WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.560 --> 00:00:04.879 Hello, this is producer Amy. You're hearing my voice not 2 00:00:04.919 --> 00:00:08.480 because anything terrible has happened, but because we have something 3 00:00:08.560 --> 00:00:12.480 a little bit different for you this week. What's going 4 00:00:12.519 --> 00:00:16.879 to follow this very short introduction is Richard Nigus speaking 5 00:00:16.920 --> 00:00:21.760 to his mum about growing up in rural Suffolk, particularly 6 00:00:21.960 --> 00:00:26.320 on the coast in Southwold, and talking about how things 7 00:00:26.320 --> 00:00:32.359 have changed, the surrounding villages have changed, and just I 8 00:00:32.359 --> 00:00:35.679 suppose giving us a glimpse of the past and what 9 00:00:35.759 --> 00:00:39.320 life was like. It was quite thought provoking for me 10 00:00:39.520 --> 00:00:42.560 when I listened to it, and I really hope that 11 00:00:42.679 --> 00:00:47.000 you enjoy it too. 12 00:00:48.000 --> 00:00:53.640 I suppose the most obvious question is being born bred 13 00:00:53.679 --> 00:00:57.600 in sag Or, what's your first memory of the town, 14 00:00:58.240 --> 00:01:01.039 first memory of it when you was thing that struck 15 00:01:01.119 --> 00:01:04.040 you that you realize that you lived in that place. 16 00:01:04.760 --> 00:01:07.640 First of all, memories are about your home, aren't they. 17 00:01:10.280 --> 00:01:18.599 I was born in a two up, two down blue outside, 18 00:01:21.079 --> 00:01:25.879 but all all these sort of shops and things were 19 00:01:25.920 --> 00:01:31.719 locally owned by people who lived work. They didn't earn 20 00:01:31.879 --> 00:01:36.159 huge amounts of money because there were so many of them. 21 00:01:36.719 --> 00:01:39.799 My first member. One of my first memories would probably 22 00:01:39.840 --> 00:01:46.640 be going across the road to the corner shop two 23 00:01:47.239 --> 00:01:55.280 ice sweetie. But my first memories really was a rationing 24 00:01:55.359 --> 00:02:00.439 because I can't remember buying sweeties when I was a 25 00:02:00.439 --> 00:02:03.879 little girled I had you had points for sweets and 26 00:02:03.959 --> 00:02:10.120 things like that. And one of my first memories was 27 00:02:10.240 --> 00:02:16.439 moving from of High Street to Hobson Road, where I 28 00:02:16.599 --> 00:02:18.479 then lived until I got married. 29 00:02:19.560 --> 00:02:23.159 So that thing when Granddad decided that you were going 30 00:02:23.240 --> 00:02:26.360 to move from High Street. I seem to remember you 31 00:02:26.400 --> 00:02:28.919 once telling me a story that someone offered to loan 32 00:02:28.960 --> 00:02:29.960 in the money to buy it. 33 00:02:30.479 --> 00:02:34.120 I know it was to buy at when the houses 34 00:02:34.159 --> 00:02:38.960 were being built in Peer Avenue, you know those semi 35 00:02:39.000 --> 00:02:43.840 detached ones. A friend of his I had a bit 36 00:02:43.840 --> 00:02:46.680 of money, I suppose said that he would loan in 37 00:02:46.840 --> 00:02:53.639 the mone eater buy My Dad wouldn't except because I mean, 38 00:02:54.120 --> 00:02:58.280 I suppose, still thinking to himself that he'd been wounded 39 00:02:58.319 --> 00:03:00.639 in the First World War, he still had a piece 40 00:03:00.680 --> 00:03:03.639 of trapanel in his head that he could go at 41 00:03:03.680 --> 00:03:07.280 any time, and he wouldn't want to leave I could. 42 00:03:07.439 --> 00:03:11.639 I think this is how it must have been. So 43 00:03:11.800 --> 00:03:17.319 we moved to accounts and run house and we had 44 00:03:17.439 --> 00:03:21.360 electricity for the first time, and I. 45 00:03:21.319 --> 00:03:24.680 Can remember how happy My mom was that. 46 00:03:25.000 --> 00:03:31.280 Gordon brought her an electric iron, I think for her 47 00:03:32.800 --> 00:03:37.080 Christmas because he thought that would do his shirts but. 48 00:03:40.800 --> 00:03:43.680 Be something to do with him as well. Yes, So 49 00:03:44.240 --> 00:03:48.039 how many people do you reckon that were of you know, 50 00:03:48.159 --> 00:03:49.520 your peer group. 