Charlie Parker was born in 1943 in Worsbrough
Dale and has lived in Worsbrough all his life. He describes
the houses he grew up in and his family. His father worked in the Barrow pit
and then at the Worsbrough glasshouse. His mother
worked and had to care for the whole family after his father died. He talks
about his school memories where he saw plasticine and red apples for the first
time. During his spare time, he would walk everywhere with his friends and played
different games. They would catch newts in streams and play football on street.
He would also go on club trips and visit the cinema with his sister. He
remembers watching his first television and describes what it used to screen.
He talks about the changing surroundings of Worsbrough
for example increased in cars and the impact from it. He describes the huge
influx of people and developments within Worsbrough.
He talks about how local shops and pubs have gone out of business. He worked at
Needhams as an apprentice moulder before working at
the steelworks in Stocksbridge. He ends by talking about going to the Chapel,
and how baptisms were performed in a stream.
KH: Right then so we’re
in Worsbrough library it is the 19th of July 2018 and this is Kate Harper talking with Charlie Parker. So,
first of all Charlie can you just tell us - would you
mind telling us how old you are?
CP: Eh,
I’m just 75 so… [chuckles]
KH: …
Lo-lovely.
CP:
Yeah.
KH: And
have you lived in Worsbrough all your life?
CP: Yeah,
all my life yeah.
KH: Yeah,
where were you born?
CP: Eh
1 Melton Terrace, Bank End, Worsbrough Dale
KH: And
did you live all your childhood?
CP: Oh no no I didn’t no. In fact I were
born there but I think we moved to eh number 2 Welling Crescent (maybe
referring to Wellington Crescent) which weren’t far away d’you know what I mean.
KH:
Yeah.
CP: Yeah,
and then eh… then we lived in eh Worsbrough Dale in
West Street.
KH:
Yeah. What-what houses like?
CP: Houses
eh…
KH: That
you grew up in.
CP: Wer’
first house were like a fairly modern in a way were, I
think built in probably I’d say about [loud bang in background] 1930s but coal
electricity in that do you know what I mean.
KH: Eh
bathroom.
CP: Yeah
bathroom yeah in-inside bathroom yeah. I think it got a Yorkshire range though
funnily enough.
KH:
Alright.
CP: So meant to get a Yorkshire range and a set pot.
KH: A
set pot?
CP: Aye. A set - do you
know what a set pot is? Well a set pot is built inside
of the fireplace. And it is like a brick square eh will like a-a pot inside
made of iron and it’s got a grate in underneath that’s lit by a fire but when
eh eh for-for for ‘cause it lit by a fire, you got a smoke coming out
somewhere and it’s directed into the same chimney as your fireplace, you see. And
then used to boil your cloths in this. Do you see eh and-and then wash’ em eh … [loud bang in background]
KH:
Yeah.
CP: … and-and that-that
were it-it would tee water up basically, do you know
what I mean and that were a set pot.
KH: Yeah.
CP: Yeah.
Di-Have you ever seen before?
KH: Eh
no, I’ve not heard of that.
CP: Ah,
ah right ah yeah. I think it everyone knew about them. Yeah. So, yeah.
KH: And
what about the other houses that you lived in?
CP: Eh other houses … oh
then we eh we-we moved ‘cause me mum ‘n’ dad they took
over working man’s club in Worsbrough Dale and that
were a a a-a semi-semi-detached but it were storm
built house you know what I mean, quite old I would think still there today do
you know what I mean [a lot of background noises 00:02:13] and eh, eh that were
a move down actually I think do you know what I mean. I think that might have
had a outside toilet it a great big washroom like you
know eh for a outside you know for eh doing your
washing in.
KH: Oh
right.
CP: But
eh that had eh, eh it had electric it had gas as well I think
KH:
Yeah.
CP:
Yeah.
KH: Yeah.
CP:
Yeah.
KH: So did your dad always work at eh working men’s club or what
did he do?
CP: No, me dad he worked eh …. as far as I know he worked at Barrow,
Barrow pit and eh he worked on beehive ovens there and then like eh in 1935, Brivels [spelling unknown] was really old fashioned eh they
brought these new retorts [word unclear] in and you know they quite modern then,
and he were there then for ages do you know what I mean and then eh he worked
there eh most of his life then he went to Wors’ glasshouse for two years and
then actually he eh went to working men’s club do you know what I mean. We had that two years but unfortunately he died eh when we had that
you know what I mean so eh it were …
KH:
Had you got brothers and sisters?
CP: Yeah got brothers and sisters. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
KH:
Yeah, yeah. Did they, did they all stay local?
CP: Eh yeah, yeah. Had
eh eh three sisters and a brother. Aye yeah, we all
lived you know local like yeah.
KH: Did
your mum work? I know it’s unusual in that.
CP: No eh … well eh she tells
us there’s but she did she did but I can’t remember exactly
what it were because we got a family then and, and she said she worked probably
someth- David Browns making aeroplane propellors or
something like that it were something like that. You know I never could figure
out what time because we got a family then do you know what I mean. I don’t
know…
KH: Yeah,
and where were David Browns? Where were that?
CP: Penistone.
KH:
Oh right.
CP: Do
you know what I mean, I’m sure she worked at Penistone yeah. So yeah.
