CD2

(28:21 mins)

2/1

SOCIAL INTERESTS / SPORT / GETTING MARRIED / CINEMA /CHURCH / ROADWATER FLOOD / FAMILY

His social interests were sport - snooker, table tennis, billiards. Played in the village hall. He was football and cricket mad. Rarely went to the pub. Met his wife at the Regal cinema. They have been married 41/42 years. They were married at the beginning of 1960; his daughter Sue is 37/38. He went to the pictures 3 times a week. The Regal was quite a good cinema.

His father was methodist, his mother church of England. They [the children] went to both Sunday schools. Didn't really go to church later. His wife, Lorna, came from Alcombe. They lived with his mother. They had moved from Island Cottage across the road to a higher house with plenty of room. A council house in the Crescent. They got flooded out twice in one day there. The water came up through the floor. They moved next door, then made an emergency move to Watchet, where he is know. The houses were empty. They were army houses, an estate of NCO houses. They liked it and are still there. It is more convenient, with Sue's medical problems.

Sue lives with them. She has spina bifida. She goes to the day centre, one in Minehead, one in Watchet, and the Red Cross. She was born in Roadwater. They didn't know anything about it until a few hours after she was born. It's mostly to do with the spine. She's had several operations. [Back to top]
 

2/2

FAMILY LIFE

There were no support facilities at the time. They just dealt with it. It's amazing the help you can get if you know. Sue had a wheelchair from the age of 2, 3. He's been pushing one practically every day since, 35 years. It's worth it. It's been great. They are devoted to her.

Her mobility fluctuates, but she's so determined that she puts on an effort. She's trying out a new thing. [response to question from BJ about Sue walking to the car]

He's been in all the hospitals in the south west; Exeter, Taunton, Bristol. She had terrible eye problems in the last 16 years. She can't do the work she used to do. Embroidery, tapestry, fine sewing. She accepts it and they take every day as it comes.

[question about her education] Washford school refused to take her. They got into serious trouble as they didn't even see her. Then she went to Churchtown, Luxborough. By taxi, for half a day each day. Then to Princess Margaret School, Barnardos in Taunton, coming home at weekends. [Back to top]
 

2/3

MOVE TO WATCHET / MUSEUM / CARPENTRY / HOUSING ESTATE

They moved in the early 60s. The Roadwater doctor was the Williton doctor. They have always had good medical attention. He has no complaints about Sue's treatment. It's been wonderful. The doctors only came to Roadwater a few hours a week. In Watchet you can see a doctor any time.

His wife didn't like Roadwater at first, but loved it eventually. Moving to Watchet was strange to begin with. He knows most people in Watchet and Minehead.

He is one of the stewards at Watchet Museum. He deals with the public, once a fortnight. He is there all morning, and as emergency relief.

He has kept up carpentry. He made most of the things in the sitting room, upholstered the dining chairs. He found the material somewhere. He likes going to boot sales [kitchen noises in background]. He learnt upholstery by watching. He made the chairs in his workshop. He made the cupboard, but not the carving on it, though he does a lot of carving. Statuettes and small things which he designs himself. And he repairs a lot of things for people. He made the round oak incidental table. He does something each winter. It's easy to find bits of wood. He has made over 200 walking sticks. He makes them for fun.

He works in the glasshouse, listening to the radio. Music, sport. He fiddles between the channels. He used to have a lathe and machinery but they [the council] took his garage to build houses on the end, so it had to go.

It was an army site. The local council bought the houses in bulk. The spare ground where his garage was is flats now. He doesn't make anything big now. There's nothing more to make. Walking sticks are ideal. [Back to top]
 

2/4

PUZZLES / TELEVISION / HOLIDAYS / REFLECTIONS

He does puzzles, all kinds, 70-80 a week. He gets them in magazines. He has won a stack of prizes, has a stack letters 2 inches thick. A dishwasher was the biggest thing he ever won. He has won toasters. He used to win a lot on Spot the Ball, in certain newspapers. He used to win it regularly. Nothing big, £50-100. Any spare time, he does it. He's never idle really. He takes the Mirror and the Western Daily Press at times. The local ones, the [West Somerset] Free Press, the County Gazette. He has 3 dictionaries. He has nearly worn them out.

He likes sport on television, football and cricket, from India. He played cricket out there himself, in wartime.

They haven't been on many holidays lately. They used to. They have been to all the seaside places, Bournemouth, Llandudno, Newquay, Torquay, etc. They went as a family. With a wheelchair you have to be careful. They went to Ilfracombe once but it nearly killed him, it was too steep. So they select level places, like Bournemouth, Weymouth. He's never been abroad.

His wife knits. She knits socks. She's doing a few puzzles now too.

He's not the type to get miserable. They've had their problems but they always get over them.

His most memorable moment was when Sue took her first step after hundreds of hours learning. She was about 3 or 4.

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