RICHARD MARSON

Surname

Marson

Forename

Richard

Date of recording

Sep 2008

Year of birth

1937

Place of Birth

Aldeburgh

Occupation

Retired

Fathers occupation

Air force officer

Present Address

Aldeburgh

Location Interview

Aldeburgh

Interviewer

Summary

Juliana Vandegrift

Duration

53 Mins

No of tracks: 6

This recording consists of 6 tracks.  
Track 1[ 10 mins]  

[00:01:19] Talks about Marygold, his grandmother's house, and the court case over the definition of a bungalow that was built there.

[00:02:00]  Great Great grandfather was the rector of Tunstall in 1814 and he lived in a house next to Tunstall Church. The family came from the north of England. His son moved to Aldeburgh and bought North Lodge which is now the Wentworth Hotel. They built the house opposite, Darfield. He continued at North Lodge until 1900 and sold it and it was turned into a hotel.

[00:03:48]  My grandmother had a great affection for Aldeburgh. She was born in whatbecame-the Wentworth Hotel in the bedroom-with the ivory door handles. When she married Jim Paterson they bought a wooden chalet bungalow called Seadune at Thorpeness for holidays. Then built Marygold in 1932.

[00:04:48]  My grandmother, Louie Paterson was a great character. She got involved in local things. Grandpa Paterson died during the war.

[00:06:24]  Granny became a trained midwife in London in the 1880s. When she came back to Aldeburgh she got involved with the fishermen who were always having hard times and had naughty children. She helped them get into schools where they could train in other things than fishing.

[00:07:08]  Aldeburgh also had the Anderson family with a very strong connection with the P & 0 line. So the Merchant Navy offered a good career for layabout fisherman's children. Donald Anderson lived in Aldeburgh and helped local families' children go into the merchant navy (chairman of P&O).

[00:08:34]  I have a Wilkinson relation who has a plaque in the church. He started the school in Aldeburgh which moved from Eaton House to various other locations in Aldeburgh finally went on to become Orwell Park School. There were a variety of schools.

Track 2 (10 Mins)

[00:01:00]  Aldeburgh was very different then it had been through the war. It had been bombed_ All buildings. The housing in Aldeburgh was in a very tatty way.

[00:02:50]  Mrs Smith's sweetshop in the High Street. I remember when sweets came off the ration.

[00:04:00]  Sailing boat Alde 15 footer 'Jenny'. And my brother and I weren't very good sailors. We didn't know the difference between right of way.

[00:05:44]  It has changed enormously - in some ways as our society has changed. Equal

[00:06:10]  My father was Mayor of Aldeburgh on 2 occasions. And was a great person to get involved. Playing field going - roll cricket pitch on the Town playing field.

Track 3 (10 Mins)

[00:00:33]  Richard is Chairman of the Aldeburgh Fishermens' Trade Guild which was set up in 1923 by the de Quincy Family who lived in Gower/Garrett House. They used to buy up all the fish and gave a lorry to the fishermen which was used to run up all the day's catch to Lowestoft for sale and the day's proceeds were shared among the fisherman. Now there are four or five fishermen who sell on the beach. It costs over a hundred thousand pounds to set up a beach fish selling operation.

[00:02:19]  Smokehouses and fishing industry goes back a long way and is wrapped up in families in Aldeburgh. Fishermen are allowed to import up to 25% of turnover to ensure continuity of supply. It was a problem if weather was bad and boats couldn't launch.

[00:04:21]  Cooney family owns two fish and chip shops in Aldeburgh and recently bought Baggotts the news agents.

[00:05:00]  Due to number of people who've bought second homes here it's been a-tremendous bonanza to local building trade. Struggling fishermen-have gone into lawn mowing, garden maintenance, painting. Lots of little businesses have sprung up to service wealthy people who've moved to Aldeburgh on a holiday basis. Reades and the brickyard have now been taken over by somebody who lives in Lowestoft.

[00:06:30]  You've only got to look at the manhole covers with the names them and Reades is the commonest. There are quite a lot of Knowles. (sp)

[00:08:45]  You shouldn't forget that Aldeburgh attracted all sorts of distinguished writers and_artists before Britten. Willkie Collins' `No Name'.

Track 4 (10 Mins) 

00:00:45 Jumbo [Ward] was born on the same day as my mother. And when my mother had her 80th birthday party or one of them Jumbo came along to it by which time he'd retired to Aldeburgh. He was slightly intimidating character, appeared to be about seven feet tall, he had a gold ring in one ear and a great big hooked nose. Ruddy face and cap and blue jumper and his broad Suffolk accent. He had a lovely turn of humour which comes out in the recording [of him].

00:02:40 There was the lady who ran the laundry in the Mill on the way to Slaughden who lived in Alde Lane. Funny middle class people in Aldeburgh who used to play bridge.

00:03:15 Slaughden was a public quay when we first came here.

Track 5 (10 Mins) 

00:00:15 Grandfather was a great sportsman, rugger player and cyclist.

00:00:49 Sea Regatta was much more serious thing when Richard was younger. Greasy pole event. Running and swimming races. Marine Regatta was important and significant.

Track 6  (5 Mins 38)

00:01:02 Debates with government about rivers and flood defence in East Anglia. E.g. River Blythe
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