KH:
Yeah, yeah.
KH:
Right and where did you go to school?
CP: Well, I went eh
infant school on West Street you know. I-I liked that. It were
only thing I can remember about eh infant school is that eh, eh … we-we I first saw plasticine you know. And I never seen plasticine
in me life, it were in strips wouldn’t it and and like you could cut it in strips and there- another
thing eh were clay we used to have clay and this clay were in like a-a small
dustbin and-and I think they mixed it with water but it were great stuff you
know what I mean almost like plaster and it were like, it were like modelling
clay but you know what I mean but I think you could just put it back in bin and
like you know and add water to it use it again. And what I liked about that was
smell of something, there’s so much smell about plasticine and clay but you
never forget do you. Yeah.
KH: Yeah.
[00:04:54]
CP: Yeah
and eh I can remember I think punishments eh were, it were either a ruler or a
clay spoon. But there again I think it were more eh what would I say, I think
punishment were more mental than physical in a way and it gave a, a warning to
other kids so I don’t think I never got it I can remember when- do you know
what I mean but I think they did they did chastise you like do you know what I mean.
They-they won’t let you get away with things you know at all. Eh yeah I liked it there. I mean another more thing I remember
we used to cod liver oil on a spoon.
KH: [gasp]
Did they give that at school?
CP: Yeah. Aye, aye I
remember that yeah that’s what I remember about that. And then eh, eh… Oh! Ah yeah,
yeah another thing I can remember ‘cause
you went to that school while you were you know about seven and then you went
into Juniors.
KH: Yeah.
CP: Biggest thing I
remember about that is that I remember one day we got a crate of apples from Canada,
and they were first time I’ve ever seen red apples.
KH: Really?
CP: D’you know what I
mean. Aye. That were, that were- it’s surprising what you think on ain’t it. Yeah. And then eh I went across road then to Juniors,
and they were quite strict- they like- I liked school anyway, but eh, eh they-they
were still strict d’you know what I mean and but-but fair and I don’t think
they like eh an- show any favour to anybody or or you
know they were willing too, but eh I-I liked that school. Those who get caned
[laugh] in top class eh eh from Mr Jolly eh and what
it were it were my fault I took a a
comic to school, and this were before lessons, and I would show it to me friend
Tony Bennett, and he caned us both.
KH: Did
he? [laughs]
CP: Aye. He did yeah [laugh].
And eh I also remember ‘cause Mr Jolly’s cane all the
punishments they all had different kinds of canes I think and, and Mr Jolly’s
were right dark brown do you know what I mean. It were
like really fancy you know they all the special punishment things I think you
know what I mean.
KH: Yeah. Were it - were they well-resourced schools? Were there
plenty books and paper and pencils and things like that?
CP: Oh yeah, I would say
so yeah, yeah, yeah. I also remember I think first eh class I went in they were
doing about eh different eh soldiers like Romans and Saxons and stuff like that
and there’d be big drawings on eh pinned up on wall and then we’d have smaller ones same version to colour you know what I mean and that were
really good. And eh I think what they call her Miss Noble and [children talking
in background 00:07:26] it were like art that in a way
you know what I mean it were really good yeah. It were
a nice school.
KH:
Yeah
CP: Yeah
and in ‘all I like ‘all [hall] because eh eh no in ‘all
we did us gym and stuff like that and there’s eh. eh… meetings and stuff like
that and classrooms were glass, all glass front into hall you know what I mean.
On outside of ‘all there were like glass cases, and they were fossils in them, birds’
eggs and all sorts it were brilliant. It were really something different. I also I often wonder where
they went to.
KH: Yeah.
CP: You
know, but eh yeah.
KH: What
sorts of things did you do in your spare time?
CP: Eh me spare time we used
to go all over the place, used to roam everywhere do you know what I mean, we
used to, eh we used to play on muck stacks eh looking for fossils d’you know
what I mean and eh, eh we used to walk everywhere you know in a way eh they
wouldn’t do it today ‘cause you know we’d be like
eight or nine year old eh you know and eh we used to go everywhere you know
near canals and things where you wouldn’t really want to go. But me mum and dad
they, they seemed happy with that d’you know what I mean, and eh we’d never get
into any trouble really and eh, eh I think I don’t know I think we were… we
were more mature then I suppose, and another thing is there were no traffic on
road hardly very little traffic d’you know what I mean so that were lovely wouldn’t
it.
KH:
Yeah.
CP: We
could play football in our street d’you know what I mean. Yeah.
KH: Yeah.
Is that what you did a lot playing sports football and…
CP: No [laugh] I-I was
never into sport really; I’ve never been but we-we used to knock about d’you
know what I mean and eh we used to play nipsy and played nipsy and eh like different
games like ‘kick-a-can’. I don’t know [muttered] - Do you know what that one is?
KH: Eh…
CP: Where-where you put
a can and you you kick it and then eh you got to
fetch it and all- eh it all disappear [laugh] you to
find them.
KH: Yeah.
CP: Yeah, and eh stuff
like that but eh we used to be everywhere you know we used to walk miles.
KH: And eh like you were
saying earlier this this area where we sat now it it were fields and and such.
CP: Oh
this were a field yeah big field yeah.
KH: Yeah, this estate wouldn’t
here were it?
