Lily Sutcliffe (1 of 1)

Disclaimer: This interview was conducted in 1995 and concerns memories of 1930s life; as such there may be opinions expressed or words used that do not meet today's norms and expectations.

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* Transcript ID: LS-95-181AT001

* CCINTB Transcript ID: 95-181-3a-ax

* Tapes: LS-95-181AT001

* CCINTB Tapes ID: T95-28

* Length: 00:42:09

* Thornlea Residential Home, Manchester, 29 May 1995: Valentina Bold interviews Lily Sutcliffe

* Transcribed by Joan Simpson/Standardised by Annette Kuhn

* LS=Lily Sutcliffe, VB=Valentina Bold

* Notes: First interview of one with Lily Sutcliffe; Lily Sutcliffe took part in a previous interview with other Thornlea Residential Home residents (TR-95-041) on 4 May 1995; Sound Quality: Fair.

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[Start of Tape One]

[Start of Side A]

[VB tape introduction]

[Start of Interview]

VB: See if that's working. Should be. I mean it was just really to ask you erm a few more questions about going to the pictures. You know, as you were telling me about before. Erm, 'cause we didn't really have a chance to you know talk a lot--

LS: Yeah.

VB: A lot of detail before or anything. But erm was it Collyhurst you were brought up in?

LS: Yes.

VB: 'Cause I was talking to someone else from there just after you and he drew me a wee map of some of the cinemas. I thought I might see if they're the ones you remember. Eh like the Plaza and the Regent.

LS: Playhouse?

VB: Aye.

LS: I think I've answered, said that.

VB: You were telling me about that, yeah.

LS: I don't know about that one. [pause 3 seconds] And that one.

VB: The Osborne, yeah.

LS: Mm. And the, what's that one?

VB: Eh, I think that was another. Osborne.

LS: I don't know.

VB: The Osborne Picture Palace?

LS: Oh the Osborne?

VB: Yeah.

LS: Oh yes. That was on eh, oh eh, [pause 2 seconds], Oldham Road that.

VB: Ah right. Right. What was that one like?

LS: What the Osborne--

VB: Yeah.

LS: Well, it was a picture house.

VB: Yeah.

LS: Then I think it, [pause 2 seconds] it changed, didn't it? You know [artist?] and that?

VB: Yeah.

LS: Well I don't know whether before or after there was artists there after it 00:02:00being eh a picture house.

VB: Ah right.

LS: And the Playhouse there would be the Queens, [pause 1 second] Queens Road there.

VB: Right. I see. What was the Playhouse like?

LS: Eh, it was a cinema. You know for pictures and that. It was up for so many years--

VB: Yeah.

LS: And then closed down. I don't think many people, [pause 2 seconds] a lot used to go but I think for a lot of people got drawn perhaps to dancing or something like that.

VB: Yeah. So was it quite a fancy cinema that one?

LS: Yeah. And there was one, another one. [pause 1 second] I think it was near the Osborne somewhere, where they had these star turns and that. Where you could get in-- Come in! Alice! You're all right! You're upstairs you know that!

Alice: Oh I'm sorry.

LS: You had eh star turns and that. You could get in for a shilling or something like that. Used to have some good turns there and all.

VB: Right.

LS: And that one, not that one.

VB: The Popular.

LS: Yeah. That was up a little street. I forget where it was, the street it was off that one. I don't think I know, don't know that one.

VB: Central Hall. New Central Hall [referring to New Central Cinema]. Yeah. What was Dickie Banks's like?

LS: Well it was like a big hall, but you know instead of having seats, they had forms [benches]. You know the long forms. Well they had them. [laughs] You would have at the front. For a penny, for a penny, no, for a ha'penny. And then [inaudible] there, say at the very back for three ha'pence, you'd think you was well off if you went in the three ha'penny ones. [laughs] Eh but they used to do 00:04:00some bad films though you know. You know when we was young. [pause 2 seconds] I know that, but I can't think just where it was.