51 00:03:49.400 --> 00:03:54.080 That were most houses rented or were they owned by 52 00:03:54.280 --> 00:03:57.599 I think I think that most. I think that probably 53 00:03:57.719 --> 00:04:03.159 the most stuff were rented. I wouldn't really know, as 54 00:04:03.479 --> 00:04:07.919 some of my friends their parents owned their houses, but 55 00:04:08.120 --> 00:04:12.680 the great majority of them I think probably rented either 56 00:04:12.759 --> 00:04:17.720 from private because of where I was born was privately rented, 57 00:04:19.000 --> 00:04:24.079 and then we moved to a council house. I mean, 58 00:04:24.759 --> 00:04:28.120 but all the houses were full of people. They weren't 59 00:04:28.199 --> 00:04:32.800 like they are now where they're holiday lets and things, 60 00:04:32.800 --> 00:04:39.279 and the majority of them we had loads of different 61 00:04:39.800 --> 00:04:42.160 I mean we had about three or four butchers in 62 00:04:42.240 --> 00:04:49.759 the house, hag and things like that. And after I 63 00:04:49.759 --> 00:04:51.639 mean when I went to school. 64 00:04:52.000 --> 00:04:55.040 That's because of the war, the. 65 00:04:54.720 --> 00:04:58.040 Local school was closed down because a lot of the 66 00:04:58.120 --> 00:05:04.800 children were evacuated. But when they came back and the fishing, 67 00:05:05.279 --> 00:05:08.199 there was one piece of the beach that wasn't. 68 00:05:08.000 --> 00:05:08.519 Sort of. 69 00:05:09.959 --> 00:05:13.920 Cut off with sort of those steel things that they 70 00:05:14.120 --> 00:05:17.639 put in just when they thought there was one totage, 71 00:05:17.920 --> 00:05:21.720 so the only part was right to the south of 72 00:05:21.800 --> 00:05:27.000 the pier, a pavilion you know, where they had their 73 00:05:28.120 --> 00:05:31.560 boats and they used to wind them up onto the 74 00:05:31.600 --> 00:05:36.480 beach when they'd been off fishing because they couldn't use 75 00:05:36.720 --> 00:05:39.160 I don't think they could uce the harbor. From what 76 00:05:39.240 --> 00:05:40.920 I can remember, I think it was. 77 00:05:41.199 --> 00:05:44.439 It was silted up. I believe the. 78 00:05:44.279 --> 00:05:47.399 Black show was like because they do have. 79 00:05:47.319 --> 00:05:48.480 To m m. 80 00:05:49.319 --> 00:05:49.519 Yeah. 81 00:05:51.040 --> 00:05:53.639 So there wasn't as much. I mean, so all those 82 00:05:53.680 --> 00:05:57.639 houses were full, and so it wasn't just filled with 83 00:05:57.800 --> 00:05:59.000 fisher then. 84 00:05:59.360 --> 00:06:04.160 No, there was people who were it were just people 85 00:06:04.160 --> 00:06:09.639 who worked in the shops. No sort of people. People 86 00:06:09.639 --> 00:06:13.920 who had their businesses lived in the town. People didn't 87 00:06:14.000 --> 00:06:17.759 come from I mean they was suppose from Raid and 88 00:06:17.839 --> 00:06:20.920 perhaps they did because there were buses. There were buses 89 00:06:20.959 --> 00:06:23.240 that ran to Hilesworth. 90 00:06:23.240 --> 00:06:30.120 And lowest On. They used to go about, well the ones, 91 00:06:30.199 --> 00:06:32.079 the last a few too, by every hour. 92 00:06:34.319 --> 00:06:37.759 So most people though, who were around you though, were 93 00:06:37.759 --> 00:06:41.680 in businesses that kept the town going. 94 00:06:42.000 --> 00:06:44.759 Yes, right, I mean we had our own gas company, 95 00:06:45.279 --> 00:06:49.680 we had our own electricity company, you know, and. 96 00:06:49.560 --> 00:06:50.439 The water. 