[speaker001:] about when you worked at er
[Ivy:] Yes. Well where I was born in Needham Market
[speaker001:] Mm.
[Ivy:] need I say where because I, I can't day. I don't
[speaker001:] Oh, I see.
[Ivy:] the people to know
[speaker001:] You was born here then?
[Ivy:] I was.
[speaker001:] Ah, right well let's say you were born in the house you live in
[Ivy:] Well you could say
[speaker001:] without act without actually saying where it was.
[Ivy:] That's right, yes.
[speaker001:] You don't often get that nowadays.
[Ivy:] No you don't. because er I naturally I went away to work but er I was born here and er you see and, and wh what else did you want?
[speaker001:] where were you born, because you must be one of the oldest residents in Needham?
[Ivy:] Yes, I, I was born in this house but er I don't wish people to know er because er this is a funny world, I, I don't know whether that's being recorded I expect
[speaker001:] Yes, it will all be dow that will go down on
[Ivy:] because er well I er I, as I and I've got young neighbours who I very seldom see because they are out at work er therefore I am quiet and that's how I like to be
[speaker001:] Yes.
[Ivy:] an. er erm, well I mean we, we live in a strange world
[speaker001:] Mm,
[Ivy:] it's all very different to when I was young.
[speaker001:] Yes, yes. What did your father do?
[Ivy:] Oh my father was a shoemaker.
[speaker001:] Really?
[Ivy:] Yes and he worked in the High Street and er he what would you say suppose that's the proper word. He lived down Gypsy Lane with his two sisters, he was a single man you see and my father and mother lived here and my, they not only mended shoes but they made them and er course naturally, you know, well of course Needham wasn't as big as it is now but they made them for the best people, if that, if that's the right, not the right expression say, but er but you know what I mean er and er and he, you know, all his life you see he did that and then one day he had a shock because his er, what would you call him colleague, he, he died suddenly in the night. So my father said what shall I do? I said, well just carry on and so he used this er workshop at the back. The black and there was all cement drawn and everything and we had a big table in there and he just carried on he didn't make shoes and he died when he was er, well he had a bad stroke and, and he was in the other room for seven years. You see they didn't do things then that they would have done today, you see, seven years and you see I at that time, well I used to used to have a day off and instead of having a half day a week we used to have full day a fortnight and so of course on my day off I came home to see what I can do to help, you see and er my mother died. My father died in nineteen forty six and my mother died in nineteen fifty seven. Well my husband and I were married in nineteen forty four, you see, and er as you see I go every year and it's nineteen eighty six, so therefore erm I you see I, I don't really want people to know my age
[speaker001:] Mm.
[Ivy:] you see because living here like this and er I mean, I mean only yesterday I heard of an people burst in the door and this old lady on the head and where's your money and that sort of thing, you know, so it it's really terrible.
[speaker001:] Mm.
[Ivy:] It's a lovely world, beautiful world but it's the people in it you see who are spoiling things so much and I don't understand youngsters you see but because young people erm there, there was a time when youngsters just er do just as they like and they weren't reprimanded by the parents, whereas my parents were very strict you see and it didn't do me any harm and I'm glad now that they were. We were brought up nicely to go with my father who used to sing in the church choir. They haven't one now. Well I was sent to the erm United, well it wasn't a United Reform Church then but it was called the Chapel and I was sent to there, to Sunday School there, mornings and afternoon and we went two by two across to the Chapel, you see, so while my father, we used to walk down the street together. He went to church and I went to the Chapel, you see.
[speaker001:] So he sang in the C of E Church, Church of England?
[Ivy:] Oh yes and there were eight choir men, you see, well no choir at all there hadn't been for years, you see so er and I had a photograph somewhere of my father with eight choir men, you see, and er well after that
[speaker001:] Did they have a, did they have a band or anything in the church or did they sing without music?
[Ivy:] Er well they've got a piped organ there and er oh someone plays the organ yes. An old gentleman from Stowmarket, his name's Mr I'm sure it was because er, you see, my father and I used to go up Stowmarket Road sometimes after church or chapel and er and go for a walk up there and used to meet this Mr who played the organ Stowmarket and very course but erm but I had a wonderful life really
[speaker001:] Mm.