VB: The Regent. Yeah.

LS: Mhm. [pause 2 seconds] I think it was in [S?] street somewhere that one.

VB: Right.

LS: You know, Queens Road somewhere. That used to be I think off there. Not far from there.

VB: The Plaza. Yeah. I was amazed at the number of picture houses round.

LS: There used to be a couple there. Oh there used to be, I think that was one of them. The was higher up, you know. [pause 5 seconds]. High Oldham Road. [pause 4 seconds] That's all I know about--

VB: Yes.

LS: On there.

VB: 'Cause you were saying you went quite a lot to the pictures.

LS: Yeah, to pictures yeah.

VB: Yeah.

LS: Oh we used to go four or five times in the week.

VB: Really! As many was that!

LS: Mhm.

VB: Did you go with your family?

LS: No, I used to go on my own.

VB: Yeah.

LS: Sometimes I used to have a pal. You know. We used to go, the same age as what I am. We used to both go together. We used to play together and all. [pause 3 seconds]

VB: Did you have any favourite kinds of films that you went to, or did you just more or less go to everything that was on?

LS: Well we used to see what was on. If we think we didn't like it we used to change us minds and go somewhere else, where we thought you know, that the film'd be all right.

VB: Yeah. So did you used to talk about the pictures quite a bit then?

LS: Mhm.[pause 2 seconds]

VB: Yeah. [pause 2 seconds]

LS: Ah. You don't get, of course, [pause 2 seconds] then a bit of money went a long way. It's not like it is today. Because everywhere you go. You go to anywhere now, bingo or something like that, it's dear. Where you know it was cheap there. You could get [pause 2 seconds] the [little?] bags that were like that. You could get a bagful for ha'penny. Used to last you all afternoon. [laughs] [?] chews.

VB: [laughs]

LS: Ah you don't see eh little shops around. You know, today. For anything you know that you can get.

VB: Did you used to take a bag of sweets into the pictures with you?

LS: Yeah.

VB: Yeah.

LS: When I was young my dad, [pause 2 seconds] when he was living he used to take me and eh [pause 2 seconds] this pal I used to have. He used to take us about twice a week to the first house pictures. And then bring us home. But he used to have a little bit of a drink. [laughs] Got back he used to say, "Now. Stop there." He was very strict, father. "The two of you stop there and don't dare move till I come out." And you daren't move. 'Cause you knew if you moved, you'd had it!

VB: Mhm.

LS: Then he used to give us a penny apiece. We used to go to toffee shop across the road. As I say you used to get little bagfuls. We used to get a pennyworth of toffee an eat it on the way home. [laughs]

VB: [laughs] So he was strict, but it sounds like he had a soft spot for you as well.[laughs]

LS: Oh no. No. He was very strict.

VB: No.

LS: My sisters, [there was a load up there?] I was only ten or something and eh, well they used to say, they was about seventeen or nineteen, and they used to have to be in the house for nine o'clock. If they weren't in, and in bed, somebody used to cop it.

VB: Really!

LS: Very strict.

VB: Yeah.

LS: And he used to go and look. To see was they in bed.

VB: 'Cause you were saying you quite liked going to the dancing as well.

LS: Yeah.

VB: How did your father feel about that?

LS: Oh well he weren't pleased. About it. [pause 4 seconds] So I say anything wicked and that and it's altered today from when we was young. Isn't it?

VB: Yeah. Very much so. Yeah. [pause 2 seconds] I mean talking about pictures--

LS: [coughs]

VB: I brought along some erm pictures from things like Fred Astaire. Just when we were talking about things like going dancing.

LS: Oh I don't like, don't like,

VB: Do you not like Ginger Rogers?

LS: No.

VB: Nah. What was it about her that put you off?

LS: Like, some people like something like that.

VB: Yeah. Were you not really keen on the dancing pictures then?

LS: No. Used to like him.