CP: Oh yeah that’s right
it were like it eh when I were about well still at
school eh they started a big programme of eh slum clearancing
in Worsbrough. The houses even in countryside they
were pulled down because you know eh they haven’t got
a proper toilet and stuff like that and running water all sorts of stuff and particularly
in in Worsbrough Dale itself Jarrets you know Ebenezer Square and lots houses were
pulled down d’you know what I mean and it changed totally Worbrough
Dale. I loved I loved it then really I mean it might
have been rough about- boy it were rough in a way ‘cause
they made houses had been up a long time but eh it-it seemed different d’you
know what I mean it. It were quiet and some of them houses
would have been ok today I reckon do you know what I mean
KP: Yeah,
yeah some money spent on them and… yeah.
CP: Yeah
and-and at that time same time so we’d slums that pulled down and they put Council
houses up d’you know what I mean and then eh then they took over lots of eh eh farm, farm farming fields d’you know what I mean that they
used for houses. And there were lots of housing estates and private eh eh houses built in that period d’you know what I mean you
believe how many there were really, so population really exploded in Worsbrough to be honest you know what I mean.
KH: Yeah.
CP: Yeah eh oh another thing when I were young is that eh I
think we’d more facilities be honest. In in in in eh Bank End we got Bank End
community hall and on a Saturday, we used to have cinema
you know which were out of this world really wouldn’t it. We used to have
cinema for kids for so I can’t just remember now about 2 o’clock in eh in eh… no
eh eh about 10 o’clock while 12 o’clock you know Saturday
and then at evening parents could go for a
evening session but they couldn’t take kids do you see so that were really good
wouldn’t it and you could get ice cream there and that hall were a library as
well.
KH: Was it?
CP: Yeah it was a a small library. West
Riding library and eh and ‘all eh you could always get eh it were
to do with health as well like a clinic ‘cause I
remember seeing doing eh is it ultraviolet? You know when you’ve problems with
your skin and eh…
KH: Jaundice and that.
CP: … and
stuff like that used to do that all that there as well you know. There were
lots of things really. And sport eh I most remember this I’ll be about eh I
don’t know about eight and nine and Germans come to the sport in Bank End field
and that I couldn’t believe it me ‘cause although
young I knew that really we just been to war with Germany and these youths come
do you know what I mean like youths that- I don’t know they would be in their 20s
to do sport against us do you know what I mean [KH says “wow”!] in Bank End
field yeah oh ye-ye-ye-you couldn’t believe it, I couldn’t
believe it then d’you know what I mean ‘cause you
couldn’t- these big youths talking in German do you know what I mean and then eh
eh in same field, they used to have like a-a like a sporting
day and there would be thousands there. They have cycling and all sorts.
KH: Yeah.
CP: And
local you know who were into athletics and that they’d come you know, and it
were absolutely brilliant we couldn’t believe it. In fact there’s like a DVD I think out do you know what I mean we
can see some of this yeah aye, aye, yeah, yeah, yeah
KH: This is brilliant Charlie, this is brilliant, yeah.
KH: So what you remember about eh Barrow pit? Did you, did you
go and meet your dad from work? And things like that?
CP: Well, even when I were young we
used to go into Barrow pit into into pit yard.
KH: Oh right.
CP: Because
we used to go catching newts you know what I mean eh we-we we used to- I know
we shouldn’t have done this but we used to catch newts
near canal eh near canal that eh down Edmunds eh eh there
were a like eh where, where barges come into it a wide area like a-a wharf d’you
know what I mean. Well actua- over-over years canal wouldn’t
been used for barges anyway at this time but this this wharf got like silted up
and there were reeds in this area and although canal was still working you know
at side and newts were in this reeded area so we used to play shelter tin at top
of reeds to catch newts [laugh] did you see and then eh we used to then we used
to go up to Barrow pit and go in pit yard at weekend and it were really quiet d’you
know what I mean m-massive area and this were a big pond but it were like there
were no rushes around it or anything and eh it was just clear water you know it
were quite deep four-four or five foot deep and we used to catch newts with a
piece of string and a worm d’you what I mean and eh we used to go all over the
place.
KH: Yeah.
CP: Yeah eh yeah we and eh eh …
KH: Were it a really busy pit? Was
it…
CP: Oh
yeah it were the biggest pit around here oh I think at
one period like I’m not sure it employed about 2000 which is a massive pit.
KH: Yeah.
CP: D’you know what I mean. And …
KH: Yeah and did people come from
all over the place?
CP: Oh
yeah to Barrow like they did everywhere like you know in 1800s ‘cause eh I think eh Barrow pit were
built about 1875-76 and people were coming from all over all over this country
to-to work in mines from all kinds of jobs farming and stuff like that.
KH: How did they house them all?
CP: Pardon?
KH: Did they build an estate for them? How did they house them
all?
CP: Oh
yeah, yeah they-they-they built eh a big house called “New
England” that were in Worsbrough bridge mainly for
these you know for these new influx of people you know what I mean.
KH: Yeah.
