Surname
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Foreman
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Forename
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Gerald
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Date of recording
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Feb 2008
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Year of birth
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1933
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Place of Birth
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Saxmundham
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Occupation
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Retired
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Fathers occupation
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Leiston works, Orford, MOD
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Present Address
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Snape
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Location Interview
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Snape
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Interviewer
Summary |
Colin Fletcher
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Duration
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123 Mins
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No of tracks: 7
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This recording consists of 7 tracks.
Track 1. Introduction by Colin Fletcher interviewing Jake Foreman at his home, The Glebes, Snape on 14th February, 2008. Track 2. (23.55) Born in Saxmundham in 1933 and came to live at Lavender Cottage in Snape when he was two years old. Mentions that a few years later his family moved into a Reades built council house. Describes how his father had a job at the Leiston works during the war, and later worked with 'Uncle Reg' at King's Lynn dredging the rivers and only came home every three weeks. Mentions that he has four brothers and one sister. Describes how his father also worked at the Maltings from 6.00 in the morning coming home for breakfast and then working until 2.00 and then going on to work at Gillets Farm until 9.00 at night. Mentions that 60-70 people worked at the Maltings and describes how horses pulled the trucks to the goods stations. Describes how the farmers used to unload the sugar beet on the railway. Describes his father making a cart with bicycle wheels which he pulled along behind his bike loaded with rabbits that were caught and these were then sent on to London where his uncle had a butchers shop. Describes how they used to eat a lot of wild rabbits and also had rabbit pie. Describes how he and his brothers used to 'get up to a bit of mischief' after school by going into an apple orchard and pinching the apples and how a Mr Peel used to chase them away. Describes one evening when a policeman came to the house and his father came upstairs and got him out of bed and how the policeman told him off and threatened to give him a 'clip round the ear', and told him that if it happened again he would be 'going away' and he would be put in a home. Describes his father as being quite strict but never hit them, just an occasional 'clip round the ear'. Describes his father marrying a girl called Brabham from Saxmundham who used to work at bean picking and picking up potatoes. Describes how he has had a mooring in the river for 40 years. Describes that he started duck shooting when he was about 16 his father having taught him to shoot. Mentions that he went every afternoon, come rain or snow and he also went shooting with the boy next door called Jimmy. Describes an incident when a neighbour was tree felling and a branch fell on top of a man and he was killed, and the other man (possibly Jimmy) who was hit by the branch survived but 'went out of his mind' and later committed suicide. Describes how his father also worked on the island for the Ministry and also describes an incident where his (Jake) air rifle had jammed and his father took it to work with him and had it repaired. Mr. Foreman did not know what his father's job was on the island. Describes how his father had an old car, a Jowett, and took them out for rides in the summer but not very far because petrol was rationed. The farthest they got was Martlesham. Describes his father being paid time and quarter by Mr. Gillett because he worked so well. Describes the work at the Maltings as being very hard, carrying 18st. of corn on your back. Describes how the workers were given brass tokens which were then exchanged for beer, Adnams owned the Maltings. Describes how the corn was laid out on the floor and a big thing was dragged across it, and the corn was steeped in water. Mentions that he helped his father sometimes as his father had a bad back. Describes how during the summertime and men worked at cutting the hedges and painting the buildings to keep it all in good order. Describes how his mother used to get up at 5.00 in the morning and do most of the chores and laundry and was finished by the time he got up at 8.00. Mentions that his mother had a Burco boiler and a mangle for doing the washing. Describes that on leaving school he got a job in a garage at Saxmundham, serving people with petrol and charging up the accumulators at 6 old pence a time. Describes leaving the garage and getting a job at Sizewell Power Station. Describes the money as good but the job was boring and he left and then became self-employed. Describes working with 'gypsy boys' laying tarmac. Describes how he used to go away for 5/6 months at a time living in caravans with the gypsies. Describes the caravans as being spotlessly clean and how gypsies were different to travellers. Describes an incident in Norfolk where one of the gypsies asked whether he was 'kushti' (meaning was he o.k) and was told he was. Track 3 [24.40] Describes how he got his first boat when he was about 18 years old. Also mentions when he was 18 buying things out of a catalogue and paying weekly. Describes how his father thought it was a bad idea as you would pay twice as much. Mentions he has moorings at Snape Bridge. Tells a story about when he was working on a farm, and he had built a jetty out from the bank so he could get to his boat more easily. This was on the south bank of the river immediately adjacent (upriver) to Snape Bridge. This is Jake's spot where he