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The transcript is an interview with Barbara Jones and Alan Richardson as transcribed by Microsoft Word and summarised by ChatGPT and subject to errors.
Interviewees
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Barbara Jones (b. 1931)
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Alan Richardson (b. 1927)
Both grew up in Bury, mainly on Crow Lane, where their family ran a shop.
Early Life & Family Shop
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Barbara was born in Bury Hospital; Alan was born at home on St. Paul Street.
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Their parents bought a shop at 17–19 Crow Lane when Barbara was about 5 and Alan about 9.
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The shop sold a wide range of goods: food (butter, potatoes, sugar, tea), beer, wine, vinegar, patent medicines, household items, and even laundry services.
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Customers brought pots or cups to be filled (e.g., beer, vinegar, Indian brandy, peppermint essence).
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Weighing was strict; shop weights had to be officially checked and stamped yearly.
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Their mother managed the shop alone during the day, father helped evenings (after his council job).
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Shop was open from early morning (~8 a.m.) to late evening (10 p.m. with off-licence).
Community & Childhood on Crow Lane
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Very close-knit community: neighbors helped each other, children ran errands, everyone knew each other.
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Few shops on Crow Lane itself—mainly their own and Booth’s corner shop. Larger stores (Co-op, Duckworths, Maple, Andertons) were nearby on Bridge Street.
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A chip shop (still present today) was a popular fixture.
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Street vendors were common: muffin men, oatcake sellers, crockery sellers, rag-and-bone men, and laundry liquid sellers.
Wartime Memories
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World War II defined much of their childhood (ages 8–14 for Barbara).
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Blackouts meant no bonfires at night; dances were held weekly at the school.
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Rationing: strict allowances (e.g., 2 oz butter). Recipes from “Lord Woolton” helped families cope.
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Their shop had many registered ration customers.
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Evacuees from London arrived; Barbara contracted diphtheria around the same time.
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Cavalry were stationed at “Factory Bottom” near Crow Lane, with many horses housed temporarily before being sent abroad.
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The Drill Hall at the bottom of Crow Lane was used for army training and later community dances/folk dancing.
School Life
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Attended St. Paul’s School, right next to their home.
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School had sliding partitions to create a large hall, used for pantomimes, plays, concerts, and wartime dances.
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They remembered all the teachers (Miss Astle, Miss Shaw, Miss Whittaker, Mrs. Metcalfe, Miss Cook, Miss West, Mr. Linley).
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Hosted the town’s Festival of Song rehearsals.
Daily Life & Home
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Most houses had outside toilets, coal fires, and ranges for cooking bread.
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Washing was hard labor: dolly tubs, rubbing boards, boiling in coppers, and drying clothes on racks and lines in the back alleys.
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Bread often homemade; flour was a big seller at their shop.
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Entertainment: marbles, whip-and-top, comics, Saturday cinema (5 pence entry), and playing outside safely since few cars existed.
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Streets were cobbled, with horse-drawn carts common for milk and haulage.
Local Characters
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“Jacko Roots” – remembered as miserly, but later left money for education.
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A Scottish family, the Colwells, were known for their Glaswegian accents.
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Some quirky customers—one man used sweets to sweeten his tea due to sugar rationing.
Overall Themes
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A self-sufficient, resilient wartime childhood shaped by rationing, strong community bonds, and simple amusements.
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Crow Lane and its shop were central to family life, sustaining both the household and local community through difficult years.
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