CP: Cause
eh it-it-it probably grew year on year and why it were so famous Barrow and I-I
didn’t know until not long ago is that it were named because eh it were Barrow in
Furness, that actually sunk eh you know for for coal
there because what they wanted at Barrow in Furness they got a special kind of
iron there that’s hardly found anywhere in this country, really high quality
iron eh they called hematite iron d’you know what I mean but they hadn’t got good,
good enough quality coal eh to melt it but for some reason they knew that there
were a lot of [lots of background noises 00:15:42] coal under Worsbrough called “Silkstone Bed” and that “Silkstone Bed” was
some of the best coking coal this country d’you know what I mean so eh somehow
they got to know about this d’you know what I mean and chairman were eh what
did they call him now… eh was at Chatsworth?
KH: Devonshire.
CP: Yeah.
Eh Chairman of of Barrow of Barrow pit were Duke of Devonshire
you know, so they probably talking about all this in London perhaps d’you know
what I mean. Eh about this and eh and-and Barrow pit were sunk mainly to provide
coal and coke for up-up in Northumberland, up in Cumbria.
KH: Yeah, brilliant.
CP: Yeah.
KH: Yeah.
CP: So eh….
KH: Wow, oh that’s really good.
CP: And
then-then and-and to be honest I think they been eh mining coal for coke for hundred
years at Barrow you know what I mean which you know…
KH: When did it shut?
CP: I-I-I
can’t just remember exactly. But I know they’ve got an-anniversary programme for
its hundred years and it were saying in that in that
programme that they were still going to make steel in the future eh still eh eh mine coal and make coke on that plant you know for
future. It’s always been really good coal here you
know. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
KH: Hmm.
CP: And
eh what shall I say about eh, me dad worked in coking
plant there. Yeah I also remember eh it it took me to
where he worked I were only about nine years old and eh eh
he took me at weekend so there’d be no buses there d’you know what I mean and I
remember like walking eh through muck stacks at Barrow eh to-to go to this coking
plant, but what he did then I didn’t know this before like eh we-we walking
into plant into a eh-eh office there weighbridge office for-for railway you
know what I mean. So, he left me in this office with two men there, two total
strangers. I didn’t know what we doing didn’t tell me and
he went to work in ovens ‘cause he got to work like so,
I didn’t realise that one of these man one of these men eh were loco driver.
The locos stood outside d’you know what I mean and other chap was his assistant
to eh-eh fasten wagons onto loco and pull points to move ‘em
down yard. You see, so eh they put me on this loco and eh put me on a a drop down seat just a piece of wood and re-rest of shift,
I were clinging on that seat being shuttered up and down yard d’you know what I
mean [laugh]. Right so that… and I missing out there eh but it all strange to
me this like do you know what I mean. So eh about 8 o’clock
eh we- and this were summer time you know. 8 o’clock me dad comes to pick me up
and then I didn’t know what were going to happen
again and he took me took me round to the back of these ovens do you know what
I mean, massive ovens onto this great big machine and eh … we goes into cowl [word
unclear] and-and-and this machine is called a ram and this ram shoves coke
great big block of coke through ovens to other side and then it goes into a
coke car did you see? Goes into a-a- because it’s a great big block of burning
coke this. And eh… so they let me con-control of this eh ram so I-I-I-I-I they’re
there like so I’m pressing controls, shoving this coke
out of this you know and then so when that’s happened me dad takes me to front t-to-to other side where coke comes d’you know what I mean and
we go in coke car then you know this is a another machine eh a bit like eh eh similar to a lorry but made of steel and runs on rails
and eh then eh they take door off other side on this next ram eh this next oven
that’s to be shoved and and we’re we’re
we’re in coal car only a few yards off it d’you know
what I mean off-off eh this-this eh eh oven and all
of a sudden like you see this great big block of coke coming out in front of
you and and what they do then ‘cause
it’s a massive block and its coming out like a great big block but they put a-a
chain across door heavy chain d’you know what I mean and chain breaks this coke
up and then it all falls into coke car. But when it when it when it when it starts
to break up it’s absolutely spectacular because it-it-it
goes into lots of little pieces then you see and-and what it does it makes a
reaction eh like fresh air going to meet carbon it flares! And this dropping
into coke cart it’s absolutely spectacular just like
it-is-like this is like a flare out you know it’s absolutely spectacular to-to
see d’you know what I mean.
KH: Yeah!
[00:20:38]
CP: And
then eh it … drops into this coke car which is really made of steal and that d’you
know what I mean and then he lets me have a control of this as well! So, all
you have to do is like press a lever and we start
going forward like a train you know and we under we go under this massive
square chimney d’you know what I mean. And in this chimney inside, there’s
massive hose hose pipes do you see?
KH: Oh right.
CP:
And that’s quencher d’you see. So it quenches all all coke but then steam goes up this chimney and you could
see this this ber- column of steam for miles around d’you
know what I mean. And if you’re anywhere near it and we used to be eh we used go visiting that area sometimes in steam it’s fuller like bits
of soot and all sorts but if if y- if you get
underneath it it starts to it just start to fall on
you! D’you know what I mean.
KH: Wow. Yeah.
CP: Aye.
KH: Yeah. Wow, brilliant.
CP: And
they always said up there, eh Blacker Hill were built at back of there d’you know what I mean. They always said even
sparrows coughed up there. [KH laugh] You know ‘cause
pollution would be out of this world. Honestly, just you wouldn’t believe it.
