| Description | An interview with Joye BECKETT, a widow woman with one son, two daughters, who is a Retired Headteacher, born in Birkenhead and now living in Birmingham. Joye BECKETT’s father was a Methodist minister, born in Engand and her mother a Ministers wife born in England. In the interview, she talks about …
'JOYE BECKETT MS2255/2/095 Logged by Lorraine Blakemore
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I was born in Birkenhead…. Parents were missionaries in Nigeria. I was brought up in the tradition of the primitive Methodist Church as it was known in those days… Parents adopted children in Nigeria.
1.50 All our churches were very simple….crosses not allowed….We had Methodist Union in 1933….churches joined together.
2.49 Father became very ill in 1932 and the family later moved to Yorkshire. Joye attended the local grammar school.
4.30 Worked in Midland Bank after leaving school. Couldn’t afford to go to college.
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Joined the WRENs as a radio mechanic.
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I left school in 1940…. Lists subjects studied at school.
Looked after mother during the early part of the war.
1.58 Called up after a year of working in the bank.
3.07 Story about having to decide on a future career.
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I came to Birmingham in April, 1947….Describes the Bristol Road area.
1.06 Completed a 3 year teaching course in 13 months.
2.12 comments on the type of training she received.
3.15 School practice in Acocks Green. Met husband whilst training to become a teacher.
4.16 Memories of old Birmingham.
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We got a flat in Moseley….Story about obtaining the flat as a married couple. Lived with aunt until married.
2.32 Honeymooned in Isle of Wight.
3.06 Attended Moseley Road Methodist Church.
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Being bombed during the war.
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Given the task of assessing the damage to the Digbeth area schools and nurseries in the post-war period.
2.06 Story about visiting a factory in Digbeth.
3.44 Founder member of the Rea Valley Conservation Group.
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Comments on the numbers of children at the nursery.
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I got married in 1948… Stayed in Birmingham to do 2 years probation in teaching. Chose drama. Formed a group called The Phoenix Players.
Lists some of the performances.
Didn’t envisage remaining in Birmingham.
3.11 First teaching job was at Colmore Road School.
4.19 Moved to Acocks Green and shared accommodation with another married couple.
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Gave up teaching when she became pregnant in 1951. Husband bought a house in Warwick Road.
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Describes the new house in Warwick Road.
Difficulties in coping financially.
3.18 We could have a little nursery school. Nobody had ever heard of playgroups…I wrote to the authorities and asked them and they were desperate for people to do that sort of thing….I didn’t believe in mothers farming out their children to nurseries full-time….
4.26 Told I could have 15 children…
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How the nursery school was run and administered.
1.50 Story about getting a job in Acocks Green teaching reception class.
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Daughter didn’t enjoy school. Husband secured a post as drama and education lecturer at Westhill College in 1960.
Comments on the changes at Westhill College.
3.13 Bought a house in an auction.
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The house was too small for the entire family.
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Severe Winter in 1963. Both parents died in that same year.
2.09 Attended St.John’s Methodist Church. Started a drama group.
Comments on the location of the church.
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Describes the architectural design of the new church.
1.11 Children attended Sunday school.
2.29 Describes some of the plays performed at the drama group.
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About changes in the Methodist church: It’s largely gone on very much from strength to strength, but the numbers have dropped….certainly the numbers of young children in the Sunday schools….there isn’t at the moment a teenage group…Elaborates on the people who attend the church.
2.55 The church has a day centre for elderly people.
4.15 I couldn’t manage without the input you get into your spiritual life from just being in church….just the atmosphere of worship…over one stage when I did lose my faith, I still attended…
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30” Children attended the drama group at the Rep. Theatre. Later moved to MAC.
Story about enticing the drama group to the church.
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1.10 Story about trip to Iona and the idea of a drama group.
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Continued.
2.21 Changed title of group to Festival Arts.
2.45 How people were recruited to the group. Workshops form the basis of the group.
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Required a permanent home for Festival Arts. Husband formulated a plan for providing arts practice to people with mental illness.
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I’m the matriarch of Festival… Children come from all areas of the city. How roles are decided.
2.32 I’m going on a computer course next year…It’s marvellous to be able to communicate like this instantly….I’ve heard from my sons a lot more since email…You suddenly think, is this going too far?….Dreams of having a facility to communicate with people in other languages.
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U3A is the University of the Third Age….it began in my consciousness in about 1982-3…. Account of discovering U3A.
1.26 Became programme secretary in 1984.
1.55 Each U3A is autonomous. Describes how the groups are run.
Lists some of the activities.
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Explains what Jubilee 2000 means.
3.42 Account of G8 Summit in May, 1999 and the protest march organised from Jubilee 2000.
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Continued.
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March organised to Cologne.
Shameful waste of money at the summit in Okinawa, Japan.
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I left Acocks Green School when my husband moved to Selly Oak…. Summarises teaching career.
57” I couldn’t bear the pressurised teaching that went on at that time….sitting children in rows according to their multi-test results with the lowest results at the front and the clever ones at the back….
1.55 Opening of Northfield Manor School. Remained for 21 years.
4.09 Account of being promoted to Head of Infant’s School.
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Continued.
1.06 I found at one stage, there was nobody in the school at all with any religious background….Tuesdays we’d have hymn practice and Thursdays bible study…I didn’t do multi-faith, even though we’d got a lot of mixed faith children….
2.24 Has recorded bible stories on tape.
Describes the nature reserve she founded.
ENDS. |