BETTY WEBSTER |
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Surname
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Webster
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Forename
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Betty
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Date of recording
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June 2011
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Year of birth
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1927?
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Place of Birth
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Aldeburgh
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Occupation
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Fathers occupation
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Present Address
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Aldeburgh
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Location Interview
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Aldeburgh
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Interviewer
Summary |
Doreen Bartlett
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Duration
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61mins
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No of tracks: 6
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Track 1 (13mins31)
Betty describes early life with her large family (12 brothers and sisters) in a house overlooking the marshes and move to Leiston Road following outbreak of war. Younger sisters' wedding photograph. Describes father's work at tennis courts - tournaments etc. Evacuees and impact on schooling. Air raids/shelters. Playtime at school, allotments, drama. Work at Thellusson Lodge (Sir Basil and Lady Ellison), detailed eye witness account of bombing of High Street with comments on perceptions of safety. Billeting of troops, wartime dances and entertainment at Thorpeness Country Club, Jubilee Hall, Leiston Cinema etc. Murder on common at Thorpeness and apprehending of accused. Track 2: (4mins31) Swimming lessons at school. Wartime swimming costumes. Childhood memories of playing on the beach and river wall. Fishermen on the beach. Home deliveries. Memories of the hand laundry. Drying linen on the beach. (break for arrival of visitor) Track 3: (7mins40) Names of laundry workers. Memories of properties in Slaughden. Childhood games including skipping with a linen line. Memories of model yacht pond and the giant's chair. Family outings to Thorpeness. Charabanc trip to Yarmouth. Memories of mother and her skill as a cook and friend to neighbouring children, tramps etc. Track 4; (8mins43) Sunday School at Methodist Chapel (Tin Chapel - later bombed), Baptist Church and then Parish Church. Sunday School treats and outings. Memories of Guides and Brownies + Girls' Friendly Society + Girls' Training Corps. Wartime work at Reades Brick Works and in fields. Track 5: (15mins40) Wartime dances - RAC, story of the Silver Fist on New Year's Eve Wartime musicians. Troop training at Sudbourne Memories of the railway. Railway workers' homes on Leiston Road. Waving off the evacuees at the station as they went to Derbyshire (Warsop). Story of evacuee killed in air raid (Derbyshire). Post war family weddings and death of mother aged 67. VE celebrations in Aldeburgh Mother in Mrs Sommerville's pub at end of war Gliders going over to Arnhem - view from the laundry - souvenir mugs. Betty and June's weddings. War widows. Move to Derbyshire. Move back to Aldeburgh. Memories of the 1953 floods - birth of son (Kevin). Track 6 : (11mins13) Aldeburgh Carnival/fair, Stock's family Reflections on modern carnival Tragedy on night before carnival Circus on the marshes More on carnivals in recent years including involvement of Betty's family. Aldeburgh Festival when based in the town. Later memories of Festival when Betty worked with her sister Doris (Ling) at Snape Maltings. Encounters with royalty, politicians and celebrities visiting the festival. |