97 00:06:53.319 --> 00:07:02.279 Where the word was from, I mean the cinema was 98 00:07:02.360 --> 00:07:08.040 run privately. We had a cinema that changed its We 99 00:07:08.120 --> 00:07:11.360 had the same film Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and then now 100 00:07:11.519 --> 00:07:16.319 on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and sort of like when I 101 00:07:16.360 --> 00:07:21.839 was a teenager, the pier with amusements at the top, 102 00:07:21.879 --> 00:07:26.079 but on a Saturday there was the dance hall like 103 00:07:26.160 --> 00:07:29.879 that west through the war as well. That was because 104 00:07:29.920 --> 00:07:31.439 that's where people used to. 105 00:07:34.279 --> 00:07:40.160 So things like now the brewery was that not as 106 00:07:40.319 --> 00:07:42.839 big a deal back then when you were younger. 107 00:07:43.160 --> 00:07:46.560 Well, yes they did, but they didn't sort of. I 108 00:07:46.560 --> 00:07:52.800 mean it's grown since there was. They did most of 109 00:07:52.839 --> 00:07:59.600 it in the one building now, so yeah, it grew 110 00:07:59.680 --> 00:08:05.519 a lot after or gradually, especially I think when John 111 00:08:05.560 --> 00:08:09.879 Adams from his father, because his father I think was 112 00:08:10.000 --> 00:08:16.680 more interested in the you know, because they were auctioneers 113 00:08:16.759 --> 00:08:19.600 and all that, and I think I think his father 114 00:08:19.800 --> 00:08:22.120 was more interested in that. 115 00:08:22.240 --> 00:08:28.000 But it was a family done thing and so there 116 00:08:28.040 --> 00:08:31.920 wasn't what you'd say, there one big employer. 117 00:08:32.039 --> 00:08:35.279 There was. They were spread across the board. 118 00:08:35.960 --> 00:08:39.639 Yes, there was more employment from different things. Yeah, the 119 00:08:39.679 --> 00:08:45.679 brewery was supposed quite but there was two capital the 120 00:08:46.039 --> 00:08:49.120 Biggish builders what we call builders. 121 00:08:49.120 --> 00:08:51.360 Well, I mean everything was in. 122 00:08:54.799 --> 00:09:00.519 Relatively small areas, weren't they because people didn't travelize and 123 00:09:00.559 --> 00:09:01.279 patch then. 124 00:09:01.879 --> 00:09:04.159 And you so like you said, okay, so you say 125 00:09:04.200 --> 00:09:06.519 you didn't travel that much. I seem to remember you 126 00:09:06.639 --> 00:09:11.600 telling me once that you went to the Festival of Britain. Yeah, 127 00:09:11.639 --> 00:09:14.039 then went Wales Tall and you went to Wales one. 128 00:09:14.159 --> 00:09:14.360 Yeah. 129 00:09:14.480 --> 00:09:18.279 Yeah, these were trips with the with the school and so. 130 00:09:18.360 --> 00:09:21.480 But until you got married, had you been out of 131 00:09:21.559 --> 00:09:23.039 Southwold much at all? 132 00:09:23.440 --> 00:09:23.639 Yes? 133 00:09:23.720 --> 00:09:27.600 I used to go to stay with my relations in 134 00:09:28.799 --> 00:09:33.679 Oh yeah, sorry. And I also had been up and 135 00:09:34.159 --> 00:09:39.840 visited called and Betty went up and stayed with them 136 00:09:39.919 --> 00:09:43.960 for a few you know, for a week's holiday. 137 00:09:44.240 --> 00:09:46.960 What they were in Corb? Yeah? 138 00:09:47.440 --> 00:09:51.480 Yeah, I suppose so were they call a master? And 139 00:09:51.559 --> 00:09:53.639 I suppose I can't remember. 140 00:09:53.720 --> 00:09:54.559 I know we went. 141 00:09:56.960 --> 00:09:59.679 And stayed with them, but I can't remember too much. 142 00:10:00.159 --> 00:10:01.519 I remember going shopping. 143 00:10:02.120 --> 00:10:04.879 But would it mean something that you know how the 144 00:10:04.919 --> 00:10:05.759 town worked? 145 00:10:06.279 --> 00:10:07.799 Yeah? Would it be? 146 00:10:09.279 --> 00:10:11.799 Was it less common then that you would have people 147 00:10:12.000 --> 00:10:16.120 leave and go and work a long way away or 148 00:10:16.639 --> 00:10:18.759 do that? Was it usually a thing that you stuck 149 00:10:19.639 --> 00:10:20.480 around the local? 150 00:10:23.159 --> 00:10:24.039 I suppose it was. 151 00:10:24.080 --> 00:10:27.200 Some people would go to lower stuff because there was 152 00:10:27.279 --> 00:10:28.519 a lot of employment. 