VB: Edward G. Robinson. Yeah. [laughs] What was it you liked about him?

LS: Great. Ooh he was a good actor. [pause 2 seconds]. He was a good actor.

VB: Mhm.

LS: She was my little favourite and all.

VB: Shirley Temple. Yeah.

LS: Think she was cute, her.

VB: Oh she was lovely.

LS: I thought she was lovely little dancer and singer, her. [laughs] [inaudible].

[pause 5 seconds]

LS: Used to like him and all.

VB: George Formby. Yeah. [laughs]

LS: One of my favourites him for singing.

VB: Ah really! Yeah. Was it his voice that you liked then?

LS: Yeah. Ah I used to like, love him. [pause 7 seconds] I don't know who this is. That's not Gracie is it?

VB: I think it is yeah. Yeah, I think it's from erm Sing As We Go.

LS: What she eh, Rochdale she come from, I think.

VB: Right.

LS: She was another one of my favourite ones Gracie.

VB: What was it you liked about Gracie?

LS: Her singing. There was one song I used to like. Not 'The Biggest Aspidistra'. Another one. I used to like to hear her sing.

VB: Are these the films you'd go to out of choice?

LS: Yeah.

VB: Yeah.

LS: [laughs] Them two were all right and all.

VB: Laurel and Hardy. Aye. Did you like the comedies then?

LS: Yeah.[pause 3 seconds] D'you know, he's fat but I believe that, when he dances he's very light on the feet. You know, what thin people are.

VB: Mhm.

LS: Think we got to the end of them then, haven't we?

VB: Yeah.

LS: I like er, she's not bad.

VB: Katharine Hep-, eh--

LS: Joan Crawford.

VB: Joan Crawford. Yeah. Yeah. I'm interested that you weren't so keen on the 00:12:00Astaire and Rogers cause I've heard a few folk saying that they liked them. But that wasn't to your taste.

LS: Oh no. Not Ginger Rogers.

VB: Yeah.

LS: No.

VB: No.

LS: Not the tap dancer. Not what's it on that? The tap dancer.

VB: Yeah.

LS: I'd sooner have somebody that's on the telly and anything. You know that you can laugh at. Same as one that was on last week with erm, 'Stars In Your Eyes'. She was a proper comical. Don't know whether you seen it or not.

VB: I missed that.

LS: And eh, she won it. She won a sizeable sum of money and all. Anyway she won. That's why I like, you know, something you can watch. You know, and have a bit of a laugh with.

VB: Yeah. Did you like the stories in the pictures or?

LS: Yeah.

VB: 'Cause when you say you know, you liked Edward G. Robinson--

LS: Yeah.

VB: Did you like that sort of gangster film?

LS: Gangsters. Yeah. Used to love it. Love it when it was gangsters.

VB: Yeah.

LS: And I used to love him when he was on the telly and all. You don't see anything now of him on the telly.

VB: No. No he was good.

LS: Some say he's not got a nice face but I don't think he's too, he's too bad. You know. And if you see him on the telly anyway, no, not as ugly I don't think as some of them that's on.

VB: Yeah. It's a nice photo that of him as well.

LS: Yes. It is. Good one that.

VB: Yeah. Did you like erm, Cagney and--

LS: Yeah.

VB: George Raft.

LS: And I do like horror films, Boris Karloff.

VB: [gasps]

LS: Ooh! [laughs] I'd sooner see him in one of his horror films than sit and 00:14:00watch some of the films that's on now. Some of these scary little pictures, you know, that used to be on.

VB: Things like, what was he, in The Mummy?

LS: Yeah.

VB: Was that Boris Karloff? Yeah.

LS: Yeah. Yeah. One or two. You know and he's not a bad looking fella. He's not a bad looking fella. He's only got a soft voice.

VB: Were you frightened by that sort of film?

LS: Some of them. Yeah.

VB: [laughs]

LS: [laughs] You'd get in bed and I [laughs] [had dreams?].

