| Description | An interview with Gertrude COOK, a single woman with no children, who is a retired Cadbury worker, born in Birmingham and now living in Birmingham. Gertrude COOK’s father was a Sadler, born in England and her mother a Housewife born in England. In the interview, she talks about …
'MS2255/2/121 COOK, Gertrude, logged by Azma Shain
01
08” I was born in Birmingham, Ladywood.
39” Born in 1896.
46” Father was a saddler, walked to work from Stourbridge to Birmingham daily.
1.04 Father married first wife, had three children and lost wife.
1.15 Father married Gertrude’s mother and had four girls and one boy.
1.29 When the family moved to Selly Oak there was no school for the older children, the baths were on Tiverton Road and the girls were taught privately for 1 penny or tuppence a week in a house across the road.
2.02 The teacher was a member of staff from the gospel hall, which the family found when they moved to Selly Oak.
2.16 Went to Sunday school as soon as they came into the area.
2.30 The baths and house still stand in Selly Oak today.
3.05 Went to St Stephen’s School run by the church (Track 4 states at what age Gertrude started school.)
3.22 Would run past the sandpits near school thinking men were hiding behind them.
3.52 Father would take the older girls to the fair on his tea breaks from work. Gospel hall near Tiverton Road
4.30 There was no transport and the family would walk (mentions different places they would visit).
02
Talks about sweet shop near Lickey hills, Talks about family trips - everyone in the family always went.
2.03 I Was 14 and started work at Cadburys. Talks about leisure activities at work.
3.06 Trip to Dawlish, mentions differences and similarities noticed at a recent visit.
3.56 By train.
5.59 Cadburys would run cheap trips by train.
03
Talks about visit to Dawlish
1.34 Trip to Stourbridge arranged by Cadburys
1.48 Several holidays arranged by Cadburys - visit to Switzerland at the age of 55.
04
Went to Sunday school, had to be three years old to start, talks about Sunday school trips.
1.15 Asked to be baptised at the age of 15.
1.40 At 20 years old began to teach at Sunday school.
2.15 The students take Gertrude to meetings today.
2.21 Originally called The Gospel Hall - has now been renamed Tiverton Christian Fellowship.
2.30 It’s still there,
2.35 It was a 100 years old just before I was 100.
2.43 When I was a 100, went to school to show the children the Queen’s telegram, had 3 parties.
3.55 Oldest member in the chapel
4.04 Started at the chapel at the age 5. Moved to Selly Oak between the age of 4 and 5, Started St Stephen’s at the age of 7.
4.40 Taught at Sunday school for 50 years
05
28” Handwork/piecework at Cadburys.
1.14 Promised doctor to grow, to get the job at Cadburys.
3.12 Talks about work at Cadburys, being petit meant that Gertrude was unable to do some of the work. Worked in the chemist.
4.30 Went to Austria with Cadburys.
06
Talks about trip to Austria
1.47 Retired in 1955 and went around Ireland.
2.13 First World War, It was a Tuesday when they came and said war had broke out. Saw a war vessel steaming out
3.23 Went to a wedding where the groom was from America.
4.00 Uncertain of what day war broke out
07
Talks about friend whose boyfriend had to go to war, she fears she would lose him but returned and they did stay together. Friend lost father when he was hit by the handle of a tram.
2.11 The men who did not go to fight at the war had to go on munitions.
2.31The university was turned into base for the wounded, turned into a hospital.
4.00 Second World War – Bang, houses in Tiverton Road went down.
08
57” Worked at Cadburys until 55, work hours were too long. Worked half time to help take care of sister.
2.45 Sister died of leukaemia
2.59 Fought cancer. Talks about visiting doctors.
09
29” At the age of 87, fell down stairs
1.06 Moved to home four years ago. Lived with sisters before moving to home.
1.50 A man entered the house and stole sister’s purse. Moved into a home for elderly people.
10
1.16 Sister died 2 years ago at the age of 97 and brother died 3 years ago at 95.
1.50 The family were close, father kept them close.
2.57 Went to ambulance classes and night school in Bournville
3.36 Eldest sister was 2 and a half years older.
11
Talks about sister going to Ladywood children’s hospital. Losing one eye and having a glass eye.
34” Father was a saddler for Lee Longlands Furniture Company.
1.41 Lovely area, Cadburys originally owned most of it.
3.09 Bournville was very nice and very different. Houses did not have bathrooms and tin baths were used.
12
Second World War
45” Sisters all worked at Cadburys, have done about 150 years between them.
1.30 Oldest single lady at Cadburys, originally did not have married woman working.
2.41 First World War lost many of the men.
3.05 Kept chapel running through both wars.
3.32 Knitting for African children - can still do something.
ENDS |