Joan Jackson
Joan, who was born in Blenheim Road in the 1920s, remembers what life was like in Barton in the 1930s and 40s.
Residents of Blenheim Road felt that the road was so called because of the old Blenheim apple trees that grew in some of the road’s gardens.
Joan remembers attending Hatherley Road Infants’ School, aged 4, and her experiences there until she left for St James’ school aged 6. In particular, she recalls a lesson where they had to place dried beans around pictures of animals to make their outlines. An example of this kind of lesson can be seen on one of the scrolling images on our homepage.
Joan left Hatherley Road when she was 6 and clips 2 and 3 recount her experiences there. These include a visit by the Nit Nurse and the discipline at the school.
In the remaining clips, Joan remembers what life was like in the area, the fairs, shopping, and its poor.
One of the most revealing clips is Joan’s reminiscence concerning the gas street lighting. She remembers the lamplighter coming to light the street lamps at dusk. In the 30s they were gas not electric. Neither does she remember having clocks in her house. So, when the lamplighter came to put the street lamps out in the morning, he would knock on the bedroom window to wake them up.
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