| Description | An interview with Joan HART, a married woman with one son, who is a Secretary, born in Birmingham and now living in Birmingham. Joan HART’s father was a Metal shearer, born in England and her mother a Housewife/shop assistant born in England. In the interview, she talks about …
'JOAN HART MS2255/2/097 Logged by Lorraine Blakemore
01
I was born in Great Barr…on 13th July, 1946. Parents slightly older than was usual at the time.
02
I was 13 months old when my parents were offered a prefab at the Maypole near Kings Heath….Prefabs were built by Italian POWs and they were like little self-contained bungalows….Describes the area.
1.45 Small family gatherings every weekend.
2.11 Trams ran out to the Maypole, but were stopped in 1952.
2.39 Father was a metal shearer who worked shifts.
3.19 Story about father’s attempts to get home during a severe fog.
03
Describes the farm near to the house.
1.40 Family background.
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Two types of prefabs. One of which was American style.
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They were originally built for housing people after the war…they were built very quickly to accommodate people for no more than 10 years…we lived there for almost 14 years…we moved out and they were pulled down to make way for a massive housing estate which is now the Druid’s Heath Estate. They were built of asbestos….we did see some very nasty fires…I was just 13 when we moved to a house in Yardley Wood…
06
The other kind of prefabs were just like a square block….they were fitted in the kitchen with a fridge. Not many people had a fridge in those days….Our garden was lovely….
1.06 Story about visiting the theatre when there was no delivery of coal.
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The school I went to in 1950 was Bell’s Lane School…a purpose-built school on the estate of prefabs…then I went to Bramwood Secondary School. I wasn’t fortunate enough to pass my 11+…. Stayed until 15.
1.33 Attended Wheeler’s Lane Evening School to pass secretarial exams.
2.13 Worked at Halfords in the city centre.
08
Memories of primary school. Summer fetes and fancy dress.
1.38 I can recall a few of my friends' mothers working, but they did tend to be home in time for the children to come home. My mother didn’t work…. Remembers mother’s baking.
09
I went to Brandwood Secondary School….in 1957… it was only opened the year before I went….I liked needlework and cookery. Describes domestic science lessons.
3.14 Brother and sister’s education.
10
My father used to say that the girls and boys must be given the same equal opportunities as far as education was concerned. When we were growing up a lot of people did think that you’re a girl, you’ll get married, settle down, having babies and you won’t need the education…..
1.44 First job in accounts at Halfords. Moved to the Generating Board in 1966 and learned more skills. Became a receptionist.
4.36 Atmosphere in typing pool not always harmonious.
11
Continues to describe work environment.
45” Lunch hour and breaks in the daytime.
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Met husband at work in the accounts dept. Courted for 3 and a half years before getting married in 1965.
36” We used to go to the cinemas, to local dances….I’ve never been to a nightclub because they weren’t the thing when we were courting. We used to go to the West End and The Locarno….and Bournville Village Hall which was a completely non-alcoholic night…. Details further activities.
2.29 Describes the live music events.
13
Attended evening classes for formal dancing.
14
Contrasts disco dancing with ballroom dancing
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Married at Kings Norton Church. Describes the wedding and reception.
1.10 Had taken a holiday in Spain the previous year.
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Describes the holiday.
55” I always felt that we were very laid back and not pushing ourselves forward into the permissive society….
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Living together without being married in those days was not the done thing. We were not even encouraged to leave home and find our own flats…We didn’t have the money… Account of family member who became pregnant.
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I’d been married 5 years when I found myself pregnant. My son was born in 1971…
1.04 Gave up work to have baby. Remembers decimalisation.
1.36 Nobody really had maternity leave. It wasn’t the done thing, it came about 2 or 3 years after I had Andrew….As soon as you announced that you were having a baby that really was your notice for giving up work…
2.06 Lived in a privately-owned flat on the Bristol Road. Then moved into house on border of Stirchley and Kings Heath.
3.02 Story about giving birth.
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I lived in a newish house on a newish estate. Fortunately there was a lot of young mums around me….we had the occasional coffee morning….if any of us needed help we could go to each other…. Had help from mother and mother-in-law.
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Son started a mother and toddler group when he was 3. Had a place secured at nursery school. Attended Colmore Infants' School.
2.35 Did occasional temping work whilst Andrew was at school.
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My husband saw an advert for Birmingham City Council….I applied….One day I had a phone call from Central Library….had a vacancy for a part-time typist…in book purchase dept….I started there in August, 1977….Describes role.
3.40 The changes in working life are that staff get cut….Over the years the hours seem to get longer….We go from a manual typewriter to an electronic typewriter….and where do we go from there….to a PC
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The electronic typewriter would have been around 1982….for another 10 years until we got PCs….I was weaned onto a PC from my son….At work I started using a PC and it was trial and error….The first lot of PCs we had didn’t have much memory….
2.00 How PCs have changed the working environment.
3.20 Was successful in obtaining a post at Acocks Green Library in 1988. Describes role.
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Continued.
Became regional secretary to the whole of the Birmingham libraries. Worked full-time from 1991.
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Involved in local scout group. Became secretary and then cub scout leader until 1983. Details the changes in the group.
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Continued.
1.16 Differences in the programme.
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Connections with the church.
47” I do find it tough going to church regularly…because of the time factor….
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I am a member of the Church of England….How a Methodist church became incorporated into the C of E church.
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Contrasts grandmother’s life with her own.
29
Continued.
30
Discusses redevelopments in Birmingham and Central Library.
1.51 Gradual changes in the suburbs.
3.20 Changes in shopping habits.
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Continued.
42” We’ve all got much more to do…everything feels that it’s at a quicker pace….I find it difficult to find time to visit a neighbour….and I only live three doors down….
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Continued.
Working hours.
33
Son’s education and career. Husband joined son in business. Got married and has 2 children.
34
Role as grandmother.
ENDS. |