[Ivy:] and then, as I say when I was sixteen well erm when I left Needham School, you see, I passed through. I missed several classes because they put me up in, for instance I, when I came up from the infants to the big school I missed the first standard and they put me into standard two and I went from two, three, four, five, six, seven and seven and I was only eleven, you see, so I did pretty well and then the Headmaster came to my parents and said, why don't you let her go in for a scholarship to Stowmarket Secondary and so I went in for that and er there was one other girl went as well, there were two of us and erm, and of course we only heard during the summer break and er we passed. Now this other girl came down one Saturday morning and we had a letter to say that I'd passed and I said well, so have I. we did so hope that we'd both pass, you see, because, you know, been terrible
[speaker001:] How old were you when you passed that scholarship? Well I I was eleven but by the time but I had a birthday, you see, er in the summer and er er well August actually and so when I started at Stowmarket I was twelve, you see, and er and er I was at Stowmarket School and scholarship for four years and er well I don't know whether I really liked school, did you? Bits of it, not all of it.
[Ivy:] [LAUGHTER] No that's right, as I say but erm anyway then after that when I left at say sixteen, you see, er er er a friend of ours who was a railway clerk at Needham Station came and told us that they were taking on girls on the Railway Company and would I like to do it and so of course I had to pass exams and er actually, can I read some notes that
[speaker001:] Yes
[Ivy:] Oh this er when I said er I was just looking through again because last night I sat up late writing these
[speaker001:] [LAUGHTER]
[Ivy:] and then I got in a muddle and I was so tired I was, because it's my eyes you see
[speaker001:] Mm.
[Ivy:] I can't see very well Yes and of course I can't see anything at all without my magnifying glass
[speaker001:] Without your
[Ivy:] yes I know I'll read this first page
[speaker001:] Mm.
[Ivy:] and, and erm I put after leaving Needham Market School, I won a scholarship to Stowmarket Secondary School for four years. Then I was told that girls were being taken on the railways so I had to go to Ipswich and take two more exams and started work as a booking clerk at Needham Station when I was sixteen. I learned how to use the single needle telegraph instrument. Well now I don't know whether you know anything about that but it's a make words.
[speaker001:] Morse code is it?
[Ivy:] Oh yes er yes code yes then I had to learn that
[speaker001:] [LAUGHTER]
[Ivy:] and er, you see, and I can still do it because [LAUGHTER] I know N D N D N D and they keep answering that. I know it's, I knew it was Needham Station and it was between station to station, you see, not er anything to do with the public but that's where I learnt so we used to er take er messages from station to station and I used to speak to the girl at Merrith down the line. She was also the Stationmaster's daughter, you see, and we used to talk to each other telephone you see and erm, well that's as far as I've got now. I hope you're finding it
[speaker001:] This is just what I want to hear. Oh [LAUGHTER] oh well, yes, well of course er I kn I know about take two more exams and er I know the second one was mental arithmetic. Mental arithmetic and reading and I also had er er take an eye test because they said if there was a train accident and I couldn't see the signal whether it was red or green or whatever, you see, you never know. So I had to take an eye test, I remember. Erm and er... oh yes, er no wait a minute I had and take two and started work as a booking clerk, I've said that before at Needham Station when I was sixteen. I learned how to use the single needle pantograph instrument, sending and taking messages from station to station. Issuing tickets and taking in parcels. The parcel door was the other end of the office you see and er oh I loved it, I loved the work I really did. I took early and late turns with the Chief Clerk, you see, and er well there were two lads who did a middle turn but I needn't mention that, but they did a sort of nine to six you see Mm, and you would do, which turns would you do? You'd be early and late
[Ivy:] Early early and late.
[speaker001:] How early?
[Ivy:] Seven o'clock in the morning at seven o'clock till four, I think it was and then er it would be two till ten, you see, but the Stationmaster was always about just in case I was late er you know, not there by seven. To book out the seven ten train. So he was always always there and such a kind man he was and er yes Chief Clerk. The clerk whose job I took went on the district as a relief clerk and later relief Stationmaster. I am talking about during the First World War, you see. I was there until the end of the first war, what some people called the Great War, anyway, the first war that'd be ni and I was there until nineteen nineteen. Well it was over in nineteen eighteen. However, I stayed a bit longer and when all the girls, all of us had three months' notice to leave, it was dreadful, you see, because we were fully trained by that time you see. But er, course I'm talking, I'm forgetting all this is being recorded.
[speaker001:] It's alright, don't worry about it.
[Ivy:] Oh, you'll sort it out later on
[speaker001:] Yes we'll sort it out don't worry.