You know and you could smell and how I used to love it me because…
KH: Smells evoke memories as well, don’t they?
CP: Aye.
Oh it is well … o-ovens eh you know they used to be
sealed with clay, oven doors and but it- s-sometimes it’ll leak, and and and it were really brown
smoke really dark brown really acrid and smell you could smell it from miles
away. We were lucky in a way but wind were always towards
Blacken Hill [KH laugh]. So so
their washing would be you know but I lived probaly a
mile and a half away from eh from coking plant and if wind were right way,
you’d smell it there, but I used to love it, it were summat
I don’t know a strange smell d’you know what I mean but eh I love going up that
area. You know it were a ….I-I’ve also- and-and another
thing about this and I might be wrong again. We used to go to cinema and up eh
and they- m- interval and stuff like that, they’d Pathe
News you know in black and white and and I’m sure it
showed you an oven being shoved d’you know what I mean eh on-on to like
introduction to it. I might be wrong there but I see
you know it-it stands out in mind I don’t know if it’s true or not. Yeah.
KH: What sort of shops do you remember from round here …
CP: Shops?
KH: … shops that have gone.
CP: Yeah lot of shops. I reckon in Worsbrough
Dale eh I can’t remember there were loads of shops in Worsbrough
Dale itself high street eh I can remember cobbler shops, there were two cobbler
shops eh beer off there were two beer offs eh oh there were a eh what did they
do with that … plumbers where they had accumulators. Do you- do you know what accumulators
are?
KH: No?
CP: Well most houses at that time eh they were just gas lit,
there’ve no electricity at that time eh so eh accumulators they were like a
battery like a square battery almost like a car battery d’you know what I mean.
And you could have a radio on them now you know you
could just clip it on like and-and have a radio and and
and this plumber he used to do these he used to
charge them up and used to have a little eh like handle and used to carry them
to Thompsons the plumber and eh and exchange ‘em. He’d
charge ‘em and charge you for it d’you know what I
mean.
KH: Right.
CP: Yeah,
yeah, yeah. And other shops eh there were barbers like and eh [pause] a place where they did
haberdashery and eh fish shops you know fish shops, eh greengrocers, eh Fells bakery
that were brilliant, best bakery in world it were that.
KH: Was it?
CP: Oh yeah.
KH: Yeah. Fells.
CP: Fells, yeah on eh Station Road.
KH: Oh right yeah.
CP: And
used to make unbottomed cakes there. You’d never seen
unbottomed cakes like them they be about a foot
across be like that, couple inch thick and they were like soft in middle but but on outside on flat part they looked as though be slightly
burnt, they were hard like crusty, and they were absolutely
lovely. You could just cut ‘em into strips and
put butter on them that’d be a meal [laugh].
KH: Yeah.
CP: It
were really good, yeah. But eh…. I know lots of… a lot
of these shops have disappeared today don’t they.
KH: Yeah.
KH: Do you remember things- holidays or club trips or?
CP: Oh
yeah we used to have a club trips from Dale you know yeah I used to go on them eh
I think everybody went on you know and some used to be in eh different clubs, some
you-you you’d be a member if your parents were a member of Ward Green you go
with Ward Green as well but we used to go mainly to Cleethorpes it were brilliant
that. It were, it were really good fun. Yeah, it were smart there.
KH: Yeah.
CP: And there’d be loads of buses.
KH: Yeah.
CP:
You know, I-I can’t remember there probably about 10 at Worsbrough
Dale at eh Worsbrough Dale Club but say I think Ward Green
they might have had 20 in like eh B-Barrow Club you know there
load-loads of buses you couldn’t believe it. Yeah, yeah it eh it were good. But-but like I said when we’re kids eh eh … I think biggest thing is that there hardly any traffic
on road do you know what I mean.
KH: Yeah.
CP: And
it weren’t unusual where I lived ‘cause
I lived not too far away from a farm to see a herd of cows going down the
street d’you know what I mean which would be novel today wouldn’t it to up … and
eh it-it were so different really. You know it was just pace of life was so different
and eh it- when you imagine like there were no motorways and very few cars you
know even on like A61 which were main road hundreds of years ago eh from Leeds
to London you know it were very quiet. In fact when I
got me first car, I used to overtake up Birdwell and somebody would overtake me.
You can’t overtake today ‘cause it’s just too
dangerous innit too much traffic but eh yeah I-I-I loved it I-I-I think it’s still ok but it has
changed such a lot you know what I mean it’s its’ …
KH:
Yeah. Do you remember national events like Coronation or men landing on moon eh
things like…?
CP: Oh yeah, I think everybody remembers them yeah yeah, I do yeah.
KH: Yeah. Do you remember watching Coronation?
CP: I’m not so sure eh about watching it but I can remember
watching first telly.
KH: Really?
CP: You
know eh and it weren’t ours [laugh] it were me friends and and
we used to go to their house and-and I think it used to start … what time did
it start … about half past 4 and used to watch telly until a little white thing
come on summat like that and something would appear
and eh eh I can’t remember it were like eh …I think
it were an aerial one of the aerials they had on BBC and-and it some’it turn round on it you know that’ll be on for 20
minutes [laugh] yeah yeah it were like warming up it eh
it were really strange eh and and eh televisions then
they were tiny like d’you know what I mean.