keeps his boats. Remembers a Mr. Wilmott kept asking why he had built the jetty as Mr. Wilmott believed the land to be his and was not best pleased. Jake describes how he bet Mr. Wilmott he did not own the land and eventually it was agreed that Mr. Wilmott did not and Mr. W. apologised. Described punting across the river with his brother. Describes the boat having a hole in it and his brother was very nervous and how he (Jake) filled the hole with mud and they just about managed to reach the other side. They used an old shovel for a paddle. Describes how later when he had a much bigger boat he tried to turn it around in the river and went aground. He thought he had better throw the anchor over and then realised it had been stolen. This was about 4.00 in the afternoon. Describes how he could not leave the boat like that or he would lose it. Describes how he got off and walked back to the bridge and realised that dinghy was on the mooring in the middle of the river. Describes how he had to swim to the dinghy. Describes that after going home and having a cup of tea, he changed, collected another anchor he then went back to the big boat about 7.00 in the evening. He then had to wait for the tide to turn before bringing the boat back and remembers that he did not get home until about 5.00 in the morning. Describes the river as very tricky. Describes how he bought a boat from Ipswich and he and a friend used to go out to sea fishing, they managed to go out with the tide and by the time they came home, they came back with the tide. He estimates that it is about 23 miles from the bridge to the mouth of the river. Remembers once when coming back from sea fishing they decided to trawl just past Slaughden, near the Brick Dock and put down their net. When they bought it they realised that they had caught a mine. Describes how they tied a rope to the net and then withdrew about 50 yards. Describes how they managed to get a passing boat to raise the alarm. The bomb disposal eventually arrived and decided to leave it to the next day and they spent the evening having a sing song at the Kings Head and did not get to bed until about 4.00 in the morning. Describes how the next day the mine was blown up. Describes how he used to fish for eels off Snape Bridge and the best time to catch them was during a thunderstorm. Remembers using a barb, which he thinks it now illegal, and attaching lots of garden worms to it. Remembers Alan, an eel fisherman who now takes people in his boat from Slaughden down to Orford, bird watching. Describes how he used to ask Alan how many eels he had caught and Alan always replied 'not many'. Describes how one day he watched Alan bringing in the eels and there were loads of them. Describes how some Dutch people had an old container up the river and they used to set nets to catch eels, and he thought they caught up to 4 tons over a six week period. Describes how local people complained as the nets were laid down the channel of the river as far as Upsons and upset their moorings. Remembers there being a dispute with Upsons over this. Describes how he used to go wildfowling with his dog, a spaniel, and one day shooting a pheasant. Describes how the dog could not find the pheasant on the ground and eventually found it at the top of an old willow tree and had partly fallen down. Describes that when he took the dog on various shoots he was offered a lot of money for the dog because he was a very good working dog. Describes how he thought he might breed from the dog but the vet advised against it as the dog was old. Describes how he bought another puppy which happened to be male, his dog being female and putting them in the same kennel. Remembers one day a neighbour running down to him while he was working, telling him that his dog was walking round with a puppy in its mouth and sure enough she had had one puppy, which they also kept. Describes how one day a rather large man was wildfowling and got into trouble walking back across the boggy ground and how Jake had to get him out. Describes various duck ponds around the Maltings which were hired out for duck shooting. Describes looking after these ponds and feeding the ducks ready for shooting. Track 4 [14.50] Describes how he used to fish in the river using nets. Remembers a fisherman called Willie Free. Describes how he watched Willie bringing in his catch and realising there was a lot of fish to be caught so he decided to buy his own boat. Describes another fisherman who was giving up and how he bought his nets and started up on his own. Describes how he took him some time to find the best places to fish. Describes another time where there seemed to be no fish in the river and this was because the fisherman at Aldeburgh who fished mainly from the beach out to sea, had started laying their nets right across the river at Slaughden and were catching all the fish and not many were getting through to the Snape end. They were doing this seven days a week but eventually they stopped. Describes a good catch as being about 20 bass, 8lb being a good size one. Could not remember anyone else fishing in the river. Describes a chap called Jimmy Saunders from Sternfield, who had a little boat with a car engine who did a bit of trawling. Remembers Jumbo Ward, who he thinks was harbour master. Remembers one occasion when he (Jake ) and a friend were on the bank of the river and the tide was out. Remembers Jumbo, who lived out at Iken, pulled thigh boots on and walking across the river to the side they were on. Jumbo knew the river very well and knew just where to walk across. Describes the barges that took corn up to Snape and how Jumbo used to guide them up the river. Remembers the channel in the river being marked with sticks or scaffolding poles and they had red and green tins on them to mark the way for the sailing barges. Describes the 1953 flood. Describes how some people were getting out of their bedroom window into a dinghy, this was the first house on the left over the bridge. Remembers the water getting as far as the Crown, and the water being there for almost 7 days. Track 5 [17.21] Describes his liking for gin and relates a few stories. Remembers going to the Ship at Blaxhall folk singing. Remembers a chap called Oscar Woods who played a button accordion and another man called Ken who would tap dance. Describes how when he used to drink he would get pains in his tummy and could not drink, he