[Ivy:] Yes, and the girls had three months' notice to leave and on the last day at three months I heard that a young lady had left the Post Office. I went to see the Postmistress and she said I've known you all my life, so start work on Monday morning because, you see, it was so quick and I hadn't got my references back from the Railway Company but that's what she said er I can start work on Monday morning. I enjoyed the work, issuing dog licences, gun licences and old age pensions and of course stamps.
[speaker001:] When did the old age pension come in?
[Ivy:] Well I can't remember but my parents got it but when it first came in I can't remember the year but
[speaker001:] No.
[Ivy:] I was too young but it was about five shillings a week
[speaker001:] Is that all it was? Was that for a couple or single?
[Ivy:] No, I think, I think they got ten shillings between them. If I remember rightly
[speaker001:] Yes
[Ivy:] but I can't. I have no idea of the date when it started but erm... and of course it er anyway, it's better now thank goodness. Erm... whilst there I learn how to use another sort of telegraph instrument. When I was at the Post Office. Er taking off and sending telegrams, you see, erm then I was told that the Railway Company wer were taking girls on again, so I applied and I had to go to Ipswich to pass two more exams, you see, and er and started work and the in the Catering Manager's office at Ipswich Station as, as a clerk doing typing and general office work as the Manager had to go on the district. Every day to the ten refreshment rooms. So he was starting at Chelmsford, Witham, Marks Tey, Colchester, Ipswich erm Bury St Edmunds, Newmarket er down so far, Manningtree and er there were ten altogether.
[speaker001:] So what do y you prepare, helped prepare the food for all the trains?
[Ivy:] oh no I didn't do any cooking.
[speaker001:] You didn't?
[Ivy:] I was just in the office.
[speaker001:] Aha.
[Ivy:] I was just in the office typing and er and general office work and while he went on the district you see. There was only the I was going to say but when they had w oh when I was in the I went to evening classes to learn Pitman's Shorthand. Erm, I was at Ipswich Station for ten years
[speaker001:] Mm.
[Ivy:] you see. Now when they were busy and had important people in our dining room at Ipswich, there was one, there were two waiters. Er, one and another one who did, who was a waiter but part-time when they had somebody important in, which I think I've put down here, that one's finished with.
[speaker001:] But did that be for the staff catering? Would that be the that you are talking about the canteen for staff
[Ivy:] erm well
[speaker001:] dining room?
[Ivy:] The dining room, oh yes the dining room I was
[speaker001:] that would be for the staff, railway staff?
[Ivy:] Mm. Oh no every er er ordinary customers.
[speaker001:] Oh, I see Oh, I see actually, it was actually at the station?
[Ivy:] oh yes
[speaker001:] different now when it, where it's just a cafe isn't it? [LAUGHTER]
[Ivy:] I don't know I haven't been up for years.
[speaker001:] [LAUGHTER] You don't, I mean they don't have proper dining rooms at all.
[Ivy:] Don't they?
[speaker001:] No.
[Ivy:] Oh.
[speaker001:] No, that's why I was wondering.
[Ivy:] Oh goodness.
[speaker001:] There isn't at the station for the customers.
[Ivy:] Yes.
[speaker001:] just like rolls now and a cup of tea
[Ivy:] Oh my word, how it's gone down.
[speaker001:] Well what sort of meals did you have to provide?
[Ivy:] Well I can tell you. I've written it all down.
[speaker001:] Oh really, oh good.
[Ivy:] Yes I, you see, in those days it was quite different
[speaker001:] Yes
[Ivy:] you see er what it's like now it was a large adjoining the, the, the large room, what they call the you see and over the, over the other, across the line, to the railway line there was another place called the Down Bar and the Tea Room adjoined. I don't know whether they're open
[speaker001:] No,
[Ivy:] not there?
[speaker001:] No, nothing like that there.
[Ivy:] I can't believe it, you see I thought things were still as they were.
[speaker001:] No, they're not. I think you'd find it hard to recognize the old railway station now.