KH: Yeah, yeah.
CP: And
then I know some of the intervals when they had a a swan
going down River Thames and-and I can’t remember where swan were
a a tiny white blob and it come bigger going other
way round you know it would same for ages. Yeah it
were eh eh television that were a bit eh different as
well. Yeah… but eh… and we used to go pictures, that were eh eh… in fact me sister were eh oh she worked at Globe so
that were good for us because we could could get free
tickets so we could go and see pictures yeah.
KH: Did you used to go to youth clubs and dances and things?
CP: No I’ll be honest no there there wouldn’t
many things like that to be honest. Eh no I-I didn’t eh that might have come a
bit later d’you know what I mean.
KH: Yeah.
CP: But yeah.
KH: Yeah. What about a library? Did you use a libra- did
you go to a library?
CP: Yeah yeah
I did yeah. I did.
KH: ‘Cause
there were quite a few about wouldn’t there?
CP: Yeah,
yeah, yeah. In fact I used that library at Bank End Hall
do you know what I mean.
KH: Hmm.
CP: Yeah
but eh we had to use library at school as well because when I were in- when we
were in fourth year at school, they got a library brand new do you know what I
mean only a small one and eh eh you couldn’t talk or
anything like that it were- she were really strict you know she stand outside
classroom with ruler and check your hands [laugh] and eh you know if there if
there were al- any grub bit like you have to go wash ‘em
or something like she were really keen but she should be and then eh eh then we started to after request eh a West Riding book
to take home…
KH: Hmm.
CP: …
which were bad news for me really I tell you what
happened [laugh] eh it’s strange this, eh when I were at school like I had
spare time jobs do you know what I mean and one of them eh were to take greyhounds
out, I used to take three greyhounds only a torch? [word unclear] I take these
three greyhounds for a walk before I went to school and-and on my way like I
see some of teachers coming you know what I mean ‘cause this were before school there be some teacher
would walk to school do you know what I mean. And I used- anyway eh what
happened eh later I-I took a a-a library book home eh you know from school and
we had pet dog at home and it chewed all back of this this book and and eh I daren’t take it back I
just- you know I thought she would kill me ‘cause she
were really keen you know and you know she didn’t say a word, you know she said
“is it one of them dogs that you take out in the morning” [laugh] so y-you know
but I couldn’t believe it I thought and I-I couldn’t get out of it could I, you
know I-I-I could only say I lost it and I didn’t lose it but eh dog chewed back
of it, me book so that were but that were another story [laugh].
KH: [laugh]
What about sweets? Did you have many sweets? What were your fav- …?
CP: Sweets?
KH: Yeah. What sort of … sweets?
CP: What
sweets yer. Sweets were on ration then and eh I can
only remember when me dad worked at Woods eh on
Friday when he got paid, eh I go and meet him like and
he’d give me a few pence you know.
KH: Yeah.
CP: But sweets were really cheap
then do you know what I mean.
KH: Yeah.
CP: I
think- I can’t remember I think they’d be like 6 pence a quarter something like
that but eh eh there weren’t like a variety of sweets
they’ve today not with a long, long long way, do you
know what I mean.
KH: Yeah.
CP: Eh, I’ve always liked sweets do you know what I mean.
KH: Yeah.
CP: And
eh eh I always felt that when I left school eh I’d-I’d buy dozens of Mars bars [laugh], but I didn’t but
I didn’t.
KH: Do you remember getting your first wages?
CP: Oh yeah yeah
I do ah.
KH: Did you have to hand it all over to your … your Mum?
CP: Yeah I did because eh me dad had died then, do you know what
I mean so eh weren’t a lot money coming in and I worked at Needhams.
At Needhams Brothers and Brown I were a apprentice
moulder eh in Barnsley eh and eh I liked that job as well eh I think I got
about- I can’t just remember, we worked a funny hours we got paid something
like it were 47 hours or something like that we used to start at sil- an odd time, quarter past seven, no 12 minutes past seven or something like
that it were a really odd number it weren’t it weren’t even quarter past it
were something like 12 minutes past seven and finish at five and I loved that
job that were brilliant, it were it were, eh well, they made big head gear do
you know what I mean they made big pulleys wheels and haulage systems yeah. I-I
loved it there it were eh eh and eh I used to go home
black as well [laugh] eh and then I-I-I eh I left there I went to steelworks eh
eh in Sheffield eh eh Stocksbridge
and eh I don’t know what it were that episode we went to see me dad eh working at
coking plant and on a-a-a railway that it it made me …
want to do that kind of work you know ‘cause eh at
Stocksbridge when I was 16 I worked on biggest arc furnace in Europe.
KH: Did you?
CP:
Aye for two year do you know what I mean, massive
furnace and I have to shovelling and everything and there sparks flying out and
everything and at that time they let you. And all I used to wear like were a-a
pair of jeans and a long long
sleeve shirt and a soft hat and a sweat towel and you know it’d slide off and
everything. Really dangerous you know really eh and eh that were another job. Then
I got made redundant a couple of times ‘cause steel
works in that period were going through a-a sticky eh eh
situation weren’t it do you know what I mean and I-I then I went on locos eh so
that were that other part when I worked on eh internal railway you know that
were same that were quite dangerous because eh there we’d like have seven locos
on a shift where at a pit even a big pit you only have one a-a-at most two you
know what- with seven you-you can imagine, massive firm because it employed 8,000
you know and eh they made best steel in world there you know for eh jet engines
and all kinds of things tools and eh we’ve made springs for telephones, springs,
valve springs for cars, massive springs for u-clids [spelling
unknown] and lorries and stuff like that you know that’s apart from steel that we
were selling to eh car companies do you know what I mean and stuff like that. They
they used to even make armoured plate for French.
