Jean Wiltshire: I lived in Filton St. My father was a Co-op worker. He worked in the Co-op laundry as my mother did. They were Bedminster Down people. My grandfather worked in the mines. He worked in South Liberty Lane. My grandfather was very, very religious. Sat with his bible all Sunday. He was one of the Worlocks. His brothers were also miners. All looked the same. They also worked carrying coffins. Pall bearers. My other grandfather was a brass founder. He lived in Bed-minster. I can remember them. The one who was a miner was very stern. Hard really. The other one, the brass founder, was very kind and gentle. Big man. It was a village at Filton till the aircraft industry got established there. I lived on a new estate. I can't remember an awful lot about Filton. I can remember the war and the air raids. The famous Wednesday and Friday raids. The estate was built about 1928.1 was born in 1929.1 was just brought up there really and I was there till I was 17.
It was terraced houses. Not detached. All private. We were in Filton, but the bottom of the garden was the boundary of Bristol and that was council houses. A lot of people came from Wales to live in Filton because of the aircraft company.
Mabel Hill: I worked in Filton during the war. I was making cable boxesfor the planes. They weren't very good when I done them. We used to have to wear overalls like the men. Shift work it was.
Jean Wiltshire: You were compelled to work. You were directed into labour. You couldn't work where you liked. A lot of girls came from other parts of the country because they were directed into Filton to work.I worked for the Co-op in the fuel office. Coal was rationed then. We had to keep records to make sure nobody had over their share. That was in Ducie Rd. — the first Co-op in Bristol. It was alright when I was there because it was easier during the war. It was easy for people to get employment. It was difficult for them to get people to work for them.
Mabel Hill: I worked at the Co-op tailor out at Kensington Hill. I wasgetting a farthing for each seat lining I put in. I never made ten shillings a week. You was on piece work — but we used to do it by hand. That was when I was about 15.1 told you I worked everywhere.
Jean Wiltshire: The Co-op was very unionised. It was a closed shop.Really you didn't work for the Co-op unless you were a socialist.
Mabel Hill: They let me slip by.
Jean Wiltshire: My parents and grandparents were strong socialists. I've heard my grandfather say that he used to earn such low money that very often they had to leave all the food home for the children and go to work with nothing. Mind they used to joke about it. He used to say, 'Before long we'll be able to get into this cage without opening it.'
Jean Carey: In Bedminster you all lived by each other. Your grandmother
lived a couple of doors away. Next door was one Auntie. Another Auntie was round the corner. All your relations were in a circle around you. My grandfather was a docker and he always used to tell us what he could buy for 6d. Half ounce of tobacco and a box of matches, a pint of beer and all that sort of thing. My father was a greengrocer. I can go back three generations and they all lived in Bedminster. I come from a very well known Bedminster family.
My first job was in the wages office of the Board Mills. I was there for ten years. I loved it. I still keep in touch with the girls. There are a couple of them who are still there who never married.
Alma Dolling: I lived at Fishponds when I was married. Before, I lived atthe top end of Barton Hill. My father was out of work a lot. He used to queue at the docks for a job. We went from old cottage to old cottage. Anywhere that was empty we flopped ourselves in. It was about 3/6d a week .... 4/6d a week.
Then my mother had a chance of a council house and of course we took it. After that the war started and that was when things started to look up in our family, because my Dad went on munitions at Parnells. That was the first time that we really knew what it was to have a bit of money.
My first job was in Lennards and from there I went to Gardeners in Staple Hill. And I was making uniforms for the Americans. Then I had a few jobs and went into Charles Newths who made furniture. There was this handsome sailor who was demobbed. He worked there as a boy. There was little gangs of us. I wanted to know who this suntanned lad was. Of course he asked me for a date and from there we went out with one another and just got married. But when you look back they were lovely times.
But when I was young we were very, very poor. My mother used to clean and all that sort of thing. My father used to do odd jobs, gardening, anything to get a couple of bob. You wouldn't call it pounds in they days. Then he used to get a bet on a horse and we used to have a good dinner, but we was always happy then. Really happy days.
I can remember the doctor coming one night. My brother was very ill and I could hear my mother say, 'However are we going to afford to pay him.'
Do you remember when they used to give the shoes. The free shoes. 'You've all got to go down today and get your shoes.' So I said, 'No, I don't want 'em.'
'You're having they shoes. The Lord Mayor's ticket's here and your going down and get your shoes.' So we goes down. Ill tell you where. At the top of Lippiat Rd. — that school. We goes down. My brother gets his shoes, I has mine. It was little black boots with laces on. I said, 'I ain't wearing they.' 'Go on,' he said, 'They're lovely.' When you scuffed them on the road sparks came out. We thought it was lovely.
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