[Ivy:] Well every, you know erm I can remember the time er when I first went and they used to have silver er plated of course, silver plated water jugs on the counter and silver plated sugar bowls with tongs and loaf sugar for people to use and of course well and when you see the war came along, you see, they were all taken away because, you see, we had troop trains we were up day and night so the troops with tea. You'd get a message from the R T O the er Railway Transport Office to say supply three hundred and sixty cups of tea at such and such a time and then of course the troops would the train would start, the troops pour out and pour into our place and there we were dashing around. I used to help of course and we were up day and night. I've got a, a photograph somewhere where we had this trestle table er on the platform and if you were the tea and of course the men had to stay o overtime, they didn't get paid for it and we, we it was a seven day week for us, we were never paid for Sunday. It was seven days a week. We had every other Sunday off, you see, but otherwise we worked and didn't get any extra for it but of course the girls like myself well erm we couldn't lift these huge urns of tea so they had two men keep them on, you see, and er, and we were er perhaps I know one day we didn't finish until five o'clock in the morning and we'd been up all night serving troops and er, you see, and then the Manager said, well look er now and have some breakfast before we get th another telegram and we were next door to the Telegram Office, you see, and when, when the erm war, during the war, you see, the man would come out of the Telegraph Office and he would say er and er, you see, all the lights went out except a few lights along the back of the counter. Then he'd come red and you'd know that a erm a bombing raid was imminent, you see, and er er [LAUGHTER] when I look back you know, but as I say everything has changed so much.
[speaker001:] Now that, you're talking about all the troops coming through. Was it Ipswich Station?
[Ivy:] Yes.
[speaker001:] And yet when is it, when were you working there because I thought you said you'd finished. You worked at Needham during the war and then went to Ipswich.
[Ivy:] Ah, yes, well we after I left Needham, then I went to the Post Office for a year
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[Ivy:] which I told you
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[Ivy:] but you see erm, well I wanted to get on
[speaker001:] Yes.
[Ivy:] and I thought I can be here until I'm ninety, you know,
[speaker001:] Yes, and not get anywhere.
[Ivy:] that's it
[speaker001:] Mm.
[Ivy:] and so when I heard about taking on girls again, on the railway
[speaker001:] But they were still getting troops and bomb bombing raids?
[Ivy:] Oh yeah, well it was during the nineteen fourteen eighteen war. Oh yes, you see, they, I mean
[speaker001:] But I think that you were working then at Ipswich, I thought you were just at Needham.
[Ivy:] Er ye well er, it was when, no let me think I went to Ipswich, I did a till the First War ended. I see what you mean.
[speaker001:] Mm.
[Ivy:] Well, and I went to Ipswich well it must have been just after the war then
[speaker001:] Mm.
[Ivy:] but you see er, yes that's right and then of course I'm, since then I was up at Cambridge and that was during the second year
[speaker001:] yeah
[Ivy:] you see, so yeah and er we used to have as I say er, well for instance I've been up in the office. If they had important people... like er such as Mark and his wife, the pianist, erm you've heard of him of course. Well he, he, they were on their way to Norwich but they stopped off at Ipswich for a lunch, you see, and er I had, I looked after them, so, so that it shouldn't interrupt the other girls behind the counter or, or the waiter who was looking after his regular customers in the dining room, you see, er and so I used to erm and once I had... I remember there was six black doctors came in and er and I was glad because it was nice to move about and instead of sticking in the office typing and then going out all alone, you see, while the Manager was on the district, you see, I liked it and er anyway that was a long time ago.
[speaker001:] Yes. So in the wa in the dining room, they had waiters as well?
[Ivy:] Oh, yes. They had er his name was Jimmy they had er well one used t one old gentleman used to be a yes and his name was Jimmy, the waiter, that's right I, I get a, I have to think because I, I sometimes get mixed up and I'm at Cambridge and you see... it was a long time ago, you see, so, since I was young and I was then. Well I can tell you I went to Cambridge er on er the twenty eighth of December nineteen thirty one. Well that's fifty, how long, well I daren't think
[speaker001:] Mm. [LAUGHTER]
[Ivy:] Fifty years ago.
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[Ivy:] You see and
[speaker001:] Oh.
[Ivy:] that's a long time
[speaker001:] Yes.
[Ivy:] I'm sure you don't want to hear all this
[speaker001:] I'm really interested about Ipswich Station just cos it's, it's so different now.
[Ivy:] Yes.
[speaker001:] That they used to have waiters and tables with silver, plated silver
[Ivy:] Oh, yes.
[speaker001:] and tablecloths
[Ivy:] Er no they didn't have tablecloths, no, er in the dining room of course
[speaker001:] Yeah, in the dining room.