French couldn’t make armoured plate but we could do you know what I mean, it
were, oh it were lovely firm you know it were really used to look after you, you know but eh yeah but but
steel works were starting to be you know mechanised and stuff like that and eh
it weren’t a secure job do you, ‘cause I could do
anything melting shop I could drive cranes and everything d’you know what I
mean it- ‘cause when when
you were 18 and you were on full money at 18 and you imagine like you do some
hard work it were hot you know and-and really dangerous you know but eh I loved
it there just did and I liked it on locos that were up there as well. And that
would send you out all day, all night choose what weather were, you’ve no saying
you know I’m not a brickie with a stopping work, you out all time because they couldn’t
do without a movement of traffic d’you know what I mean. Because we brought
scrap in eh eh and then we took eh eh finished steel out you know and-and empties out as well
you know very busy. To have eight locos you know it- eh it it
were quite busy and-and that would say very dangerous ‘cause
you had a lot of movement in a small area yeah but that-that were another job I
loved you know it- I mean whether were you know I mean it were really atrocious
sometimes you know when you were working in eh bad conditions erm got to be v-very
careful yeah, yeah, yeah.
KH: Yeah.
Ah it’s lovely. Is there anything else you’d like to add about the area, how it’s
changed or things that have disappeared that you remember
or do you remember air raid shelters and …?
CP: Oh yeah, we had one in garden.
KH: Yeah.
CP: Yeah we did yeah we had one in garden. Eh I can’t remember
it eh I can remember playing it you know in fact we used to put coal in it to
be honest do you know what I mean. Eh yeah eh air raid shelters and in fact we
got one of them eh I don’t know where that come from one of them things for a
baby you seen ‘em like a, like a little cradle with
pump on to pump air into it, we got one of them in there yeah yeah.
KH: Ah, right, yeah.
CP: I-I-I
always tell people as kids this, just as a joke I always said I were bored in
middle of war do you know what I mean and eh this is only kidding though this.
I used to say me mum told I wouldn’t go to sleep at night you know so in summer
she put me out in pram do you know what I mean a-at night in-in a nice night
and I’d watch bombers coming over bombing Sheffield and she said when I were
about five or six I could tell difference between a iron club bomber a- and eh eh eh what- Lancaster [both laugh].
Just for kidding, I couldn’t like. Yeah, aye, yeah, yeah, yeah, but eh…
KH: Yeah.
What other things that have disappeared from around here that you remember?
CP: Eh…
KH: Or is biggest change the way the the
village has spread?
CP: Well I-I think you know it’s it’s totally
changed like I said really. It-wer-it-wer it were fairly quiet you know
our village when there were no like all this eh eh
business with slum clearance and that it-it-it totally changed overnight really
and-and like that’s made this place a lot busier do you know what I mean. Eh that’s
definitely one of the things and traffic eh is like unbelievable to be honest I
never thought we’d see traffic like you have today you know when-when I can remember
on our estate in Bank End eh we probably in-in near
vicinity where I lived we’d four cars and probably knowin’
Bank End we might have had say eight you know what I mean. Well sometimes you’ve
two-two and three cars a house today you know you-you just wouldn’t believe it…
KH: No.
CP: …
you know just eh you-you-you just can’t believe traffic and-and even eh year on
year it multiplies and motorway I can remember oh I can’t remember 15 or 20
years since they were saying that they never envisaged that amount of traffic being
on then and like what it’s been since then goodness knows do you know what I
mean. I just… I think eh…
KH: Yeah. What industries have disappeared from around here
that you remember?
CP: Oh
ever- more or less everything. You know I can remember
loads of eh there were- you know like Barrow pit eh you know like I say coking
plant were working eh eh Longleys
were working they didn’t make boats anymore but they made pit tubs and you know
pit head gear eh we had a bobbing mill eh in eh in Darley yard they made
bobbins wooden bobbins for eh for West Yorkshire, for mills. We had a shoe
factory eh that were end of West Street it were only
small eh shoe factory but they come from Northampton they were making shoes for
Northampton because Northampton was a famous place for making shoes and for
some reason, they came up eh to Worsbrough and a lot
of women worked there do you know what I mean. Eh there were Corahs, that’s disappeared they made a lot of dresses and
other eh materials things for eh Marks and Spencer’s, that disappeared. Eh lots
of things you know just eh …. and-and this just disappeared do you know what I mean.
They were local and I-I think an-another change is like eh people walking you
know eh when I were young everybody walked, everywhere more or less. Nobody got
a car eh and then then if you went any long distance
you’d catch a a bus you know what I mean and like now
nobody wants to walk at all you know it’s it’s so
different and-and-and … I-I think we we lost
something by not using public transport you know w-when you think like before
everybody w-went on buses, bus services would be ev-
better and we d- we all get a-around better d’you know what I mean wouldn’t be
polluting planet and eh I-I just think that were a big mistake when when we didn’t actually go that way instead of going in eh having
cars you know. People would be fitter and-and I-I didn’t really notice me about
doing walking you know what I mean I used to …
KH: It just how it was.