VB: [laughs]

LS: Sometimes you do though, don't you? You'd see some horror films. Sometimes you dream. [pause 3 seconds]

VB: Did your parents go to the pictures much?

LS: Well I went to the pictures about three or four times a week.

VB: Yeah.

LS: 'Course it was cheaper, not like it was today.

VB: Yeah.

LS: If you go to bingo now, course I'm talking about twelve or fourteen years back, it wasn't so dear. But now, it's nearly four pound to go in.

VB: Yeah.

LS: Too much I think, that.

VB: Yeah. Imean how about your mother? Did she like going to the pictures?

LS: No, eh, she went nearly blind. She couldn't see.

VB: Oh I see. Yeah. Yeah. I mean do you think when you were growing up, was there a lot of difference from the things that your parents could do when they were growing up? 'Cause when you're talking about all, you know, the dancing and all these cinemas, must've been quite different for them.

LS: [pause 4 seconds] [coughs]

VB: Aye. Cause I mean I remember you telling me about as well the fairs that there used to be.

LS: Oh aye.

VB: The fairs. It sounded great.

LS: On eh Albert [C?].

VB: Yeah.

LS: Used to love going on there. Have you heard of the black pea soup?

VB: No I haven't.

LS: Ooh it was lovely. And my sister that lived on the street. She used to say, "Get us two [penn'orth] of black pea soup." And you used to get a jugful--

VB: [gasps]

LS: For a penny. You used to get a big cupful like that.

VB: Aw it sounds delicious actually.

LS: But eh lot people'd say, "Ooh I don't fancy black pea soup." It was better to what, for later day. You know, for pea soup.

VB: Yeah. I was going to say, it must taste quite different from the pea soup.

LS: It did. But as I say, sometimes they do it here. I don't have it. The soup. I've heard a lot say. "Ooh, it's salty", and they've left it. Where this, it never tasted heavy. Salt or anything. I don't know how they made it. But it was just nice. You know you couldn't, be there a couple of hours and have a couple of cupfuls. It didn't do you any harm. 'Cause it was nice. People used to 00:18:00[crowd?] you know, to go for it. Especially if it was a bit on the cold weather side.

VB: Yeah.

LS: You know. And all. It used to be lovely and hot. You know. To get down you.

VB: I think it's the sort of thing we're needing on a day like this.

LS: Yeah.

VB: A nice bowl of that. Sounds good.

LS: Well the [scholars?] they'll be home now. The [scholars?] have walked today. To town and back again.

VB: Aye. It sounds like a lot of different things. Did you used to play out of doors a lot when you were a kid?

LS: Yeah. Like used to play out. Go to the park and play on the swings there. Or we used to have bobbins and [?]. Used to get a little ball about that big and you used to bounce it. Catch the ball. Used to play outside on the flags [pavement].

VB: Yeah.

LS: We used to go out to the park. To keep out of us mother's road [way] for about an hour. You know, for to get into trouble.

VB: [laughs]

LS: [laughs] But kids today they're up to all sortsofa mischief aren't they?

VB: Yeah.

LS: Today.

VB: Were you expected to help quite a bit round the house as well?

LS: Mhm.

VB: Yeah.

LS: Oh aye. I'd give anybody old [?]. They used to say don't be giving anybody old [buck?]. Used to get a clobber round the ear 'ole! Say if any old ladies want any, used to run a mile. If the old ladies want anything, Go! No money. 00:20:00'Cause took a ha'penny or a penny off them. Wouldn't take it back.

VB: Really!

LS: They can't afford it. Took it back. Take no money. Said d'you want a job, you'd to say no.

VB: It sounds very different as you say to erm, you know, what it's like today.

LS: Yeah. Well as I say we used to, any old book. My brother, any old book, I used to get a clobber round the ear 'ole. Don't be giving you no book. Get a right one round the ear 'ole. [laughs]

VB: Aw dear.