[Ivy:] oh yes, but not in the ordinary er there was a huge place, where you could put tables all round the tables, you see, and, and er it was a and er I liked it, I, when they were busy, you see, I used to, especially if they had an order for these hundreds of cups of tea, er, you see, I used to go down and give a hand then, I used to like it, you see, somebody would give a shout and I would come down from the office and [LAUGHTER] and left them anyway and then er I heard of this job. I thought well after ten years, I thought, well I want... I still want to get on and erm... so I heard of this job down at Cambridge Station as Assistant Manageress at the Refreshment Rooms, you see, and er it wasn't quite the same because er at Ipswich, you see, although the Catering Manager's office er my work was office work and typing you know general thing and er because he was away most of the day, most days, because of er er the ten stations er from stretching as I say from Chelmsford, Witham, Marks Tey, Colchester and er I think it was Clacton and er and Manningtree and er I think, I don't know Manningtree and Ipswich of course and er then er Bury St Edmunds and, and that's it and I am not sure whether you went to Newmarket or whether to Ca whether to Cambridge now Newmarket but er, you see, so the days went on and we worked every other Sunday and of course I know things were a lot cheaper then but you see the pay wasn't, wasn't very good.
[speaker001:] No, how much would you have earned?
[Ivy:] Well because I was in the office I got a pound a week, you see, [LAUGHTER] and the, do you know the Manageress there who, she was the Manageress then sorry, I've got a photograph and she said that when she was Manageress at Colchester and she only got fifteen shillings a week I and the girls, that's, that's all they got fifteen shillings because I was in the office I got a pound [LAUGHTER] and mind you we slept in, we had all our food, you see, and we had to all sleep in.
[speaker001:] Where at the actual
[Ivy:] On the station
[speaker001:] On the station, at Ipswich Station
[Ivy:] on the station
[speaker001:] they have rooms?
[Ivy:] Oh yes, upstairs, they're still there I expect I don't know.
[speaker001:] Goodness.
[Ivy:] We slept there you see.
[speaker001:] So what you had your own room and
[Ivy:] Well no I had to share a room with a, with a, I think there were five beds. Four other girls, that's right and of course there were housemaids there to do the work and er yes housemaids and er and er you know and in the, in the kitchen, you see, there was the chef and er a cook, the kitchen maid and er a young man, a boy, well just left school to scrub the tables down and do the floors and that sort of thing... and er and whi and er while I, of course I had to go down every day to type, to see what the chef said, what was on the menu and type it, type out the menus, you see, that was one of my jobs and er and if... let me think, yes there was quite a number of staff, that's just in the kitchen
[speaker001:] Mm.
[Ivy:] you see and ther I su I suppose there was about ten or a dozen girls behind the counter because it was early and late turn for them because you see we were open, you see, until ten o'clock at night, you see, and er then, well, anyway, after that erm I heard about this job going as Assistant Manageress at Cambridge... and er so I applied and the Manager said to me, I thought well I'll be here ten years, erm I can be here until I'm you know, donkeys years and er so he said well look you may not get a job because he said that another girl coming from Norwich to go to Cambridge to see the Manager as well as you and so you might not get it, she might get it, and, however, I went and er I, I met the Manager and the Manageress in the front office, the Manager's office and we all had a chat but I didn't see the girl from Norwich, she must have gone some other day and anyway I got the job, you see, and er, and so I went to Cambridge as Assistant Manageress and I very well and I got to know all kinds of people, all nationalities being a university city. Well it was a town then but since then it's been made a city, you see, and I got to know all kinds of people and one gentleman came in there, used to come every evening and write a book... and er, I used to look after him if I happened to be that end and er, you see, and then he'd say, oh just an exchange you know about the weather and just in general thing and then I'd leave him and he'd get on with his writing and one day he said to me. When I've finished this book and it's published, I'll give you one [LAUGHTER] he said you won't understand anything about it because it's all about electronics and electricities but he said never mind and, and he did and it's up on that shelf, er [LAUGHTER] I've still got it [].
[speaker001:] [LAUGHTER]
[Ivy:] Yes and
[speaker001:] Never read it?
[Ivy:] Well, er er er it's all on, well I couldn't understand it, he said, but he said I'll give you one because he said after all I wrote it here didn't I? You see, he was exceptionally nice and he used to lecture at the colleges and er he was a real, very nice gentleman and er and so he, of course he, he, he took his drink across to the table with him and sometimes I took it for him it just depend and he, he wrote this book and er [LAUGHTER] I forget now, perhaps you would like to read and see what he says the second book down, it's with a mauve coloured book that one yes
[speaker001:] Elementary Technical Electricity by Samuel
[Ivy:] Yes
[speaker001:] to Miss Ivy
[Ivy:] That was my name I married.
[speaker001:] with compliments and kind regards, Robert Samuel.
[Ivy:] Yes.
[speaker001:] This was nineteen thirty eight
[Ivy:] Oh, well there you are
[speaker001:] [LAUGHTER] amazing
[Ivy:] see how I've saved it all those years.
