| Ref No | MS 4000/5/1/3/2 |
| Title | Sound recording of Betsy Miller (born c.1886). [Actuality for 'On The Edge' radio ballad 1963] Tape 3 and Tape 4. |
| Level | File |
| Date | n.d. [6 February 1962] |
| Description | Recording of interview by Charles Parker of Betsy Miller (BM) (born c1886) describing her own childhood and attitudes to her parents and older people [actuality for the sixth radio ballad 'On The Edge' about teenagers in England and Scotland originally transmitted on the BBC Home Service in February 1963].
Track 1: Duration (min/sec): 0.08 Description of track: Noise and voices as tape starts
Track 2: Duration (min/sec): 0.38 Description of track: BM adds more background to her upbringing; all men in her locality were ploughmen/farm labourers except her father who worked in the [chemical] factory
Track 3: Duration (min/sec): 4.30 Description of track: BM describes the position of women as she was growing up and the disciplinarian attitude of her father towards females; BM agrees that she learnt a great deal from her parents unlike the young people today
Track 4: Duration (min/sec): 3.37 Description of track: talks about young people today mocking religion; her family were not particularly religious but a chapter was read from the Bible every night; talks of the enjoyment of occasionally attending Sunday School (Presbyterian Church of Scotland) when they could get transport
Track 5: Duration (min/sec): 2.27 Description of track: talks about women's leisure time in relation to her mother; her mother did not have an easy life bringing up fourteen children, BM was the eighth child
Track 6: Duration (min/sec): 1.52 Description of track: BM talks about news and politics; her mother took the 'Falkirk Herald', 'The People's Friend' and the 'Red Letter'; her father was not interested in politics and was 'dead against anything'
Track 7: Duration (min/sec): 11.56 Description of track: [pause after beginning of track] BM talks at more length about the central role of her mother in the household; CP discuss tensions now for women between role in the home versus exposure to other opportunities on radio, television; BM left school aged 14 years and went into service in Glasgow and did not get home for 2 years 9 months which nearly 'broke her heart'; she then got employed by a local pawn broker in the valuation department
Track 8: Duration (min/sec): 3.59 Description of track: talks again about being in service in Glasgow; she only went into Glasgow on Sunday to church
Track 9: Duration (min/sec): 7.13 Description of track: BM describes treats when they were children; sweets that were bought after the Saturday shopping trip to Falkirk; describes an incident when a confectionery van broke down on their road and they fell out onto the street and they were eating sweets for months; describes what she wore in service; mentions her sister Belle
Total duration: (min/sec): 36.22 |
| Related Material | See CD recording of the sixth radio ballad 'On The Edge' originally transmitted on the BBC Home Service in February 1963. Accompanying written production documentation on the radio ballad is at MS 4000/ 2/92. |
| Physical Description | Listening copy: 1 x CD-R serial number CF129 K006 7274
Original tape:
Size: 7" tape reel
Gauge: 1/4" tape (0.625cm)
Speed: 7.5ips (19cm/s);
EQ Curve used: IEC
Track configuration: Half Track Stereo
Dubbing Date: 12/02 |
| Access Status | Open |
| Language | English |