Individual results

Interviewee: Mr Surjit Meer
Interviewer: Helen Whitcombe

Track 1
Age 26 years. Born in Coventry. Medium sized family, extended family live in the area. Got on well with siblings when young. Lived with Grandparents at first, extended family living in two house, cramped. Then moved age 13 years, had own room, important to have his own space. Room was small and cosy. Strong relationship with parents. Punishment for staying out late.

Track 2
Tried to run away as a youngster. Dad has influenced him, worked hard all his life, hard step for him to come over from India. Admires his mother, came over to England to start a new life. Came over for better job prospects. Grandad came over first. Parents very religious, doesn't really agree with that. Lives with his parents, spend time together, especially Sundays. When younger spent all his time with friends.

Track 3
Special family occasions - weddings in India and England, brilliant, hectic, traditions. Religion is important, spirituality. Family holidays to India, parents acted differently in India. Schools: Radford and Barrs Hill. First day at secondary school top button broke on his trousers! Very happy at school, in popular group, never bullied. Interruption…

Track 4
Hated lessons at school, misbehaving in class. Teachers, giving up on the pupils. Didn't do that well at school. Parents had a market business, selling clothes. Always thought would go into family business so didn't work that hard at school, but things didn't work out. Wanted to be a good businessman or to become the first Asian footballer. Spare time: art, drawing, playing with catapults, football, swimming, girls. Girls were top priority.

Track 5
Used to go to parks in Barrs Hill. Asian girls couldn't really go out, and they couldn't be seen together in public. Had day time parties, 12-5pm, all the Asian kids used to get together and get drunk. Found Coventry a bit rough in the evenings, experienced racism. First job as a hairdresser, three year college course, not much money. Spent money on cannabis from age 17 years, used to smoke it all the time. Clothes and fashion, Bros style. Important to look good, spent money on hair.

Track 6
His appearance less important now. After hairdressing got kicked out of college, worked in family shop. Worked at NEC in security. Lost a lot of friends because of the drugs. Drugs experiences made him want to become a youth worker and drug counsellor, which is what he does now. Unemployed for four years, bored, spent money on drugs, got into trouble with the police. Used to sell cannabis, robbed a coach. Now a reformed character. Doesn't think he would have become a youth worker if he hadn't been through those experiences.

Track 7
Wants to become an Asian drugs worker, help young people. Thinks he is a Coventry person, through and through. Proud of it. Keen to see more of the world. Loves going to India, would like to go to South and North America, especially Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Has sense of community in the Asian community. Importance of growing up together, sticking together. Living in Hillfields. Spare time, doesn't have much time because of counselling work. Enjoys painting, listening to music, writing songs.

Track 8
[mentions "Chris" meaning Chris Christie, who has also been interviewed for Coventry Lives] Music. Hopes to do what he wants to do, show people that he could get out of the gutter. Would hate to let himself down. Biggest issues, drugs and unemployment. Wants to stop kids before they get started on drugs, get more information, more youth clubs and drop-in centres.

Coventry Lives Oral History Project, date of birth: 25/06/1974