| Ref No | MS 4000/5/1/8/3 |
| Title | Sound recording of Charlie Burke of Birmingham (1918-2001) describing his childhood, family and Birmingham c1880 onwards |
| Level | File |
| Date | 07 April 1970 |
| Description | Recording of interview by Charles Parker of Charlie Burke (CB) of Birmingham (b.1918) describing his childhood, street sellers, local area (and Jewish quarters), food and entertainment.
Track 1: Duration (min/sec): 2.36 Description of track: CB describes the sale of song sheets of the latest songs from films or shows on Sundays for a penny
Track 2: Duration (min/sec): 11.38 Description of track: CB describes local street selling characters such as a man who ran a newsagents from his home in Ladywood and sold comics and song sheets for a penny every Sunday tea time with his Shetland pony and cart; the sale of hot cross buns on Good Friday; the pikelet bakery on St Marks Street where CB could get 3 dozen damaged pikelets for three pence as he did errands for them; had a coal oven at home. CB describes his family as he was one of six children where the average family had 3 or 4 children; CB refers to the fish seller; CB bought meat on Broad Street
Track 3: Duration (min/sec): 3.15 Description of track: CB talks about his favourite meal of tripe as Friday night was 'tripe night' in Birmingham. His local tripe shop was next door to the The Turf pub by the Palais de Dance (big dance hall in the West Midlands) and Spring Hill Library; briefly describes gas lighting; Saturday nights out in the Black Country dancing for fourpence
Track 4: Duration (min/sec): 3.07 Description of track: CB describes allotments along the side of the railway in the Black Country
Track 5: Duration (min/sec): 2.34 Description of track: CB talks about National Service of ficers at the Labour Exchange
Track 6: Duration (min/sec): 3.31 Description of track: CB recites and then sings ['Mary Allen at the Pop Shop Door'] which he used to sing at the pawn shop
Track 7: Duration (min/sec): 3.18 Description of track: CB talks about local districts and Aston as 'tough quarter', Handsworth as a good working class district; Balsall Heath a good district; the Jewish quarter on St Luke's Road, Balsall Heath, Holloway Road had Jewish shops; and Pershore Road back to Moseley Road was also a Jewish quarter; horse fair was functioning still in the 1930s
Track 8: Duration (min/sec): 2.04 Description of track: CB continues talking about the horse fair around Holloway Head; liked the fair at Redditch [tape stops abruptly]
Total duration: (min/sec): 35.06 |
| Related Material | See also LC/BPL 38 listening cassette of Charlie Burke, Birmingham and recording of Charlie Burke used in lecture at MS 4000/5/2/7/11 |
| Physical Description | Listening copy: 1 x CD-R serial number PF235 S108 5374
Original tape:
Size: 5" tape reel
Gauge: 1/4" tape (0.625cm)
Speed: 7.5ips (19cm/s);
EQ Curve used: IEC
Track configuration: Half Track Mono
Dubbing Date: 12/02 |
| Access Status | Open |
| Language | English |