LS: Same as they grumble now about wages. But I said, "You're lucky. When I first started working at half a crown! Quarter to eight till six!" Come home and 00:21:00give it [to] your mother. [laughs]

VB: When you were working did you have time to go to the pictures much? [pause 2 seconds] Or were you still going quite a lot then?

LS: No I didn't go as much cause, with my mother not being able to see and that, you know. I'd to look after her and do the cleaning and that. Didn't get much time. Only the odd time used to go to the pictures.

VB: Yeah. So it must've been more of a treat then I suppose.

LS: Yeah.

VB: Did you go much to the cinemas in town or was it always just the ones locally?

LS: No just round, you know, local like.

VB: Yeah. Did you have any favourites yourself out of the ones we were talking about earlier?

LS: Well used to go to, say, Dickie Banks's and eh, the other one.

VB: Yeah.

LS: The Empress, is it? Used to go there.

VB: Yeah.

LS: Used to go to the Osborne. They used to have eh, the artist and that. Used to go there an eh, ooh I never went there I don't think, Playhouse.

VB: Were there some of these that were more sort of upmarket than the other ones? More expensive to go to?

LS: Well I think so. The Playhouse I think was a bit dear. And eh, them two.

VB: The Regent and the Plaza.

LS: Yeah.

VB: Yeah.

LS: Here was a bit cheap. I don't think the Osborne was too bad for going in.

VB: Did they have different prices of seats there?

LS: Yeah.

VB: Yeah.

LS: You had to pay such a price you know, for the front. So far and then they had them a bit, you know, dearer at the back.

VB: Yeah. Did you tend to go for the more expensive ones?

LS: Yeah. Oh I used to go in where I could afford.

VB: Right. [laughs]

LS: [laughs]

VB: Specially at the time you were going a few times a week I expect. Did you like the the, you know not the films themselves, the newsreels?

LS: I used to like the newsreels and that.

VB: Yeah.

LS: Used to get interested in them sometimes more than, what more than the picture, [laughs] the picture! 'Cause there used to some eh, good things, you know in it. You know that you could follow and that. There used to be, if it was a special one or something, continued next week. But I used to enjoy that in between. Or a cartoon perhaps they used to show before the picture come on. [pause 3 seconds]

VB: 'Cause from what you're saying it sounds like you'd be in the picture house 00:24:00quite a long time sometimes.

LS: Yeah.

VB: See all these different things. Another thing that I brought along that I thought you might like to see is an old erm, it's a copy of one of the film books from 1938. I think it's a Daily Express one. Did you get the film magazines yourself? The Picturegoer and--

LS: We used to get it but you don't see it, I don't think you see it much here now.

VB: Right. Right.

LS: I don't see it much here.

VB: But you got them when you were growing up?

LS: Yeah. [pause 6 seconds]

VB: Did you ever share copies of the film magazines? 'Cause I've heard some folk saying you know, maybe an aunt would get them, and they would pass them--

LS: You don't see any magazines. Been in here twelve month and I've not seen any.

VB: Yeah.

LS: There's Gracie.

VB: She's quite glamorous in that isn't she?

LS: Yeah. She was only a mill girl really you know. From Rochdale. Wasn't she?

VB: Yeah.

LS: Just wondering who she is.

VB: Ah. Oh is that Sonja Henie?

LS: Yeah.

VB: The ice star. Yeah. Did you like her?

LS: I don't like ice skating. Another thing I don't like.

VB: [laughs]

LS: [turns pages] Who's that, Joan, oh! I used to like er. Joan Blondell.

VB: Joan Blondell yeah.

LS: Oh I don't know him.

VB: Did you have any favourites among the stars apart from Edward G. Robinson? Were there other ones that you particularly liked?

LS: Eh, [pause 3 seconds] Boris Karloff.

VB: Ah Boris Karloff.

LS: One of my favourites. Him. He's got his telly on. [coughs]

VB: Aye.