later found out that he had numerous ulcers in his stomach. Describes going to hospital and having various tests and given tablets to help cure the ulcers. Says he does not go to pubs very often now and it is too expensive. Describes singing in pubs was mainly at weekends and named a few of the singers, Cyril Poacher and Percy Lynn. Describes a trip to Norwich on a bus to sing and there were lots of Irish people playing their fiddles. Describes another trip to a folk club in Tottenham, near the football ground. Describes there being a couple of thousand people and a lot of the songs were recorded. Remembers a girl coming to his home and asking him to sing so she could record him. Remembers a few of the songs, 'Old Shep', ''If I was a blackbird. Remembers Vic Smith of Aldeburgh whose daughter Jenny married Jake's brother. Describes how good Vic was at reading the weather and would always know when a storm was coming. Relates a few stories about Vic and the weather. Track 6 [11.41] Relates a story about going out on his motorbike, telling his mother he was going to see someone at the Snape Crown, then later going on to Orford and then the Froize Inn, and drinking rather a lot, coming home and seeing a friend outside the Checkers at Sudbourne and having a couple more drinks. Describes how he was then driving his motorbike home and came off it and was not quite sure which direction he was supposed to be going in and eventually got back to the Cross Keys at Snape and the barman noticed there was blood coming through his trousers Remembers being given another brandy and eventually getting home. Relates another story when he was pumping out his boat and leaning over it from the side of the river and the boat moved away and he fell in, it was quite cold being the middle of December, and he relates how he could not get into the boat and had to swim to the shore. Remembers swimming in the river many times. Describes duck shooting, which starts on 12 August, and how he used to swim out to collect the ducks that had been shot down as there were no dogs. Describes rabbit shooting and how a net was put around the field and about 500-600 rabbits were caught at one time. Describes another time when he was duck shooting when a man, who he did not know, cut across a small bay in the river and got stuck in the mud up to his middle. Describes how he helped the man out and how he would have probably drowned if no help had been available. Describes another time when he was duck shooting with some friends, mentions the name John Crisp, and one of the guns went off blowing a large hole in the ground. Remembers the old bridge at Snape and describes it as being a hump back bridge. Describes how he spent hours swimming in the river and duck shooting. Describes how he saved his money to buy his first gun, earning approximately £7 per week. Remembers buying the gun from a person in Tunstall Road. Describes having a dog which rode in the basket at the front of his bike. Track 7 [31.7] Remembers being a boy when the war started. Remembers a bomb dropping and all the glass being broken in the shed. Believes the bomb was meant for the goods yard at the station. Remembers soldiers and tanks on Black Heath. Describes his memories of rationing and going for a ride in his father's car an old Jowett, although petrol was rationed. Remembers that although times were tough his father always seemed to have 'the odd bob or two in his pocket'. Remembers his father working at Leiston Works, then going up to Kings Lynn dredging the rivers, then at Bentwaters and finally on the island at Orford for the Ministry. Remembers the air raid siren going off and his father telling him 'to get under the table'. Describes how he failed the medical for National Service due to a hearing problem. Remembers his schooldays at Snape school, where he remembers the children having a vegetable garden, also playing football. Remembers a boy called Teddy Phillips who went on to play football for Ipswich. Remembers a teacher called Mr. Watts who, when you did something wrong, would use the strap. Also remembers having milk every day at school although cannot remember having food. Describes how he used to play truant occasionally and once hid at home under the stairs. Remembers leaving school at 15. Describes those days at being very happy. Describes his mother cooking beef pudding and being a good cook. Describes getting a stocking at Christmas and his father making a pedal car and also buying second hand bicycles and painting them ready for Christmas presents. Remembers helping his father grow vegetables and also helping his father at work at the Maltings as his father had a bad back. Describes the home as having an open fire and a black cooking range which ran on coal. Remembers that they always had a dog and also a cat, which kept having kittens and he remembers his rather taking the cat in the car a long way off and letting her go. Describes how when they woke up the next day the cat was sitting on the step so his father said the cat could stay. Remembers they kept chickens, but only for the eggs. Describes how some people used to keep pigs in the garden, mentions Phillip Jay who lived opposite, and you could occasionally buy half a pig. Describes how he once worked with the pigs on a farm and used to come home smelling rather badly and had to undress before being allowed in the house. Describes he gave that job up and became self-employed picking sugar beet. Remembers getting 17 old pence for every 100 yards. Remembers the family sitting around listening to the radio. Describes getting their first television, and the family sitting in row like the cinema. Remembers that only one or two people in the village had television and how his father bought it by paying so much a week. Describes how his mother used to walk to Saxmundham every Wednesday to visit her mother and do the week's shopping. Describes one of the jobs his father had was as an ice-cream salesman and he had a bike with a large box on the front. Describes how he thinks life is easier now. Remembers his father working very hard. Describes Snape as being more built up now and how there used to be a small hut where you could buy groceries and a butcher, Bill Foster, who also ran the post office. Remembers a field nearby that was always full of lupins, then it was farmed and is now full of houses. Mentions that there are a lot of weekenders now. |