Individual results

Interviewees: George Stanley Pitt and Yvonne Pitt
Logged by Maurice Rattigan

Track 1
Born in 1935, in I believe, Gulson Road Hospital in Coventry. There are six of us, three boys and three girls . When I was evacuated I had one brother and one sister. I lived at Bolingbrooke Road, backed onto the Humber. Can remember November Blitz. Down the shelter. One or two nearby houses bombed. Dad was warden. Then in second Blitz, our house was down. Went to St Marys Hall and then, me and my brother, were

Track 2
taken to Rugby and put with a Hillmorton childless couple. After two years my brother left but I stopped five years and had good education. Came back when woman had a baby. Blitz was exciting time. Once came out shelter and went into damaged house and there was a time bomb there. Picked up shrapnel and bullets and incendiary bombs. Going to Rugby was a different life. Mum came about twice. No transport.

Track 3
Mother wrote. Village school and enjoyed it. When I came back we had moved to Telfor Road, Radford. Mid- terraced, a bit cramped with four kids. At Xmas time at Rugby I'd put eats and drinks out for Father Christmas and then back at Coventry I found out dad was Father Xmas. Quite a comedown. Really believed it at 10 years old. Went to Hill Farm School and had couple of fights. I used to box a bit. Then Barker Butts, Coundon, a single sex school. Played for school at rugby and after played for old boys until injured.

Track 4
Dad was cabinet maker but I wanted to be an engineer and done metal work at school but left school at 15 years old, to be a carpenter. Took 11+ (examination) but didn't pass. So I've no qualifications. Didn't realise until later the value of school.

Track 5
Parents came from Liverpool to earn money in factory. I started at GEC, but no apprenticeship available but managed to get one at Courtaulds and done five year apprentice until 21 years old.

Track 6
Started on less than 10 shillings a week. With a shilling or two rises. By time I finished I was on £5 a week. Mum took £4 and I had a £1. Would meet old school chums and they got me dancing at Standard club at 18 years old. I enjoyed the girls and the dancing Alf Kendall and Betty Armstrong had a dance school in Lower Ford Street.

Track 7
Once I'd learned basic steps, I could now go to other dance halls. Monday was the GEC, Tuesday was the Casino, Wednesday Locarno, Thursday the Centre, Friday Merick Lodge, Saturday Matrix. Meeting different people all the time. They were packed and had little room to dance. Two bob (two shillings) to go in. Live bands. 12 or 14 piece.

Track 8
Had hideous dress sense. Let our hair down. Couldn't afford dance shoes. I was in Courtaulds cricket team and had pieces in company magazine about dancing. Finished apprenticeship on 15th June and next day I was in Forces for 2 years, National Service. I had been deferred until I had finished apprenticeship.

Track 9
Aldershot Barracks. Went in with hair and then it went. I was 21 years old, and the others were 18 years old. Really enjoyed it. Couldn't do my trade unless I signed on 5 years so became a cook. Training at Lichfield and then went to Honeybourne attached to Long Marston Engineers Depot catering for 500 men. Was an adventure. Parents and girl friend visited at Aldershot but after posted got weekend passes. With my girl fiend then we would do competition dancing and was in the Coventry formation team.

Track 10
Competing against teams around the country. We beat top team in the country. Enjoyed army drill. Dropped rifle once and run round parade ground 10 times with rifle held overhead. Got polio and was in isolation hospital for 3 months and lost use of left leg.

Track 11
Thought I'd never dance again but overcame it through hard work. Invalided out of army and went back to Courtaulds as Maintenance carpenter. Very happy. Then moved to plastics engineering with Courtaulds. For 8 or 9 years then made redundant after 20 years with company. Offered work by them outside Coventry so took redundancy money.

Track 12
Can't remember wedding day. 23 years old, when wed. She was 21years old. Met her in formation team training. She came from Evesham. Nice wedding. Her parents market gardeners. Wed at Bretforton, near Evesham, and had reception in Evesham.

Track 13
Honeymoon in London watching dancing at the Locarno while recording for TV programme "Come Dancing". Frequent Coventry championships. Three times winners.

Track 14
Didn't drink so didn't spend much. Special late buses run for dancers. Went to Jaguar as Maintenance carpenter for 18 years. Last E type adorned with coffin. So I was out of work again. Went on Council run job training project and got job as instructor.

Track 15
Then trained school kids for 2 weeks for job opportunities in all trades. 15 or 16 year olds. A week in workshop then a week in job placement.

Track 16
When we got wed we bought this house in Handford Crescent for £2600. A lot of money then. Being freeman of city I went to Guild and they lent me £100 towards deposit. We're still here after 42 years. Enjoyed it. Coventry was a lovely city with Godiva on the island but they've changed it a lot. Not one for town now. Rarely go into it now.

Track 17
Kept scrap book about Coventry when I was a kid. New Cathedral. Very impressed with exterior but not with inside. Too modern. Only one decent ballroom left now. Used to be a pleasure to come into town. Not now. It's a no-go area. Precinct OK when first built.

Track 18
Like Coventry Market. Remember old market when young. Shelton Square OK. Go to B'ham to shop now. Liked Broadgate Island. Owens good shop then. John Spencer who runs the Blitz ball and works for charity tried to get OAP drop-in centre.

Track 19
He tried to get old Fire Station but Council vetoed it. He went round New Skydome in Spon Street and he didn't like it. Have to go to Solihull for dance competitions now. No demand for ballroom dancing now. Have danced abroad in Holland and Germany. Very popular in Germany and now in Italy it is popular.

Track 20
When teenager, went to Hippodrome in the gods. Had to queue for pictures then. Coventry was a mecca of dance halls and cinemas. After wed three years we had a son, Andrew, then another boy, and then two years later another boy. Had a baby sitter so we could dance once a week. With three kids it was curtailed. All married.

Track 21
All got own homes and we have four grandchildren. Youngest 8 months old. Our lads weren't interested in dancing. Pubs have taken over from ballrooms. Oldest got apprenticeship at Courtaulds and is now at Rugby Cement. Middle lad is a welder at Coventry Pressed Patterns. And third son is policeman at Little Park Street Station. All turned out well.

Track 22
Not many Asian competitive dancers. Only knew one coloured dancer. I've no prejudice. Hard working to set up businesses. Coventry is going to get worse. Too much demolition. They want to dump Godiva now. Should be out in the open.

Track 23
Take her out of the Bedouin tent and put a garden around her. I don't think council are improving the city. Many shops closing. Can park free at Kenilworth, Stratford or Warwick to shop. Both parents dead and buried in Coventry and wife's parents buried in Cheltenham. Thought about getting burial bond so my kids can, without worry, bury me or scatter my ashes in a ballroom.

Track 24
Not safe in Coventry anymore. Too many muggings. Beggars. I buy Big Issue to help seller out. He's having a go. Won't even use cash machine. Prefer bank counter to get cash. Shoplifters get caught then do it again. Can't give them a clip around the ear. They know their rights.

Track 25
Probation. Probation. It's amazing.

Coventry Lives Oral History Project, date of birth: 1935