[speaker001:] Yes.
[Ivy:] You see [LAUGHTER] yes
[speaker001:] Extraordinary.
[Ivy:] It is isn't it?
[speaker001:] Yes, yes.
[Ivy:] Yes, yes he gave me one Yes I thought you know when I retired and left Cambridge I ought to bring that with me you see
[speaker001:] Oh, yes.
[Ivy:] and of course, as I say, being at Cambridge there was a little theatre there and er we used to see so many of the actors and actresses that used to come into our lives you see because there were five places on the station, for instance, there was the tea room adjoining the, there was a large kiosk, large kiosk one girl in there, you see, and er there was, then there was this large which is the biggest and then the dining room that, you see and er so and, and one year I, I wrote it down but erm, one year I remember we took forty four thousand pounds which was a lot of money and er, you see, well er I got on very well with the girls
[speaker001:] And you ran all this? You were in charge of all this?
[Ivy:] No not, not till the Manageress, I was just going to tell you about that. The Manageress there [clears throat] erm I was there and she, I, after I'd been there eighteen months, she had a heart attack and the girl [clears throat] took up her tea tray, one of the girls took up her, because she wasn't on duty till about just quarter to six to do the money. It was my job to go to all these various places and collect the money and take the numbers on the till and collect the money and put it in a bag, put it in the safe. That was my work, then when she came down on duty, she would sit one side of the table with her books and I would sit the other and count all the money, you see, then I would take this money er, in a bag, through on to the black through the, past the ticket collector and take it to the booking office and they took it from me and took it when they took their money to the bank, you see. Well do you know... sometimes I'd taken it through and perhaps a train would come in, a London train would come in and people were crowding through. We never thought anything about being mugged in those days, you see, and er and th that's what happened, as I say, so we took lots and lots of money, you see and er
[speaker001:] So you were a sort of Assistant Manageress?
[Ivy:] Yes but you see at this time the girl took up her tea tray and, and when she took, she knocked on the door and when she opened the door the Manageress was lying on the floor foaming at the mouth, she'd had a heart attack. Well of course she came running to me, you see, and we immediately phoned for the doctor, you see but, however, and I said, look, phone for the doctor, I said, and then I said go across to the railway police just across the yard and I asked one of them to come to me and I said I will go up with her and be with her until the doctor arrived, er he was with her the police sergeant when she died. There was me as well, you see, and there was nothing we could do and er she'd had this erm, it was awful, they took her to the mortuary because some of the girls, you see, erm, you know they went hysterical and er I'm not gonna pass her door, that sort of thing. Er, you know, well of course they were young girls and er, you see and there's, there was nothing we could do, you see, and, and er, anyway the doctor, as soon as the doctor did come, it was because th the young staff er they had to, they took her away to the mortuary, you see and erm then I, I had to carry on with her work and, and do the best I could and mine as well, you see, but of course er the Manager he appointed another Assistant Manager to go and collect the money which I used to do got it in because I took her times of duty as well and er, you see, and then after that er after several weeks I suppose it was, I don't know how many because I forget how many, that they appointed me as Manageress and I was in that position for twelve years, you see and
[speaker001:] Until you retired?
[Ivy:] Until I re and, well until my husband retired at sixty and I thought well if he's going to retire at sixty, I might as well retire, you see.
[speaker001:] So when was that? So that
[Ivy:] Er, that would be oh well he was a, he was a railway clerk er on the station
[speaker001:] At Cambridge, is that where you met him?
[Ivy:] Yes, that's where I met him.
[speaker001:] Yes.
[Ivy:] He used to come into our place and erm, and er, I always knew when he was g every night, hale, rain, snow whatever, he was there, you see and he used to have his pint of bitter, no more or no less and er, you see and all his friends, there were six of them. All bachelors, stood along the counter, you see, and er they were all good friends and though some of them had, had retired, one had retired and we, well there most of them had retired because er my husband was fifteen years older than me and er yes anyway erm he, he, he retired, let me see, we married er when I was forty four, you see and erm... he would then be, well no, yes he'd be just fifty nine, you see but nevertheless, we had thirty two years very happily married and so when he died, he was ninety one. Yes and he was buried up at Creeting you see. He was cremated and buried up at Creeting in my parents' grave and that's what's going to happen to me, you see I will be cremated because erm, you know they make a sort of well and take off the top stone and the pebbles and things and er and then the ashes go in the and so in a casket don't they and you see and so we shall
[speaker001:] All be together.
