Interview with Yvonne Cox
- Reference Number: DW-252/2/6
- Date: 19 Aug 2019
- Level: Item
- Extent: 1 fil e(403578 KB)
- Format: WAV Audio file
-
Description: INTERVIEWEE: Yvonne Cox
Born: June 1942
Interviewer: Karen
Date of Interview: 19th August 2019
Yvonne was born in the Low Hill area of Wolverhampton. Father worked at Goodyears, Mother was a cleaner at Bilston Baths. She was the fourth child of seven. They lived in a three bedroomed house so Yvonne was sent to live with her aunt, and her sister was sent to her Nan?s.
[0:01:28] Early memories of taking the pram to collect the coal. Had to wear socks on their hands because it was frosty.
[0:02:26] When Dad had an apple the children used to argue over whose turn it was to have the peel or the core.
[0:02:35] Parents couldn?t afford proper school uniform, remembers brother wearing postman?s trousers (with red stripe down the leg).
[0:03:06] Describes incident at school; in final year of Oldfallings Girl?s School each student was given the opportunity to invite parents to the school house and make them a meal. Yvonne was forgotten about, and now feels that this pattern of being forgotten has repeated throughout her life.
(I have referenced this as she does refer several times to ?it?s the house again?.)
[0:03:44] Money was tight. Recalls asking her mum where her meal was and mum saying that she had already eaten whilst preparing everyone else?s. Found out later that there were times when there was not enough to go round.
[0:04:35] When the Rag and Bone man came round the children took a coat off the bed so they could get a chicken. When Dad came home from his morning shift the chicken was sitting on the sugar bowl and a kitten had eaten his custard pie.
[0:06:25] Went to work in Woolworths. Mum gave her packed lunch, wrapped in the Express and Star newspaper. By mistake, she had been given Dad?s left over lunch. There was a very strong smell of rubber and when she opened it, it was a sugar sandwich ? she called t a Goodyears sandwich.
[0:07:28] When they started work they were allowed a pork chop or a tin of stewed steak at tea-time.
[0:09:45] You either went out with a lad from the RAF or a Teddy Boy ? long swinging coat, thick soled shoes and a Tony Curtiss.
[0:10:45] Had to be home by 10pm ? mum would be standing on the step waiting. If you were late you got a smack across the head and a kick up the backside. But 10pm was when the slow dances were played so sometimes the benefit outweighed the risk.
[0: 13:40] Anecdote about being stopped by a man on a bike and asked if there were toilets around. She told him where they were and he asked her to look after his bike. She agreed because she was worried he would tell her mum she had been cheeky if she didn?t. After some time he came out and asked if there were any other toilets, so she directed him to the ladies ? again agreeing to look after his bike. This time he asked if she would go in with him but she very politely refused. After a while he came
out and offered her half-a-crown ? but ?his todger was sticking out and I?d never seen one before!? She grabbed the money and ran to the local shops. A neighbour asked if she was OK, and she burst into tears; ?I?d never had half-a-crown before ? I just didn?t know what to spend it on.?
[0:17:30] ?When we was growing up we had nothing but we had everything.?
[0:20:40] Decided to bake a roly-poly for her husband. Didn?t have any greaseproof paper so used a wax bread wrapper which left an imprint of the name on the pudding. She tried to cover it with the custard.
[0:22:00] Marlene (sister) has a hospital appointment. She is going to ask the consultant if he could also remove her haemorrhoid. Yvonne advised her to ask the consultant if he would measure it instead, as she would like to knit a bonnet for it!
[0:24:33] Talks about a ?family trait of non-speaking? which in later life she found out is a form of abuse. Describes her dad as having a short fuse and then not speaking to her mum for six weeks at a time. Once, as an adult, Yvonne remarked to him that he was ?smacking his mouth? (eating noisily). He threw the plate up the wall and didn?t speak to her for two years.
Nobody ever used the word ?love? in the family even though loving actions were demonstrated, it?s only now that she realises what she is worth.
[0:32:14] Describes walking down the centre of Dudley Street with her head held high and can hear people saying ?look at that woman.?
[0:33:35] ?Life isn?t about what you?ve got, it?s about who you are ? and I?m very wealthy.? - Access Status: Open
- Contact: Wolverhampton Archives, Wolverhampton Archives & Local Studies