153 00:10:28.759 --> 00:10:30.200 There was a I mean. 154 00:10:30.039 --> 00:10:33.279 There was in south well, there was the Four Ducks Mills, 155 00:10:33.480 --> 00:10:37.000 if you've talked about that sort of like form things. 156 00:10:37.840 --> 00:10:40.759 That's now you know where the Four Ducks Nows were 157 00:10:41.000 --> 00:10:49.240 now just off the High Street and field of Style Road. Yeah, well, 158 00:10:49.320 --> 00:10:52.120 now there's a block of flat Surrey, you know. Well 159 00:10:52.159 --> 00:10:55.960 that was the Four Ducks Mills where they made Slumberland bactresses. 160 00:10:57.559 --> 00:11:01.120 And there was the home in it which was down 161 00:11:01.200 --> 00:11:05.600 where the telephone exchange place down on the corner of. 162 00:11:08.559 --> 00:11:16.039 Station row Alpier Avenue rather. Yeah, so you know there 163 00:11:16.200 --> 00:11:16.519 was that. 164 00:11:16.600 --> 00:11:20.519 They were the main employers, the home knit for women, 165 00:11:22.080 --> 00:11:25.840 but other ones sort of later on, sort of as 166 00:11:27.279 --> 00:11:32.039 and I always leaving school in lower stuff. There was 167 00:11:32.080 --> 00:11:38.840 the pie f which not even you know, making them 168 00:11:40.080 --> 00:11:44.840 radios and stuff from television. So I suppose they employed 169 00:11:44.919 --> 00:11:47.240 quite a lot of people. Oh there was that place 170 00:11:47.279 --> 00:11:55.200 that make caravans, wasn't there past They used to make buses, buses, 171 00:11:56.080 --> 00:12:01.720 I mean, and some of the boys used to go 172 00:12:01.759 --> 00:12:06.600 and work on the trailers and things like that, so. 173 00:12:06.639 --> 00:12:10.360 There was less need to go way. 174 00:12:10.559 --> 00:12:15.000 Yeah, there was more employment, so, I mean I don't 175 00:12:15.120 --> 00:12:21.000 remember many of my compatriots. They used to one until 176 00:12:21.039 --> 00:12:24.120 the boys were called up into the forces, you know, 177 00:12:24.240 --> 00:12:28.639 to do their national service. They sort of perhaps then 178 00:12:28.799 --> 00:12:35.600 got a someone stayed in the forces. But there wasn't 179 00:12:35.639 --> 00:12:40.279 the need to have to move. I mean perhaps there 180 00:12:40.320 --> 00:12:45.840 were for people who had more education. It wasn't usual 181 00:12:45.919 --> 00:12:47.480 for people to go to UNI. 182 00:12:47.720 --> 00:12:51.200 No no, no, I mean if you went to. 183 00:12:53.120 --> 00:12:56.559 What my teacher wanted me to do, but I think 184 00:12:57.840 --> 00:12:59.759 be en office worker or anything. 185 00:13:00.480 --> 00:13:04.519 So I. 186 00:13:06.480 --> 00:13:10.120 But people took what was going the town really, so 187 00:13:10.120 --> 00:13:13.720 it was always there was always work in the hotels 188 00:13:13.799 --> 00:13:16.679 and things, because there was a lot more hotels then. 189 00:13:17.600 --> 00:13:19.039 And so tourism. 190 00:13:19.279 --> 00:13:22.679 So tourism was still quite a bit thing when you remember, yes, 191 00:13:22.840 --> 00:13:26.600 but it was much more just sort of the three summer. 192 00:13:26.279 --> 00:13:32.360 Months, and people had them staying in their houses. There 193 00:13:32.360 --> 00:13:35.679 were houses that had been built by people of why, 194 00:13:37.639 --> 00:13:40.360 sort of like home my mom and dad met. Yes, 195 00:13:40.399 --> 00:13:46.639 it was the family had built. They built those houses 196 00:13:46.799 --> 00:13:56.279 along you know the green where the children play for 197 00:13:56.360 --> 00:14:01.919 your style road. And he kept the biggest one, which 198 00:14:02.039 --> 00:14:08.559 was over the arch, and for his own use or 199 00:14:08.559 --> 00:14:13.480 his family shoes, and he had some of the rest. 200 00:14:13.600 --> 00:14:18.759 So the others were privately owned. I don't know if 201 00:14:18.759 --> 00:14:22.080 he sold them straight away, but they obviously were when 202 00:14:22.200 --> 00:14:30.519 I knew about it, and there were garages. There were 203 00:14:30.559 --> 00:14:34.519 two or three garages. People didn't have to leave the 204 00:14:34.679 --> 00:14:38.720 tank have anything done. There were two or three filling stations. 