LS: Keep telling him about his telly. He has it on when I'm in bed and you can't get to sleep.

VB: Mhm.

LS: Marlene Dietrich.

VB: Was she someone you liked as well?

LS: Yeah. [pause 7 seconds; looking at book]

VB: Errol Flynn.

LS: I liked him. Used to like him in, what was it? 'Sherwood Forest' is it?

VB: Oh! 'Robin Hood' [referring to The Adventures of Robin Hood]. Oh he's good in that.

LS: Do you like him in that?

VB: Yeah.

LS: They used to have [?] but they won't be as good as him--

VB: Yeah.

LS: In 'Robin Hood'.

VB: Basil Rathbone was in that as well I think, wasn't he?

LS: Yeah.

VB: He was the baddie. [laughs]

LS: I liked, he's another one of my favourites. I like him. But eh, with Doctor Watson. What was it?

VB: Oh yes. The Sherlock Holmes ones. Yeah. Erm, Nigel, is it Nigel Bruce?

LS: Yeah.

VB: Yeah. He was good too. Deanna Durbin.

LS: I like her. Used to like her and all. Deanna Durbin. [pause 9 seconds] I used to like Charlie Chaplin, all his films. You don't see much of him now.

VB: No.

LS: Sooner see some of the films like that than some of the tripe that's on today. She's not so bad. Bette Davis.

VB: Yeah. Did you like her then? Was she one of your favourites?

LS: Yeah.

VB: Yeah.

LS: There she is again isn't she? Marlene.

VB: Ah.

LS: [pause 7 seconds] Oh I don't know her.

VB: Ah.

[pause 4 seconds]

LS: Don't know her either. She didn't seem to be that huge, big, Joan Bennett.

VB: No. She looks like she's very young there doesn't she? In that photo.

LS: Yeah. Used to like him and all.

VB: Oh Spencer Tracy.

LS: Yeah.

VB: Yeah. Did you like the American pictures then? A lot? 'Cause it sounds like, you know, the names here--

LS: [laughs]

VB: The Hollywood ones.

[pause 16 seconds; turning pages]

VB: 'Cause I've seen one or two of the old copies of The Picturegoer. I mean they were good these film magazines for telling you a bit about the stars too, weren't they?

LS: Yeah. Used to like her. Janet Gaynor and Charles Farrell. Used to like them two and all. There's George [Formby]. And his banjo.

VB: [laughs]

[pause 7 seconds]

LS: I used to have one or two books like this. But when I come in here I don't know what became of them.

VB: Ah. Yeah. Did you get these sort of books at the time then?

LS: Used to be a bit smaller, you know, a bit smaller than this.

VB: Right.

LS: I used to have a few books. You know when you're flitting [mowing house] you cop half the things out and... When you come to, what's it?

VB: Yeah. Did you ever send away for things from the film magazines. 'Cause I know some of them did.

LS: I used to do but, as I say, I'd to throw half the things, you know, away.

VB: Yeah.

LS: They said, you can't do this and you can't do that.

VB: Aw.

[End of Side A]

[Start of Side B]

VB: 'Snow White'. Did you see that when it came out? Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs?

LS: Yes. It were good that weren't it?

VB: Yeah.

LS: I like a bit eh, whatsits with eh, Pinocchio and that films. They don't have 00:31:00much of them films now, do they?

VB: Yeah. Did you like the first colour films when they came out? What was that like?

LS: Yeah. Yeah. That's only in black and white. The coloured ones. The coloured films. The coloured telly's not bad but they're a bit dear.

VB: Yeah.

LS: That's a little black and white one. You have to pay a [fiver?] in here for watching the telly.

VB: Right.

LS: Liked her and all. Bette Davis.

VB: Oh yeah. Yeah. Who's that? Is that? Who's that she's with? Who's the--

LS: I don't know who he is.

VB: Erm, is it Henry Fonda?