[Ivy:] be together
[speaker001:] [LAUGHTER]
[Ivy:] you see
[speaker001:] Yes, yes.
[Ivy:] in my parents' grave.
[speaker001:] So when you retired you came to live here, was that it?
[Ivy:] Well yes and er so after that, you see, when he retired at sixty. Mind you he was, this is my husband.
[speaker001:] Oh, I thought that might be him, yes.
[Ivy:] There, isn't he handsome?
[speaker001:] Yes
[Ivy:] Now he was a, oh, he was seventy one when that was taken.
[speaker001:] He doesn't look it.
[Ivy:] No.
[speaker001:] I mean he could be in his fifties.
[Ivy:] Oh yeah, he doesn't look it.
[speaker001:] he's a very young
[Ivy:] picture of me when I was younger
[speaker001:] Oh yes, yes
[Ivy:] but I forget how old I was
[speaker001:] [LAUGHTER]
[Ivy:] but he was really handsome
[speaker001:] Yes
[Ivy:] and so
[speaker001:] he was.
[Ivy:] so quiet and so well respected, he was so kind, you see, and so I'm grateful and of course before I married, you see, I, we used to have three passes. I had three a year and of course in between times you go we had quarter fare if we want to go anywhere, you see and er of course it was the old money in those days and I would come from Ipswich to see my parents here for sixpence halfpenny then and er, you see, I used to go on holiday alone. Now really as far as you're concerned er I could tell you a lot about our holidays we had.
[speaker001:] That's amazing that you went on holiday alone because surely you would have done much
[Ivy:] well you know I, I wouldn't do it now.
[speaker001:] No, no. I wouldn't do it now because I, ever since that, that woman was on the train was stabbed and thrown out, I wouldn't go alone on holidays now but in those days, well maybe I was a lot, course I was younger then but you never heard of such things But yo it sounds as if you were a very independent person.
[Ivy:] Oh I was.
[speaker001:] Yes.
[Ivy:] Oh I was and I used to go, and the first place I went to, let me think, it was Dunoon. I wanted to go to Scotland and I remember I came to say goodbye to my parents and that was in the evening and I went by train to Liverpool Street and it was pouring with rain and I had to make my way, I had a taxi across to Euston, you see, and er and I went up th the left side of the country, see, past Carlisle and and then across and across and then and to Greenock er er to Dunoon, you see.
[speaker001:] How do you spell that, I can't think of the name.
[Ivy:] Dunoon?
[speaker001:] Yes.
[Ivy:] Er it's er D U N double O N isn't it?
[speaker001:] Oh, yes, yes of course it is a Scottish place
[Ivy:] Oh yes, it's in Scotland, you see, and whilst there, you see, every day er because a lady laughed at me and she said, she was staying in the same hotel and she said er I, I used to book up in advance of course but never took a chance. I used to book up in advance and I thought oh go to Dunoon, you see and er I got a free pass, so I went and erm she said talk about a holiday, she said you soon you've had your breakfast you're off. I said well that's what I came for.
[speaker001:] [LAUGHTER] so what did you do when you []
[Ivy:] Up and down the lochs.
[speaker001:] Yes
[Ivy:] Up and down different ones, different loch and er you could see Inveraray Castle in the distance we, er after we married we went to Inveraray Castle, went over it
[speaker001:] How old were you when you went, first went to Dunoon then?
[Ivy:] Oh goodness, well...
[speaker001:] You must have been in about in your mid twenties?