205 00:14:38.879 --> 00:14:40.080 Much more self sufficient. 206 00:14:40.240 --> 00:14:44.320 It was self sufficient. That's the biggest difference. Now they 207 00:14:44.399 --> 00:14:47.559 have to rely on incomes the only sort. There's only 208 00:14:47.960 --> 00:14:55.399 really one big employer, and that's the that's still the brewery. 209 00:14:55.440 --> 00:14:59.360 That's the brewery. Yes, then build us. 210 00:14:59.480 --> 00:15:03.639 There's the because people when they have to keep the 211 00:15:03.720 --> 00:15:06.519 houses up together, don't make the old houses. 212 00:15:07.039 --> 00:15:12.519 The idea then of when you remember the c Santord 213 00:15:12.600 --> 00:15:15.279 was always a touristy place, but they were largely either 214 00:15:15.320 --> 00:15:19.320 staying in hotels because there were more then, or there. 215 00:15:19.159 --> 00:15:21.480 Were people had live in their houses. 216 00:15:21.600 --> 00:15:25.279 Yeah, so I bed and breakfast type things, guest cases houses. 217 00:15:25.440 --> 00:15:29.240 Right, So you moved. 218 00:15:28.960 --> 00:15:32.960 Away when you were nineteen, Yes, that'd be nineteen fifty. 219 00:15:33.000 --> 00:15:40.080 What was that fifty six? So name obviously you kept 220 00:15:40.120 --> 00:15:44.679 going back because all your family were there. Yeah, when 221 00:15:44.720 --> 00:15:48.279 did you actually first go? Things are changing because the 222 00:15:48.320 --> 00:15:51.679 thing that I remember making big news in the town 223 00:15:52.279 --> 00:15:54.840 was when Frannie said that I think it was Kevin 224 00:15:55.440 --> 00:15:58.600 was driving an Adams lorry to London and they were 225 00:15:58.600 --> 00:16:02.120 delivering theer to London, frown stuff right. 226 00:16:02.000 --> 00:16:06.799 To where there was depots where when I you know, 227 00:16:07.600 --> 00:16:11.600 they went to I don't know quite what. I think 228 00:16:11.639 --> 00:16:14.200 they went to where people sort of had all different 229 00:16:14.240 --> 00:16:17.399 types of beer. And then he was the one who 230 00:16:18.639 --> 00:16:24.000 had the first big sort of like both ARTI but those. 231 00:16:25.879 --> 00:16:29.519 So when did you first start notice it things had 232 00:16:29.639 --> 00:16:35.200 changed from what you remembered of that self sufficient sort 233 00:16:35.240 --> 00:16:39.480 of town where I guess it was run by the 234 00:16:39.519 --> 00:16:43.600 people of the town rather than incomers coming in as 235 00:16:43.639 --> 00:16:46.480 I perceived it there. When did you first start noticing 236 00:16:46.519 --> 00:16:47.120 that change? 237 00:16:47.159 --> 00:16:52.399 Would you think? Well? I think when. 238 00:16:56.480 --> 00:17:00.639 Put a date on it, I mean things did gradually changed. 239 00:17:00.879 --> 00:17:05.079 Things gradually changed. I mean they would change and when. 240 00:17:07.640 --> 00:17:08.359 You know, by the. 241 00:17:08.440 --> 00:17:15.920 Time really, but I suppose it was when people started 242 00:17:15.960 --> 00:17:21.680 to be able to have holidays. I suppose people got 243 00:17:21.720 --> 00:17:24.799 a bit better off really after the war and things 244 00:17:24.839 --> 00:17:33.119 began to improve the whole time, gradually, very gradually. But 245 00:17:34.000 --> 00:17:37.960 you know, you would go and there'd be shops that 246 00:17:37.960 --> 00:17:46.519 had closed houses didn't have families living in them. They 247 00:17:46.559 --> 00:17:51.680 were and it was a gradual process because when we 248 00:17:51.839 --> 00:17:59.720 first and also things kept being built on or enlarged. 