LS: Yeah. And eh--

VB: Ooh.

LS: And eh, George Brent. Henry Fonda and eh, George Brent.

VB: Yeah. That's, is Jezebel the one where she has the big, the red dress?

LS: Yes.

VB: Ah yes. Yeah.

LS: [laughs] Look at that. I like her and all.

VB: Jane Withers.

LS: Yeah.

VB: Yeah.

LS: You don't hear much of them now though. Do you? They're getting on a bit now though. Won't they?

VB: Yeah. There's Ronald Colman as well. [pause 4 seconds]

LS: Irene Dunne.

VB: Did you like the westerns?

LS: Yeah. Gene Autry used to be one of my favourites with his singing and that. Good singer. [laughs] Oh there's Trigger.

VB: [laughs]

LS: Used to be a comical horse that. [pause 3 seconds] Don't think I know any of these now though. [pause 3 seconds] Greta Garbo.

VB: Did you like her?

LS: Mhm. What was she? Eh. [pause 5 seconds] Forgot eh, what country she's from.

VB: She's either, is she not either German or Austrian or something like that?

LS: I think she might be Austrian.

VB: Yeah.

LS: Something like that.

VB: Goodness, we should know that.

LS: Austrian or something.

VB: Yeah. Yeah. Was she quite popular?

LS: Yes. Somebody did tell me once where she come from, but I can't think. [pause 3 seconds] No. [pause 4 seconds]

VB: Well I thought you might like to see that anyway 'cause, you know, we were talking about the films. Erm, it's interesting. Erm, you know 'cause you were 00:34:00saying that, do you like some of the musicals but not all of them or?

LS: I don't like anybody. I don't like anybody on the piano if they play some that you know but I can't do. Anybody that plays Schubert or something like that. You know. I like Mrs Mills and anybody like that, you know, that plays. You know like the audience can have a singalong. You know the song. But I can't do with these, that plays these funny whatsits. Is it Sh, Sh, ooh!

VB: [laughs]

LS: [laughs] Sh, oh!

VB: I know the sort of thing you mean, I think. [laughs] Aye. I mean did you used to like the songs from the pictures?

LS: Yeah. Or eh, songs that the artist, you know, like Max Bygraves. Songs that, 00:35:00songs he sings. You know like, [pause 4 seconds] Winifred Atwell that died. She used to be good on the piano. Used to follow her for a singsong.

VB: Are you a singer yourself? Or do you like singing yourself?

LS: Well I used to like a singsong but I don't get too good on the chest now.

VB: Ah.

LS: It's funny you know. My voice with the chest there--

VB: Yeah.

LS: It means I can't, you know, proper talk.

VB: Yeah. [pause 2 seconds] I like your room very much. It's, even if you weren't allowed to--

LS: It needs papering.

VB: Yeah. These are--

LS: I've had a go at him twice. But I'll have to have another go. Have to get round him.

VB: Yeah. I like your china cats. They're lovely.

LS: [laughs] I had that one bought me.

VB: It's really nice. And the cats in the photos, are they family pets?

LS: No, they're just eh, they were out of a book or something like that.

VB: Oh right! Yeah. Yeah. They're really nice.

LS: But it could really do 'cause round here--

VB: Yeah.

LS: Half the paper's off.

VB: Aye.

LS: I used to be upstairs, but I come down here.

VB: Yeah. That's lovely as well. The wee lacy cushion.

LS: Yeah.

VB: It's really pretty. Is this you in the photo?

LS: Pardon?

VB: Is that yourself in the photo?

LS: No, it's one of my sisters.

VB: Ah right.

LS: That's in the good old-fashioned days that.

VB: Yeah. She's very like you.

LS: She was about eighteen or nineteen there.

VB: Yeah. It's a lovely picture.

LS: She'd have been eh, [pause 2 seconds] nearly a hundred now.

VB: Yeah.

LS: It keeps coming undone.

