never worked, eventually accepted it. Not a good relationship with Dad, they have separate lives now. Mum is dead now. First impressions of Coventry - lived with Auntie in Earlsdon, very cramped.

Track 4
Ten minutes from city centre. Totally different to anywhere they had lived before, not sure why they came to Coventry. Have done well out of it, education, jobs, career opportunities. Went to Sidney Stringer Secondary School, and Frederick Bird Junior School. Mum tried to get him into the same class as his brother although he was older. Got bullied for being an army brat. Moved to Foleshill, there was a school close by but he was too old to go there. Has two brothers and a sister, they were close when they were growing up.

Track 5
Close because Dad wasn't around. When they moved to Coventry they didn't get on as well. Four of them sharing a room at one point. Now they don't have a relationship, have grown apart since his Mum died. Mum was like a shepherdess, kept them together. They used to bump into each other, meet up, chat. Now they have lost their focal point. Siblings only talk to him when they needed something.

Track 6
Quite sad, would like more of a family. Doesn't think it will change. Arguments after Mum's funeral. But has got back in touch with Uncle, they are friends again, feels closer to Mum. When Mum was ill, his siblings didn't believe him. She went to hospital, found out she was very ill.

Track 7
Said Mum didn't have long to live, siblings not that bothered. Mum stayed with Uncle when she died, he felt guilty that he wasn't there for her. Problem that Mum's grave doesn't have a headstone, brothers and uncle were supposed to sort it out, he had given lots of money. Decided to sort it out.

Track 8
Money had disappeared. Hopes to get headstone sorted out by his Mum's birthday. This has got him and his uncle back together. School - Sidney Stringer had a reputation for being a stupid person's school. He left school without any qualifications, but thinks he is intelligent. Thinks he has done better than a lot of people who slaved over exams. Has had good jobs. Didn't see the point of exams, he wanted to work. Worked as an ice cream van boy from 12 years old. Made lots of money. Much happier working. Left school age 16 years old. Got bullied at school.

Track 9
Decided to take action against the bullies, made a list and took them all on. Gained their respect, never got hassled after that. Went into a Youth Opportunities Scheme. Worked in E.P. Welding factory before that as an apprentice. Then trained to be a painter, decorator, builder etc. Then decided to do better, approached a financial company for a job. They gave him a three month trial.

Track 10
They took him on after that. Then went somewhere else. Then got a job with BCCI. Trips to London, big expenses account. Posh hotels. Take prospective clients out for meals, hiring escorts for them, hiring limos, paid for it out of company funds. Probably why they went bust! Then decided to go into advertising. Worked for Coventry Weekly News.

Track 11
Under pressure at work. A great buzz when you hit your targets. Trying to sell the last page of adverts on deadline day. Became supervisor. Got into trouble for dropping his tobacco tin in Midland Bank - they called the police because they thought it was a bomb or something. Fire engines, bomb squad, evacuated the building.

Track 12
Then started work for an ice cream company, doing shows for them. Working on show grounds, made a fortune. It was a rip off, used to have to pay an extortionate amount for ice creams. Worked at 'T in the Park', in Glasgow, people couldn't leave the show ground once they had paid to get in. Made a fortune selling drinks, cigarettes. Went back into advertising after that.

Track 13
Coventry 'Why' magazine. Became manager, a lot of pressure. Had enough after a while as it made him quite ill. He quit, had a nervous breakdown. Spent three weeks in Walsgrave Psychiatric Hospital. Someone set fire to his bed.
Interruption…

Track 14
Didn't think he should have been there. Started when he didn't go to work one day, but thought he had. Started drinking. Then had a row with partner, Susan. Had a fight with his friend. Decided that he needed some help. Got tested for drugs, then was put into psychiatric ward, as a 'special'.

Track 15
Dad came to visit but annoyed him, thought he was going to kill him. Hit a nurse. He was scared, thought he shouldn't be there. Got friendly with a patient called Kevin, and a girl called Avril. He thought he could help them.
Track 16
Kevin lost it, and he talked to him. Eventually Kevin got through it. Avril wrote poetry, nurses let him talk to her. She asked her to read them, but all she really wanted was attention.

Track 17
She started to get a bit better. He was given the opportunity to go home. Stayed indoors for weeks after that. He was in hospital for three weeks. He used to hide from people, not talk to visitors. He was quite happy though. Didn't like to be around too many people. He saw some really sick people in hospital.

Track 18
An experience he wouldn't trade. Has seen people at their lowest, this has made him a better person, made him stronger. Now he takes time out if he feels under pressure. Hard bit was putting his life back on track. He hardly knew his best friend. Susan helped him through it. Eventually started to get better, back to his old self.

Track 19
A slow and painful process. Hard to convince people you were the same person, hard to get back into work. Started working as a car valet, first time he had done manual work. Went for the job wearing a suit, had to start the next day. Had to clean the car, more involved than he thought, could take up to three hours. Didn't earn much to start. Had to learn to do it, build up. Made enough for he and Susan to manage on.

Track 20
Got asked to run three sites. Has worked for four companies now, got to be Operations Director. Has now just started his own car valet business. Has built up a good reputation.
Interruption…

Track 21
Has just got a job for a new paint protection product. Always wants to be the best at what he does. Last company he worked for dropped him. Phoned up his contacts who helped him out. Has secured several contracts. Thinks he has taken lots of different jobs because he can never settle, stems from his army childhood - being 'better than the Joneses' rather than just keeping up with them. Wanted to do more than one thing.

Track 22
Thinks he can build up the business make it a success. Enjoys having meetings with important people. Has always managed to do better than people expected, doing things people didn't want him to. Got his ears pierced and his hair dyed because his Grandad told him not to, a bit of a rebel. Didn't like his parents forcing him to do things. Would stay out late, but didn't like going against his Mum.

Track 23
Still a bit of a rebel. Future - doesn't like to think about it too much, doesn't like planning ahead. Thinks he can make a success out of the business. He may end up having another change of career. Wants his daughters to have a better life than he did. Makes sure he spends as much time with them as he can. Doesn't really drink anymore. Does everything for his kids.

Track 24
Is going to teach the oldest one to play instruments. Is content with the way his life has turned out, as it could have gone really badly. Likes to work for his money, doesn't have debts. Thinks his life has gone quite well. Coventry - he doesn't go into town very often, gets confused that it keeps changing all the time, things keep disappearing, shops etc.

Track 25
Finds it all confused, worries that one of these days he is going to get lost in the city centre. Shops closing all the time. 'The Shambles' arcade where his Mum used to work is being shut down. Not sure the changes are going to be that good for Coventry. Thinks he is possibly a Coventry person. Happy for girls to grow up there, knows a lot of people.

Coventry Lives Oral History Project, date of birth: 29/04/1964