Individual results

Interviewee: Mrs. Pat Watkins (born about 1910)

Track 1
(Starts late at 2 mins 23 sec)
When first lived at Binley. The old school which is now

Track 2
cafe on corner of Brinklow Road, was our school. Saw new school being built at Binley. Builders lost money from kids' (children's) damage. Master was cruel swine to boys. Gave them vicious caning.

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Always had homework to do. Mum went to school to chastise teacher for not teaching us properly. Kept separate from lads. Learned housekeeping. Lit fire, cleaned and cooked meals at school. Was clever at sewing and knitting.

Track 4
Knitted combinations with a flap for toilet use. Got a certificate to hang on wall. No school buses. First school sat on benches. School now a cafe. What builders built one day we smashed the next.

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Stick never hurt unruly boy. His dad was a miner. Binley was mining village. Blackberrying. Went to town with mum to shop, walked, no buses. No shop in village. Bought cheese in market.

Track 6. Were poor, but never went without. Had small items and fruit at Xmas.

Track 7
Always poultry at Xmas dinner, homebred. We all had pigs. Local man bred the pit canaries. When new seam, took canaries to see if it was safe from gas. Some new seams flooded. Clean out the pigs on Saturday mornings.

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We all kept pigeons and rabbits, and rats and mice. Brother had a rat on a lead. No one had more money than anyone else. Only the eldest child had new clothes and were handed down. When a pig was killed everyone had a share. Wages was nothing. Only two families in village had less than three kids. All had eight plus. Dad worked down mine and had corduroy trousers tied with lace below the knees.

Track 10.

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Mum sent for when accidents. Mother had been down Binley pit several times. "Fetch Granny Evans." Had twelve kids (children) to bring up. Helped at childbirths. Lad accidentally burned.
Track 12. He recovered. Pit ambulance, then walked back. Lay on belly to drink ice cold stream water at bottom of Gulson hill. Mum threatened to smack behinds if playing about with boys.
Track 13. Sacking put over shoes in icy weather not to slip. Made everything you wanted. Hop scotch. Made 5 stones. Went into field with boy. Slapped his face for undoing my blouse.
Track 14. Calamity with 7 month baby. Don't tell her mother she was pregnant before wedding. Let pigs out and got good hiding. Dad never hit us girls. But used his belt on the lads.
Track 15. Mum punished us girls. Hated cleaning windows and whiting steps but had to do it. Got cane at school. When leaving school we would go to Blumels factory at Wolston and then to GEC when it was built and some went to the Chain at Spon End.
Track 16. Walked. Didn't like going into town to work. Not town people. Had to go there to shop. Village shop had little to sell. Kept pigs and fowl so always had a meal. Long gardens for veg growing. Self sufficient. Celluloid at Blumels. Cycle pumps and guards. Worked at GEC for years and was forewoman.
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Clever at my job. That's why I've got bad eye sight. Thous. Measurements. Started at 7-30 and walked there. Had tea while working. Working in brass and steel. Not well paid at GEC. There a long time.

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Had a great time there. Didn't get dirty so went dressed up. Chap took me home from dance. Had a job to hide in the village. Cuddled up to keep warm in army coat.

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Raining. Wet through. Dad asked him if he wanted bread and cheese. First snowdrops from Top Woods. Proposal. "Will have to ask my mum."

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He'd already told my dad. Asked verger to marry us. Married at 8, and out of village by 9. Wedding breakfast at Leamington was poached egg on toast.

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50 bob tailors. Mother-in-law made dress. Dad didn't like my previous boy friend who brought me suck and chocolates. Great married life with Bert
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He could do anything with a piece of wood. Never had any kids. Didn't want any. Bert's wish, but I agreed. His brother had ailment. Brought up with a house full. Always lived at Walsgrave after married.

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Mum said I couldn't keep my mouth shut. Mum pulled my hair and slapped my face. Eton crop. Beautiful hair. Second hand furniture to start.

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All paid for. Didn't owe a penny. 50 bob (shilling) suit. Walked along canal. 100 year old cottage. An outing to go into City. Went to Crown Cinema and Palladium.

Track 25
Eight of us chucked out for making noise. Enjoyable courtship going up the lane. Bert got wet waiting for me while I was washing my hair. He was stationed at Bath, in army. I worked at Morris in war.

Track 26
Earned a lot of money. Rationing. Black market. I was at Bath for VE day. Took food down to Bath to help them out.

Track 27
Had to sort ourselves out at War's end. Don't know how this generation would cope in another war. Have lived through two wars. Was about 6 years old in first war. Brother Jack got wounded and came home and I filled tin bath for him in front of fire. His clothes were covered in lice. Mum boiled them in soda.

Track 28
He was later killed. Mum was worried he wasn't buried properly. He'd volunteered at 16 years of age. All my brothers were called up. Dad was a sailor.

Track 29
There's as many foreigners in this island than us British. Haven't got time for Asians. More in Coventry than Coventry kids.

Track 30
Coventry ain't like it used to be. Am disgusted with it. Too many foreigners. Before I was married we would go on the Bunny run. Can't do that now. Folly Lane Tunnels. Well known for lovers. Had to explain to mum about the tunnels.

Track 31
Nice and dark. No one could see you. Mum threatened to tell father. Had a good life, the twelve of us. Basic. Lard in the week and butter on Sundays. Lard from own pigs. Ham too thin now you can't taste it. Neither a lender or borrower be. Do without.

Track 32
Never thought about stupid millennium. Someone is making a lot of profit out of it. Don't have much to do with outside world.
END
Coventry Lives Oral History Project, date of birth: c1910