CP: … how
it was yeah everybody walked so so it were different, but like progress never goes back does it
you know unfortunately. But eh eh I think eh…
KH: Is there anything else you like to add? You know any other
bits that you think …
CP: Yeah just one thing eh and I can’t believe this either
really. I-I wouldn’t have believed that say 20 or 30 year
ago that there’d be no pubs in Worsbrough Dale. Well,
there is some but a lot have gone and I-I can’t
believe that eh why they allowed this to happen ‘cause
it were a main part eh eh social our social being at
all you know where people met each other and I can’t- you know and now
supermarkets sell beer and everybody drinks in their houses I find that a bit … eh I can’t believe how it happened.
KH: Where
does … eh this might be controversial. Where does Brig end and Dale start?
CP: Oh aye [both laugh] … Brig end and Dale start oh eh…
KH: Which bit do you class as “Brig” and which bit do you
class as “Dale”?
CP: Well I-I-I-I think it- I think Dale is best part and Worsbrough Bridge isn’t quite as good [laugh]. An-anyway yeah
but no I-I-I don’t- I-I really don’t know I think it’s somewhere eh where we are
actually now, somewhere like that do you know what I
mean yeah.
KH: Yeah. Right about here. Yeah.
CP: Yeah but I’ve never actually
found that out d’you know what I mean.
KH: Yeah.
CP: Yeah but eh and I think it goes straight down to West Street
because I think eh Pretoria that’s where clinic is, is Worsbrough
Dale you know then this is Worsbrough Bridge you know
that’s what I think. I think if-if you put a line up eh
I’d say def- I-I’m almost sure that where Pretoria is and where new clinic is, is Worsbrough Dale,
and to this side eh is Worsbrough Bridge
but for hundred year ago there were no Worsbrough
Bridge you know it were all Worsbrough Dale.
But only thing that you could say about Worsbrough Bridge
that it were bridge over River Dove… because there
were hardly any houses in Worsbrough Bridge
d’you know what I mean.
KH: Is
that…?
CP: That side yeah.
KH: Yeah. Ah right.
CP: Oh yeah, there were no houses around here at all.
KH: And
it’s funny that it’s … separate from Worsbrough village
which has been there for centuries.
CP: Oh yeah yeah yeah.
KH: But it’s it’s all over
district in t’it.
CP: Aye
yeah but-but reason is for that is that … it’s it were
when canal came do you know what I mean. C-canal changed everything, it
absolutely changed everything eh and-and because canals are- and rivers running
bottom of valley that’s where all houses were that canal you know that’s why-why
it evolved around there d’you know what I mean yeah. And eh there’s lots of
things really eh… another thing that’s changed eh there’s no chapels. Chapels
have all disappeared d’you know what I mean. I used to go to Chapel to Sunday School.
KH: Did you?
CP: Aye.
I didn’t go long, I’ll be honest [KH laughs]. But I did love it. ‘Cause I think… chapel, that chapel
I went were eh eh chapel on Green Street you know
and-and people there were lovely it were just like a family it was just like
your mum and dad do you know what I mean. It-it wouldn’t as how-how can I
explain this- strict to going to church d’you know what I mean it were more eh…
in fact it were a primitive chapel and that’s what
they are. Primitive chapel means that you know they more… teaching like with
manners and stuff like that d'you know what I mean as well as religion you
know. I-I-I and I loved it there yeah and eh eh
there’s- they’ve they’ve all disappeared. Eh can I
just tell you this there were a chapel eh everybody seems to think that you
know when this when population exploded you know in early 1800s when canals
come and industry came here, they built Saint Thomas’ Church I think in 18 something
like 1859 and they said it were eh for you know expansion in in eh population
you know what I mean it were too far to go up to Worsbrough
village so we were to have one on this side of valley and that’s ok and they
always think that that’s eh were first one but it weren’t eh I think first one
were a chapel and chapel were near canal you know and then I’ve seen somewhere
in Archives where eh when-when these chapels were formed, they used to baptise children
in-in a-a stream in Worsbrough, which
were really good weren’t it that yeah. And-and then you know but eh eh eh you know and then chapels
came you know and came to fruition like yeah. But I thought that were lovely
that, weren’t that lovely yeah. I never got to know where this stream were- I
just to mention just- it just mentioned like a stream or a brook you know what
I mean where-where they christened them. That-that were good. Yeah.
KH: Yeah, yeah.
CP: But
eh but that’s another thing there were some lovely buildings d’you know what I
mean they’ve all disappeared, and people don’t go to church either do they? A
lot? You know. Yeah.
KH: No,
not like they used to. No. That’s brilliant Charlie thanks ever so much for
that.
CP: Yeah.
KH: Is there anything else you want to add or?
CP: No,
I think we’ve covered a lot of- quite a bit of stuff you know but eh eh it’s been lovely to do it anyway.
KH: Yeah, yeah, that’s that’s …
(End
of interview)
[00:45.15]