249 00:18:01.079 --> 00:18:03.400 A lot of that sort of thing happened. 250 00:18:03.839 --> 00:18:14.920 Do you think the prosperity that started grow affected the. 251 00:18:12.319 --> 00:18:15.680 The the ease with I mean more people start to 252 00:18:15.759 --> 00:18:19.799 get cars and things, and so you weren't relying on 253 00:18:20.039 --> 00:18:25.319 the the two buses really only you know the busses 254 00:18:25.359 --> 00:18:26.640 that just went to lure. 255 00:18:26.559 --> 00:18:27.720 Stuff and Halesworth. 256 00:18:27.799 --> 00:18:34.440 I mean, and people started to sell there if when 257 00:18:34.480 --> 00:18:38.160 they inherited these little cottages, they start to sell them 258 00:18:38.440 --> 00:18:41.319 because they wanted to have something more up to date, 259 00:18:41.480 --> 00:18:42.480 I think. 260 00:18:42.480 --> 00:18:45.000 So that so that is it's all those cute little 261 00:18:45.039 --> 00:18:47.079 cottages that you see about us. 262 00:18:47.960 --> 00:18:50.039 They were thought I was bloody pokey lit the whole 263 00:18:50.119 --> 00:18:50.720 dark things. 264 00:18:51.960 --> 00:18:57.440 Yeah, you know people when they bought them then, I 265 00:18:57.480 --> 00:19:02.759 mean the local people really to blame if you went 266 00:19:02.880 --> 00:19:06.119 back club, but I mean some of them perhaps were 267 00:19:06.759 --> 00:19:10.160 finding work in lower stuff and so they perhaps up 268 00:19:10.559 --> 00:19:13.599 huf and can buy a much more modern house for 269 00:19:13.759 --> 00:19:16.759 about the same priceis what those stupid people. 270 00:19:16.519 --> 00:19:19.839 From the Phantoin area way for this whole place. 271 00:19:21.119 --> 00:19:24.680 And then the builders did all right because they would 272 00:19:24.720 --> 00:19:26.960 be updating. 273 00:19:26.359 --> 00:19:31.240 Them, you know, so I suppose I mean, did do 274 00:19:31.319 --> 00:19:34.119 you think that when the fishing really started to go. 275 00:19:34.920 --> 00:19:35.359 Was that. 276 00:19:36.960 --> 00:19:39.480 Was that an impact on Southwold or was that more 277 00:19:39.480 --> 00:19:42.839 of a thing that that killed most of them than. 278 00:19:44.480 --> 00:19:44.599 Well? 279 00:19:44.640 --> 00:19:47.279 I suppose it had a bigger impact on lower Stuff 280 00:19:47.319 --> 00:19:50.880 than Southwold in a way, because we were only sort 281 00:19:50.920 --> 00:19:53.920 of like the offshore once, you know what I mean. 282 00:19:53.960 --> 00:19:55.160 Although there were quite a. 283 00:19:55.200 --> 00:19:58.640 Few once the pit, once they could get back down 284 00:19:58.680 --> 00:20:02.400 the harbor, they were quite few people who fished most 285 00:20:02.480 --> 00:20:06.039 of the year and the rest of gad and painting 286 00:20:06.119 --> 00:20:12.839 and stuff like that, you know, but Lower Staff did 287 00:20:12.920 --> 00:20:14.920 get really so how. 288 00:20:14.799 --> 00:20:16.119 Do I mean that's what it was. 289 00:20:16.160 --> 00:20:18.519 One of the things that sticks in my mind is 290 00:20:18.519 --> 00:20:21.519 that every time you talk about loads of you go. 291 00:20:23.119 --> 00:20:23.839 Was the ploorol? 292 00:20:24.240 --> 00:20:28.519 So you saw that decay, So you saw it. Why 293 00:20:28.519 --> 00:20:30.640 do you think Southwark didn't go the way that loast 294 00:20:30.680 --> 00:20:30.799 of it? 295 00:20:33.680 --> 00:20:37.880 I think because it was smaller and Cooper Coot prettier, prettier, 296 00:20:37.960 --> 00:20:41.920 So it's prettiness helped it, Yes, I think so. I mean, 297 00:20:42.680 --> 00:20:45.160 and they had the lovely common that was on the 298 00:20:45.240 --> 00:20:48.559 doorstep for people to go walking. I mean, it was 299 00:20:48.599 --> 00:20:51.519 an ideal place to grow up in my day when 300 00:20:51.559 --> 00:20:56.880 there wasn't much traffic about things like that. Really you 301 00:20:56.920 --> 00:21:02.279 don't appreciate it at the times match, but we had 302 00:21:02.319 --> 00:21:06.559 everything that we needed tennis courts. 