[Ivy:] Er... well I started going for a holiday by myself when I was about er
[speaker001:] What
[Ivy:] when I was sixteen because it's then I started to get these free passes and I had a sister then who lived at Rye and I had never been across London so the next door neighbour came with me to see me across London er because I was so young you see and I said right as long as you show me across London I can come back alone, you see, and so I came back alone and I, that's when I started, so from sixteen and er and as I say I went to Cambridge in the nineteen thirty one, it was the last day of well say nineteen thirty two, you see, and, and also in the twenties I was going on holiday alone and I went to once er to the Isle of Man and when I was er I, I sat next, well being by myself, you see, they put me in, to a little table near the wall. I booked up in advance of course. They put me by a table er near the wall but it for a table for two and then another lady came by herself, I remember her name was Miss and erm and she said, have you been here before? I said, no, and she said oh I have lots of times, I only live at Manchester, you see, and of course, you had to go by boat you see, and I caught the boat train from Ipswich at eight o'clock in the morning and I got to Manchester at lunchtime about one and then went on to Liverpool and the train there took us almost down to the docks. Well of course when I went to the Isle of Man, see, I went on the boat and er, you see, and er it only cost me ninepence for a, a landing er for the landing stage. I had to save ninepence because I had these free passes. Three a year which was very nice and er oh well whilst I was there, you see, erm I landed up in, in Peel because I was going on a and she said to me one day this Miss er what are you doing today? And I said er, well I'm going on a coach trip to rou around the island and she said, may I come with you? I said, of course and I said it would be nice company and so she said er... you sit near the window, I've seen it lots of times before, as I only live in Manchester. So she ca the two of us went together. Well we went off, we got off at Peel which was the other side as you know and there was Peel Castle right on the hill there and erm well after, and she said we won't go to these sea front cafes, well I know a nice restaurant, she said, up that road, and she said, just turn to the right and there we are, see. She said, may I come with you. I said, of course. I said it will be nice company and so she said er, you sit near the window, I've seen it lots of times before as I only live in Manchester so she t well the two of us went together. Well we went off and got off at Peel which was the other with the all bandaged up and she said the chemist advised me to go to the police and er so she said that's why I've been a long time because I've been to the police and reported it. He said it's happened before and he advised her to go to the police and er so he, he said er when and the police st told her, when you come back we'll have all this typed out i... and she came back all with a flask all bandaged up and she said the chemist advised me to go to the police and er so she said that's why I've been a long time, because I've been to the police and reported it. He said, it's happened before and he advised her to go to the police and er so he, he said er when and the police told her when you come back we'll have all this typed out, your statement but we'll need you to sign so tell the coach driver to stay at, stop at the police station for you to sign it and I, I said to her, how, how did you manage to stop that boy? Oh well, she said, you see, it's my work, she said I work in a, in an insurance office and she said I'm in and out the courts all the time, you see [LAUGHTER] so [LAUGHTER] he knocked down the wrong person []
[speaker001:] Yes.
[Ivy:] [LAUGHTER]
[speaker001:] Yes.
[Ivy:] [LAUGHTER] well [LAUGHTER] anyway [] er, you see and well anyway er so when, that night and we were by coach of course bus, went there by bus and so that night she said to me, what are you doing when, in the bus, she said, what are you doing this evening? Well I said I think I'll go to the theatre and off I went to the theatre. I was rather late back, when I got back I heard a knock on my bedroom door and she said it's Miss and er I said, oh come in, I undid the door and she came in and er and so she said to me er, I just had a telephone message from Peel er to say that you have been subpoenaed to go the Police Court next Thursday and I said what a day out of my holiday and she said, well I'm sorry but you'll have to go.
[speaker001:] Yes.
[Ivy:] So the two of us went off to Peel and er anyway they paid us, they paid for our lunch and er and so that was alright and of course I had to go in the witness box, you see and swear on the bible, you know, the whole truth, nothing but the truth, you see. I was a witness and so on you see and down below and the sergeant said to me, the sergeant came up and said to me, you'll have to be careful because he said that boy, he was sitting there with his mother, poor woman, all in black and er the em the boy's employer had got a solicitor on his behalf, you see, and I said well I can only speak through and say what happened, that's all I can do and er, so of course when I went into the witness box this man came and er asked me all sorts of questions. Where, why didn't you walk on the pavement, on the path. I said there wasn't one, you see and er he said, er so you were walking, were you arm in arm? I said, certainly not. So he said, are you two friends? I said, no, we're not friends but we're friendly if you know what I mean. We're staying at the same hotel and sharing the same table, you see. He said, oh. So erm then er oh he asked me other questions. So he said, you were on the right and this lady was on the left near the gutter side? I said, that's right it's and there was a narrow road, yes. So he said erm, well in that case, he said erm, you were walking together but not arm in arm? Yes, that's right. So what else did he ask me? Oh I know, he said erm, let me see, oh he says, er like that, if it was a narrow road er you er pretty well covered the road and I looked, I said, covered the road, I said I know I'm big, but not that big a and of course everybody, the magistrates on the bench and everybody laughed, you see and there were newspaper reporters sitting down there writing all this down, you see [LAUGHTER] and so I said to the [] sergeant, I said, would you be kind enough to send me a newspaper to er tonight and he to I am not sure if I can oh yes I think I did. I suppose I've still got it somewhere. Anyway, I over it and er so he, he, he said, yes I will, I'll send a piece [LAUGHTER] on to you [] [LAUGHTER]. Yes I can see them now, they all laughed you see [LAUGHTER] oh dear