VB: Yeah. It's a lovely picture.

LS: Give it a wipe. It can catch dust.

VB: Yeah. As I say I thought it was you 'cause she's very like you.

LS: 'Bout nineteen. They used to have their hair like that--

VB: Yeah.

LS: In the olden days. About sixteen there, I think.

VB: [gasps] She's lovely. She really is.

LS: [laughs]

VB: Yeah.

LS: Put it there.

VB: Who's this?

LS: That's my niece--

VB: Right.

LS: In Australia.

VB: Right.

LS: She got married there. This is her dad.

VB: Ah right!

LS: Yeah. That was taken sixty years ago.

VB: [gasps] Really! Yeah.

LS: And she's a grandma now, her.

VB: That's amazing [laughs] isn't it?

LS: [laughs]

VB: She's lovely in that photo though. Really is.

LS: She's [a little] like myself.

VB: Yeah.

LS: [laughs] A lot a people say, "Is that you?" I say, "No. It's my niece."

VB: Yeah. Again she's like you. It's a really strong family likeness.

LS: Yeah.

VB: Yeah. He is as well actually. [laughs]

LS: Yeah.

VB: Really see it.

LS: Oh he's fat now. He's slim there.

VB: Yes.

LS: Fat now.

VB: I like your wee china figures as well. They're lovely.

LS: Oh they have a, about fortnight or three weeks they have a bingo, they have little ornaments or something else you can have. Last time, about a fortnight since, I won them.

VB: Right. That's not bad for a prize at the bingo. They're really lovely.

LS: [inaudible]

VB: Yeah. These are nice too. Your wee clock's lovely as well. [laughs]

LS: I bought that. Sometimes I get up and I have to keep [staring ahead?] like that--

VB: [laughs]

LS: Where I can see that.

VB: Yeah.

LS: You know, while I'm in bed.

VB: Mhm.

LS: [laughs]

VB: Oh well anything that makes life easier I think. Yeah.

LS: [laughs]

VB: It's a lovely wee room.

LS: Would be if it was papered.

VB: Yeah.

LS: See, I don't know whether you can see it behind this, can you see it?

VB: Aw dear! Yes. Yeah. That's really bad. Is it damp? Or is it--

LS: I don't, perhaps it must be.

VB: Yeah. I mean it's sort of peeling off like that.

LS: See how it's coming peeling off there and all.

VB: Yeah.

LS: See, it's peeling.

VB: Ah I see. Down at the bottom.

LS: There. It's coming off. Don't know what it's like behind there. I don't touch things. I leave them.

VB: Yeah.

LS: 'Course, they couldn't get damp. Being at the end.

VB: Yes.

LS: It's at the end you see. Like that one across the road.

VB: Yeah.

LS: It gets damp.

VB: Yeah.

LS: I think that's my, can you hear me now?

VB: Yeah.

LS: It's my chest. It's getting, I should've stopped upstairs.

VB: Yeah.

LS: My chest.

VB: Yeah. 'Cause you don't really notice it either if you've got the heating. It's--

LS: Yeah.

VB: Yeah. I like your picture of the Pope as well.

LS: Yeah.

VB: Is that when he came over?

LS: Yeah.

VB: Was that on his last visit?

LS: Eh-- [inaudible]

VB: Ah right.

LS: Some lady give it me 'cause she had two. She said, "There you are, you can have one."

VB: Right. It's really. I mean it's very close, isn't it? The photo. It's a really good picture that.

LS: Yeah. The cleaners dust every day.

VB: Yeah.

LS: Ah that's just coming on. It'll come on for about an hour and then it'll go off again.

VB: Guess I should let you get back to your afternoon.

LS: I'll go and have a smoke.

VB: Yeah.

LS: Do you want a drink? I'll offer to make you a drink.

VB: I wouldn't mind actually. Right.

LS: What do you want? A coffee or--

VB: Erm, tea would be great.

[End of Interview]