303 00:21:07.839 --> 00:21:10.359 Do you think so, I mean to say, loast of 304 00:21:10.519 --> 00:21:14.400 Us is still depressed horrible. 305 00:21:15.480 --> 00:21:19.039 Also, I don't really know much about Lowest Well, it's 306 00:21:19.079 --> 00:21:21.599 still a poor old place. It is it would need. 307 00:21:22.119 --> 00:21:24.519 I mean, it's got a lovely seafront, beautiful. 308 00:21:24.759 --> 00:21:34.920 Yeah, but you know it was always sort of well 309 00:21:34.960 --> 00:21:37.519 when there was a lot of different. 310 00:21:38.119 --> 00:21:44.359 Dad could probably remember more of some of the. 311 00:21:42.599 --> 00:21:47.039 Industry that was there. It wasn't just one induship. Weren't 312 00:21:47.079 --> 00:21:51.960 just the farming, but it was labor who decided to 313 00:21:52.039 --> 00:21:57.079 have when they nationalized things that they eastern counties bust 314 00:21:57.200 --> 00:22:00.920 things or went up to Lalen the summer. 315 00:22:01.079 --> 00:22:07.519 You know, because they centralize the making of that. So there, yeah, okay, 316 00:22:07.799 --> 00:22:09.640 so do you think then? 317 00:22:09.720 --> 00:22:12.400 I mean, I mean there was a boat boat, so 318 00:22:12.599 --> 00:22:15.000 you do boat building and all sorts. 319 00:22:15.240 --> 00:22:17.759 Because one of the things I look at is that 320 00:22:17.960 --> 00:22:22.279 I see the difference between Southward and moast of and 321 00:22:23.000 --> 00:22:26.039 but I also look at Southward Mana from my memories 322 00:22:26.079 --> 00:22:28.799 of it, of like from the late eighties, early the 323 00:22:28.920 --> 00:22:33.240 late seventies, early eighties is a little boy is It's 324 00:22:33.279 --> 00:22:41.839 always somewhere that I think was still owned by wolves 325 00:22:41.920 --> 00:22:44.640 run by. There was a you had visitors going there, 326 00:22:45.039 --> 00:22:47.880 and the visitors were coming at the behest and the 327 00:22:48.079 --> 00:22:51.519 say so and at the invitation of people who lived 328 00:22:51.559 --> 00:22:54.920 in South Ork. Now it seems to be that basically 329 00:22:55.079 --> 00:22:58.240 it's a place that has got no local heart to 330 00:22:58.319 --> 00:23:01.119 it anymore, and it's full of this and they're almost 331 00:23:01.160 --> 00:23:04.119 looking at as a museum. There's no one actually there 332 00:23:04.400 --> 00:23:04.960 who they're saying. 333 00:23:05.680 --> 00:23:06.039 I don't know. 334 00:23:06.039 --> 00:23:09.359 There just seems to be a complete change in the 335 00:23:09.400 --> 00:23:10.160 ethos of it. 336 00:23:10.759 --> 00:23:13.599 But there are people in employment. 337 00:23:13.680 --> 00:23:17.920 It's still pretty, it's not depressed, there's no crime, there's 338 00:23:17.960 --> 00:23:20.359 still you know, you go out the holiday season, it's 339 00:23:20.359 --> 00:23:24.079 still a beautiful place and can be quite quiet and peaceful, 340 00:23:24.160 --> 00:23:26.319 and the beaches are still lovely. And then you go 341 00:23:26.799 --> 00:23:29.039 a few miles up the road to loast Of and 342 00:23:29.079 --> 00:23:33.880 it's a bloody hellhole. So is it losing its character 343 00:23:34.440 --> 00:23:36.799 and that nature that you remember it of as a 344 00:23:36.920 --> 00:23:40.519 self sufficient, quiet place. Was that a price you think 345 00:23:40.640 --> 00:23:43.880 worth paying losing that to at least retain it as 346 00:23:43.920 --> 00:23:44.720 a pretty place. 347 00:23:45.000 --> 00:23:47.680 Do you think it's worth the loss of that. 348 00:23:48.759 --> 00:23:51.960 That's difficult for me to say, because I go and 349 00:23:52.119 --> 00:23:56.839 enjoy there, and when we lived there, you know, when 350 00:23:56.839 --> 00:24:04.799 we retired, it was still it was all the things 351 00:24:04.839 --> 00:24:05.880 that I went back. 352 00:24:05.720 --> 00:24:07.839 For was still they were still there. 