SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

I've transcribed my Dad's memories of a pre-war childhood if anyone's interested. Ignore the dates - I've manipulated the blog so it reads chronologically I hope. Wordpress is a bit of a trial to edit!Hope you enjoy. http://oldleeds.wordpress.com/

Well 20 minutes just vanished on that! It's fascinating reading, if also grim. I never realised the workhouse was still going at that time.My neighbour was born in 1926 and tells me a lot of stories from back then, though most of his seem to start when he was evacuated, the 'mundane' side of life doesn;t come up so often.

Crazy Jane wrote: Well 20 minutes just vanished on that! It's fascinating reading, if also grim. I never realised the workhouse was still going at that time.My neighbour was born in 1926 and tells me a lot of stories from back then, though most of his seem to start when he was evacuated, the 'mundane' side of life doesn;t come up so often. It was grim. My mother's sister, Harriet died beside her in the same bed of measles. My mother (a miner's daughter) could remember the 1926 strike - the miners were out for 6 months and were starved back to work - she spoke of the soup kitchens, and "scrattin' for coil" on the pit heaps to find something to burn - if the police caught you they'd lock you up because it was considered stealing.My father's twin only lived four months. His sister Lillian died at four in 1920, and his father died in 1921, aged 43 - my grandma was still paying the doctor's bills for the treatment they both received in 1931.This memoir brings all the things she told me back into my mind. It really is worth reading.We don't know we're born today.    

Geordie-exile wrote: I've transcribed my Dad's memories of a pre-war childhood if anyone's interested. Ignore the dates - I've manipulated the blog so it reads chronologically I hope. Wordpress is a bit of a trial to edit!Hope you enjoy. http://oldleeds.wordpress.com/ Geordie, this is wonderful - as is your patience in taking the time to do this. Cann't help but notice how many things your Dad could take as every day things, have been talked about on here, taking considerable effort from lots of contributors, to deduce what were every day things then. It's clear that folk had a very different outlook towards others then too and a pride which is often lacking these days. Thank you

Hi all The workhouse mentioned was the dreaded "South lodge" demolished ,I think, in the late 60s early 70s to make way for St Lukes Primary school. My Mother and Father started married life there Him in one side of the building She in the other, before getting a rented place in Clayton st Holbeck. After demolition the last "Governer" of the place ended up running the battered wives refuge at the old Marsh lane police station with His sister, who due to Their employers frowning on relatives working together, had to refer to Herself as "Mrs Smith"!! Happy days???

A wonderful insight into years gone by.Thanks for posting.

Thanks for reading and for your kind words. I thought it was important to get this stuff on record.Who knows - a hundred years from now someone might be researching, ooh I dunno, shoe shops on Cambridge Road and find what they wanted to know. Like finding out stuff about the skulls from an ancient newspaper article I suppose.    

I really enjoyed reading through that Geordie nice one mate

Brandy wrote: I really enjoyed reading through that Geordie nice one mate I think Iansmithof otley put Geordies thead up a week or 2 back? Ithink I made a comment about it too.I think I said that things hadn't moved on much from the 30's to thelate 40's? Thanks for putting it up again though it's well worth a read.

Oh yes, I did start typing it up on Live Journal but I thought it would be better placed on Wordpress which seems to host more items of a similar nature.