CD4

(61 mins)
 

4/1

WORKING FOR THE COUNCIL / HOME BIRD / REMARRYING / LOSING ROSIE

He finished up with the Council. Drove steam rollers. Wouldn't have come out of the airforce if he'd been single, as a civilian he enjoyed the life [?check - ie post war]. He was a proper home bird. Liked his garden. Member of Baptist Chapel for over 60 years. Liked going on holidays. Last partner, just friends, a great traveller.

His wife was a lovely girl. They had happy times. She died of cancer. Then he married a girl from chapel. Rosie. Married 16 years. Their doctor was Dr Ross. She died of lack of calcium. Tells story. She had been maid for Dr Walter, the surgeon. [Back to top]
 

4/2

WINSFORD / ERNEST BEVIN / MOVE TO IRNHAM ROAD / LODGING WITH JEAN PIPER AT WATERY LANE / FRIENDSHIP WITH JEAN / JEAN'S DEATH / CIRCUMSTANCES NOW

Winsford. Father went to school with Ernest Bevin. Father put up the plaque about him. Bevin's cousins lived next door. He was too young to know him. Father went to school with him.

He moved from Poundfield Road to Irnham Road because it was on the level, because his first wife's heart wasn't too good. Came to Watery Lane about 16 years ago. Son is at Wheddon Cross, has 3 children. He went to lodge with Jean Piper, at Watery Lane, who had lived there all her life. He had self-contained bit upstairs. Jean very quiet, a buyer for Strouds [store]. A very good companion. He gets up 5.40/6.00 o'clock.. He'd have breakfast and take her a cup of tea at 8.00.

Describes their life together, sharing living arrangements. He was a good cook, better than her. They got on like brother and sister. She died 2 years ago. A lovely girl.

He stayed there. Has the house rent free as long as he lives. It all goes to charity. Lonely living on his own. He was 12 years older than Jean and never thought she'd go first. Left himself a bit short. Wanted to make sure she was all right so left most of his money to her and when she died money went too, to charity with hers. She'd left everything to charity. [Back to top]
 

4/3

FAMILY / MORRIS TRAVELLER / RETIRING / WORKING FOR DEREK MERSON

Has one son. Lost one son when he was 11 years old, with his first wife. Died of yellow jaundice. [knocks on arm of chair]

Still drives. Talks about grandson, who lives in flat at Blue Anchor, getting his car stolen. Grandson now uses his, an old Morris Traveller, 33 years old. It has done 77,000 miles. When he retired first, 23 years ago, Derek Merson (now of Metropole Garage) was a radio engineer, mucking about with cars. He started working for him, on an informal basis, travelling around buying cars. Derek Merson started with £500 and is now a millionaire. Generous. KB did it for 20 years, only finished 4 years ago, when he was 90. DM used to be at Quirk Street, then bought Metropole. [Back to top]
 

 4/4

RECREATION NOW / OVER 60S CLUB / IMPROVEMENTS TO WATERY LANE / WALKING MILES WITH JEAN / RAF RACES / HUNTING / RUNNING HOLDING STIRRUP / PUNCHBOWL

Goes to Over 60s Club, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Dinner for £2. A lot of members have died lately, 3 or 4 last month.

Took over garden when he moved in to Jean's. Put in new bath, and central heating and double glazing. His son built extension. He used to do all the decorating, especially when she went abroad.

Now he doesn't do anything much after he gets up. When he met Jean first they were great walkers. Would walk miles. Now walking down town is difficult.

He was fit. When war was on he would cycle from Minehead to Westonzoyland, 30 miles, and be there by 7 in the morning. Represented RAF for 100 yards race. Came 2^nd. 'Oh I was fit years ago. Well I always roamed the hills, walked everywhere'. Talks about walking at Winsford years ago.

Hunting. Loves hunting. Has run miles following hunt, from Comer's Gate to Dulverton. Years ago it was all toffs hunting. No working men, very few farmers. He'd catch hold of someone's stirrup which would help pull you along. Walking back was the trouble. [confirms] Very few farmers hunted. The toffs, like the Le Bas, hunted. No horse boxes then, groom would ride to the meet. He caught anyone's stirrup. 'I loved Winsford Hill, all in over the Punchbowl. I love it there.' Goes to see Burrow Wood bluebells every year. [Back to top]
 

4/5

LIVING IN TOWN / DULVERTON MEDICINE DELIVERY / WINSFORD TRADESPEOPLE / ERNEST BEVIN / WINSFORD TOPOGRAPHY / SHEEP FAIR / WALTER DARBY / STEER FAMILY / STEER WORKMEN / SELLING OF ACLAND ESTATE / PAINTING SMOKE-BLACKENED CEILINGS

Doesn't mind living in town, you've got everything. At Dulverton used to walk in to Dr Sydenham. Postman would cycle out and charge twopence for bringing medicine.