353 00:24:08.200 --> 00:24:11.720 Because you know, I went to enjoyed the beach and 354 00:24:12.599 --> 00:24:21.079 nice walks. But there were hardly anybody of my youth 355 00:24:21.799 --> 00:24:26.519 who actually lived and worked. There's very few. I mean 356 00:24:26.559 --> 00:24:29.720 there was Joan and Ron. There was one or two, 357 00:24:29.839 --> 00:24:34.319 but they their children, I mean Genn didn't have children. 358 00:24:34.359 --> 00:24:38.400 But the ones who did, most of their children. 359 00:24:39.519 --> 00:24:44.160 I have moved to by. 360 00:24:45.279 --> 00:24:49.039 There was a lot my age group that moved away 361 00:24:49.160 --> 00:24:54.559 to get work sort of later on, I mean like 362 00:24:54.640 --> 00:24:58.920 we did because when Dad and I was planning on 363 00:24:59.039 --> 00:25:04.200 getting married, was working in lower stuff and well they 364 00:25:04.200 --> 00:25:07.920 were putting in the sewerage and that they've done the 365 00:25:07.960 --> 00:25:11.359 water to put the water moons out of all the villagers, 366 00:25:12.000 --> 00:25:15.559 and he was they were then sort of doing the 367 00:25:15.799 --> 00:25:21.440 sewer chess. But then it was a time of boom 368 00:25:21.480 --> 00:25:24.759 and bust, as they sort of talk about, and then 369 00:25:24.799 --> 00:25:28.000 they decided, oh they couldn't afford to lay out anymore. 370 00:25:28.279 --> 00:25:31.920 You know, that was a government brands and stuff, and 371 00:25:32.319 --> 00:25:37.799 suddenly he was out of a job and that was 372 00:25:37.839 --> 00:25:41.960 why we moved, and we've always moved about where he 373 00:25:42.039 --> 00:25:45.839 could get work. That's not as easy now though, because 374 00:25:45.880 --> 00:25:50.240 there's not so many places that you can, you know, 375 00:25:50.359 --> 00:25:54.279 working people can afford to rent and stuff. So I 376 00:25:54.319 --> 00:25:54.960 suppose one. 377 00:25:54.920 --> 00:25:58.000 Of the biggest changes, if you actually look at it, 378 00:25:58.039 --> 00:26:02.480 is that it's lost its industries. So there isn't other 379 00:26:02.559 --> 00:26:08.559 than Adams. The only other industry in Southwold is really tourism. 380 00:26:08.799 --> 00:26:12.799 And bill and servicing tourism. 381 00:26:13.039 --> 00:26:15.200 Yeah, so I mean I would have said the building 382 00:26:15.720 --> 00:26:19.960 is a servicing of the tourist trade because all them 383 00:26:20.039 --> 00:26:23.640 houses that they're converting and fiddling about with, they're either 384 00:26:23.720 --> 00:26:26.359 for people who have bought them for second homes or 385 00:26:26.359 --> 00:26:29.440 they're actually adding their bedrooms because they want to fit 386 00:26:29.480 --> 00:26:32.680 as many people as they can because it sleeps six. Yeah, 387 00:26:32.839 --> 00:26:35.759 you can charge more than if it sleeps four. Yes, 388 00:26:35.799 --> 00:26:37.359 so the builders even. 389 00:26:37.680 --> 00:26:40.880 Doing the servicing tourists. Yeah, that's true. 390 00:26:41.079 --> 00:26:43.960 But you always have the tourist industry, but they used 391 00:26:44.000 --> 00:26:48.519 to be slightly I suppose pass The way that just 392 00:26:48.599 --> 00:26:50.839 tourism runs is that you either went to a hotel 393 00:26:50.839 --> 00:26:52.279 if you had quite a bit of money, if you 394 00:26:52.319 --> 00:26:53.559 had less money, you went into. 395 00:26:53.480 --> 00:26:54.200 A guest house. 396 00:26:54.640 --> 00:26:58.279 He went into a guest house. Yes, quite. I mean, 397 00:26:58.599 --> 00:27:02.680 going right back to when I was a child, people 398 00:27:03.160 --> 00:27:06.920 used to move out of their bedroom and some. 399 00:27:06.839 --> 00:27:10.279 Of them lifting their sheds or slept in their shed. 400 00:27:10.559 --> 00:27:13.079 But you have to remember that it was probably only 401 00:27:13.200 --> 00:27:18.400