Individual results

Interviewee: Pearl Souter
Date of birth: 31/7/1935

Played aroung the village, where Walsgrave Hospital is now. Used to play cricket. Played with friends. No television in those days. People coming to Coventry because of booming industry. people coming from Scotland and Wales. Watch making, car industry, strong industry. Thinks her dead mother would turn in her grave if she knew about how the Japanese and Germans are investing in this country. Born in a area between Coventry and Nuneaton. Small village with a chapel and a pub. Used to have a bus service running to Nuneaton once a week. Still got one bus a week today. Now expensive area to buy a house. Born July 1935. Had a brother and a sister. Both died now. Both were much older her. Did not really get on well because they left home when she was very young. Went to work in Coventry. Brother tried to join the Navy but was refused 8 times. Sister had to jobs. Sister got married at 17. Sister was house wife with 7 children. Farm called Harold Greens where now Asda is. Mother and sister used to work at the dairy there. Lived in a rented three bedroom terraced house. Toilet was a bucket lavatory. Bucket was emptied once a week in the middle of the night. Does not know why they were emptied at night. House was built in 1935. Did not have any fire in the bedroom. Go in the front rooms on Christams day. No fridges until the 1960s. No washing machines. Had a gas boiler where they handwashed their clothes. Dried clothes on the lawn. Sometimes dried the clothes around the fire. Middle Broadgate was flattened. Woolworth had been bombed. Never been impressed by the buildings. Cold, square and ugly. Doesn't think Coventry is a good city. York is much better. Also bombed as much as Coventry during the war but now looks much better. Remembers the sound of the war planes when they were coming over. Could tell between the German planes and their own. Just saw a red glow (fire) when bombed. Lived very far away. Can't really remember much of the war. Evacuees used to come but were not staying for longer. Also had a desseter from Dunkirk. Did a run from Rugby Station. He stayed with her family until they came for him when word leaked out. Sister's mother-in-law was keeping her. She was a bit filthy. Kept pigs. Mum was a bit cleaner than she was. Visited him in Manchester after the war. Got married. Food rations lasted to about 1950s. Beginning of the end of rationing. Street lighting after the black outs. Did not know what a banana was like. Prisoner of War brought one, and wondered what it was. Children these days get everything. During her time birthday presents were really cherished. Played games like new market. Holidays , mother used to take her to Manchester every August to September. Was there on the VJ day. Somebody came and knocked the door and said the war was over. Had a street party. Piano, fireworks, Mayor came over. Everybody contributed something. Went to Ireland (Dublin Bay) afetr the war. Mother had an uncle there. Been to Dublin. Higher standard of living over there. Children running barefoot in the late 40s and early 50s. Life was difficult there then. At 16 went to a reconditioned railway carriage for a holiday with a friend. Been to Canada, Tunisia. Would like to go to Southern India. People very nice. The Egyptians beg but in a very intimidating way. Indians begged in a nice way. Went on various holidays with husband. Met husband in Coventry. Husband did national service in Egypt and Kenya. Mother died when 16. was looking after father at that time and working part time. Husband was working as a Bus Conductor. First date went to the pictures. Had two children. Not very close with each other. Very different people. One lives in Brandon and the other in Lion Ridges? Jane (daughetr) hated Coventry. Wanted to get away. First job was at Mattersons earning 25 shillings a week, office job. Manager was not very good. Had a dispute and left. Then went to work in a music shop selling records, pianos etc. Wages went down to 27 shillings and 6. Mother was poorly (cancer) then. Looking after mother as well. Mother died and then went on to part time jobs. Worked in Kiosk until got married. Worked with an Insurence Agency (selling and collecting insurence) for 25 years. Whole job was commissioned based. Worked in a betting shop in 1963 for a five and a half years before joining the Insurance company. Got a small pathetic pension. 1993 hurt abck and retired early. Likes garnening, holidaying etc. No specific hobby. No pleasure in getting older. Thinks Coventry? Cant say she is proud of it. Mixed feelings.

Coventry Lives Oral History Project, date of birth: 31/07/1935