Winsford was busy. Blacksmith, carpenters, shop opposite Ernest Bevin's house. Sawyard over towards the [old] vicarage, driven by steam engine. Bevin tailor, Vesey tailor, Gills bread man. Groceries from Bampton and Dulverton. Butcher from King's Brompton. Busy place. Man who ran pub, David Evans, didn't stay there. They reckon Ernest Bevin 'came across the fields' and that David Evans was his father.

Used to be cottages opposite pub before his time, and river went straight down through. Royal Oak Farm used to belong to Royal Oak. They've only got a few fields now. Sheep Fair was 23 August. Darby's Nap. When he was a boy Walter Darby would walk down every day as far as the top, where the Council houses are and walk back.

Walter Darby was a great cricketer. Winsford playing Porlock and they drove off without him. He ran all way to Porlock, batted and won match himself. WD used to say that when he was drunk, 'I see three balls and I always hit the middle one'.

There used to be some wonderful people. He knows 4 generations of Steers. They were all carpenters. Old Joseph Steer employed 5 or 6 carpenters. Did all the funerals. Built all the houses. Went as far as Bampton. Carpenter came from Bridgetown, 2 from Brendon, one from near Williton, who lodged and went home at weekends. Painters galore. Nothing now.

Now if you want anything you've got to go to Dulverton and he doesn't know if that's any good now. Used to be big firm in Dulverton called Germans, supplying plumbers and painters.

He was in Winsford when Acland estate was sold. Everybody bought their houses, for £300. Everybody bought their farm. Farms only going for £3000. You couldn't  buy a field for that now. His parents bought theirs. Fires used to smoke and ceilings would be like chocolate. The whitened them with a pat of new cow dung, mixed in a bucket with water and painted on the ceiling. They'd let it dry and then paint over it. [Back to top]
 

4/6

LEISURE NOW / WINSFORD CRICKET PITCH / MR ANDERSON

He has three televisions. Doesn't watch a lot. Watches news, some plays, 'This is your life', quizzes. Doesn't sing. Gets Western Daily Press and Free Press.

He never played cricket but looked after cricket pitch for years. Mr Anderson (son) was the captain. He worked at Brushfor garage on Saturday mornings but would come home and pick up KB to mow the pitch. They had a lovely pitch, Mr A had it all railed in to keep cows off. By the vicarage. KB could never have Saturdays off because they'd give tea, and he used to boil the kettle outside.

Mr Anderson built a punt, kept it moored at Howtown, locked up. Made a trailer and they used to tow it to Northern Mill and Mr A would float down the river in his punt. [Back to top]
 

4/7

CLEANING BOOTS AT WINSFORD PUB / VISITORS / COLMAN'S MUSTARD / BUSY HUNTING SEASON / TAKING IN LODGERS / CLEANING BICYCLES / WINSFORD THEN / FLOODS

He used to clean the boots in the pub when he was a boy, for Mrs Evans, landlord's wife. Man who was Colman's Mustard used to stay there. He always had his cars mustard colour. Everywhere was full in the hunting season. Everybody had lodgers, grooms, chauffeurs. Winsford busy in Summer. His mother had lodgers, everybody did. Karslake had people who came year after year. Two ladies used to come every year for a fortnight, with their bicycles. They paid him sixpence a week to clean their bicycles.

Remembers the roads when there was no tarmac. First tarmac was by old Barlynch quarry. He can remember Winsford to Ash Lane all grass in the middle of the road. Across where the tea house is now used to be a green splat. They sat there as kids.

Winsford had terrible floods. Pub used to get flooded right in the kitchen because there were no drains in Halse Lane. In field opposite Karslake Fairfield Room used to have dances. He remembers Fair Field was a place they used to shear the sheep. His brother and Jack Bevin once picked up gold watch and chain and a brooch by gate [tells story]. [Back to top]
 

4/8

AUNT DOLL / STAMMERING / GRANDFATHER / SON'S EMPLOYMENT / FAMILY / LIFE NOW / DOCTORS / HEALTH / JEAN

Tells story about Jack Bevin's old aunt, Aunt Paul. 'When I was young I was tongue-tied and I used to stammer.' Aunt Paul would take him for walks, up to Pond Field, with her crochet. He couldn't say 'public' and she would make him say it over and over again. He always called her Aunt Doll. He stammered from a baby until he went to school. Doesn't know why it changed.

No-one retired then. Grandfather worked up to a fortnight before he died, and he was 84.

His son became a builder. Doesn't do much now, he's 62. What he likes doing, he starts at 5.30/6.00 in the morning and delivers for Stenners Bakers until 10.30, then goes building. KB has 3 grandchildren. Grandson made Manager of Lloyds Bank at 30.

He finds winter evenings lonely now. Describes friend of Jean's, who lives across the road. He visits her for an hour every evening.

He doesn't have any social services, only doctors. Hasn't got patience with doctors. He is waiting for an operation for water trouble. He was very good friends with Jean. She was a lovely girl.

[RECORDING ENDS] [Back to top]