AP WMS 27 s1 f01 v1 e1
May Barker from Crooke talks to John Reid about her memories of living in Crooke with her family as a child. Recorded circa 1982.
Audio description below:
Where was you born ?
Number two Woodcock Row.
Is that in Crooke?
Yes that`s further up, close t`wood
What`s your earliest memory please?
Well when I was goin` t`school I remember my father and mother going on t`boats and we were left in charge of Auntie next door, she used t`come in and see us t`bed at night , get us up for school at morning and then my mother `d be back home for tea time t`day after and we carried on like that, We had t`have everything nice and clean for when they come back, we had t`have everything washed up and t`kitchen floor and t`pantry and have everything nice for um when they come in , if not we`d a dam good hiding for us,
How old Was you then?
Oh well I would be about eight year owd me but t`others were a bit owder, there`s twelve months between all t`lot of us like.
Which boat company did your Mother and Father work for?
Wigan Coal and Iron Company.
Were they away from home often ?
Well it was their livelihood that, they had to keep working and they had to keep going wi` t`boat and stopping away at night and coming back. They were lucky t`get what they call three trips a week in, that would just run um about three pound ten a week.
Was that a Lot of Money.?
It was a lot of money them days because you could get a pound o`sugar for three halfpence and your bread was your twopence a loaf, three halfpence and twopence a loaf. Your butter was sixpence a pound, and you`d get thirteen eggs for a shilling, they used t`call that a baker`s dozen that, thirteen and your bacon were cheap, everything were cheap then.
Why Did They Give You Thirteen Instead Of Twelve?
They always give thirteen eggs for t`dozen because… I don`t know t`reason of that but it was there.
We used t`go t`Maypole in Wigan for it . a place they called t`Maypole for our butter, cheese, sugar and our eggs.
What Was That Please?
It was a big shop. It used t `be a big company that, Maypole, t`same as Lipton`s and them.
They used to sell practically everything but today I don`t know what th`owd folks `d do if they come back and see t`prices of t`stuff today.
What Cargo Did Your Mum And Dad Carry?
Coal. They used t`take it to Tate and Lyle, Liverpool and t`tannery, what they call t`tannery down there.
Did You Ever Go With Them?
Oh aye, in t`school holidays we used t`do.
How Many Children Did Your Mother Have?
Well she`d about fifteen allt`gether, that was including what they called three misses then. Thirteen alt`gether and up to lately, wellabouyt four years since there were five sisters living and two brothers and now there`s only two of us. So that`s a family nearly wiped out in`t it.
What Did Your Mother Do With Her Job When She Was Having Her Children?
Aey they didn`t lie abed in them days lad. As tha were down and Confined, tha had t`be up t`day after baking bread or else goin` a workin`. They didn`t pamper thy them days.
Audio Details
| Forename | May |
|---|---|
| Surname | Barker |
| Middle Name | |
| Township | Crooke |
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