| Ref No | MS 4000/5/1/3/3 |
| Title | Sound recording of Betsy Miller (born c.1886). [Actuality for 'On The Edge' radio ballad 1963]. Tape 5 and Tape 6. |
| Level | File |
| Date | 06 February 1962 |
| Description | Recording of interview by Charles Parker of Betsy Miller (BM) (born c.1886) describing her own married life and hardships experienced [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): 6.52 Description of track: BM describes how she met her husband Will [William Miller] in the pawn brokers; she was lodging with his aunt and uncle Adam and Mary Stretton; married after 3 months
Track 2: Duration (min/sec): 2.53 Description of track: BM describes her husbands background and his family and step family; BM talks about her one previous boyfriend before she married [pause at end of track]
Track 3: Duration (min/sec): 4.23 Description of track: BM talks about her early relationships and her non interest in pre-marital sex
Track 4: Duration (min/sec): 3.22 Description of track: BM talks about her courtship with her husband; describes hard times in the first year of marriage; first premature baby died after few days, her husband suffered with asthma
Track 5: Duration (min/sec): 5.07 Description of track: talks about her married life and the hard experiences; her husband collapsed in 1925 and died in 1947 and during that time only worked for a total of 3 years, 2 months due to ill health; economic hardship; her husband was a radical and was boycotted from many places of work [see transcript at MS 4000/ 5/1/3/1]
Track 6: Duration (min/sec): 3.45 Description of track: BM talks about the houses she lived in; moved to Bonnybridge, near Denny when married; her husband went to Australia for 6 months for his health; and son that died [pause at end of track, household sounds]
Track 7: Duration (min/sec): 6.07 Description of track: continues to talk about her husbands ill health and periods of unemployment; by 1914 they were living in Salford, Manchester; talks about how she worked 12 hour days cleaning [see transcript at MS 4000/ 5/1/3/1]
Track 8: Duration (min/sec): 2.01 Description of track: talks about her financial plans for her death and burial [see transcript at MS 4000/ 5/1/3/1]
Total duration: (min/sec): Duration (min/sec): 34.32 |
| 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.
See also MS 4000/ 5/1/3/1 (3 x documents) of typescript transcript of part of interview |
| Physical Description | Listening copy: 1 x CD-R serial number PF235 S108 6074
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 Mono
Dubbing Date: 12/02 |
| Access Status | Open |
| Language | English |