T07 – Summary – Ramsbottom Heritage Society

T07 Mrs Elsie Baker

School at Holcombe and general memories

Recorded 13/01/1988

Length 00:41:12

Name: Elsie Baker (maiden name Starkey)

Background: Born in Ramsbottom, oldest of four sisters.
Education: Attended Holcombe school until age 14.
Work: Started working at BDA warehouse at age 14, doing silking.
Family Life: Describes mother's cooking and family dynamics after her mother's death.
Community: Participated in church activities, local galas, and Sunday school.
Childhood Memories: Remembers playing outdoors, winter activities, and local traditions.

Name: Elsie Baker, born Elsie Sparker.
Birthplace: 13 Carr Terrace, Ramsbottom (now Judith Street).
Siblings: Three sisters — Martha (the eldest), Jessie, and Mary. Elsie was the youngest.
Their family lived a modest but close-knit life in a small two-bedroom home with no bathroom and no hot water. Weekly baths were taken in a tin bath in the kitchen using heated water from a fire boiler.

All sisters attended Holcombe School.
Elsie recalls early years vividly — playing in sandpits and dollhouses, followed by naps on desks until age five.
Teachers mentioned include Miss Epples (music teacher), Miss Taylor/Mrs. Parkinson, and Mr. Lloyd.
Education continued until age 14, after which children went directly to work (no transfer at age 11 as today).
Religious instruction and daily hymns were a big part of school life. The headmaster’s wife was the church organist.
Elsie participated in Sunday School sermons and annual church events, wearing white dresses and veils.

Began work at BDA (British Dyeworks Association) at age 14.
Hours: 6:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with a breakfast break 8:30–9:00 a.m. (no work on Saturdays, unlike many others).
Worked in the warehouse doing silking — applying labels to fabrics before wrapping.
Conditions: Gas lighting before electricity; she recalls fetching mantles for lamps and the excitement when electric lights were introduced.

Her mother was an exceptional cook and baker — prepared meals like steak, potatoes, and carrots on Saturdays, roast beef and rice pudding on Sundays, and baked fresh bread and potato pie midweek.
Cooking was done over an open fire.
The family’s life centered around home, church, and the local community.
After her mother died at age 45 from untreated gallstones, the eldest sister Martha left school to care for the family, sacrificing her own future despite being academically gifted.

The family attended Holcombe Church and were active in the Mother’s Union.
Elsie described a strong sense of community spirit — everyone knew one another, and events like church sermons, pantomimes, and Sunday School prize-givings brought people together.
Typical Sunday involved multiple church and Sunday school sessions (morning and afternoon).
Whit Friday processions were a highlight: marching with bands, singing hymns, and visiting sanatoriums to perform for the sick.

Evening curfew: 10 p.m.
Attended local cinemas — the Empire and the Royal — though not always permitted by her strict father.
Cinema tickets cost between 6 pence and 1 shilling.
Enjoyed local pantomimes, galas, and band concerts.
Participated in Pace-egging (Easter tradition involving door-to-door singing and small gifts).
Sledging and skating in winter were popular childhood activities — she recalls sledding from Cliff Mount to Ramsbottom streets.

Used donkey stones to whiten doorsteps and black lead to polish fireplaces every Friday.
The family had outdoor toilets with shared access between neighbors.
The coal store and toilets were located at the back of the property.
Elsie humorously described how neighbors had to whistle if someone else was using the shared lavatory due to the open trench-like setup.

The family owned a wireless radio, powered by large batteries that had to be recharged at the shop.
Favorite radio shows included Henry Hall’s music and the comedy “ITMA” (It’s That Man Again).
Elsie laughed recalling how she once lied about going to the cinema when her father was ill.

Elsie paints a vivid picture of Ramsbottom in the early 20th century — mills, cobblestone streets, small cottages, and local shops like Billy Leach’s (who gave sweets to children).
She describes how the Car Bank Estate was once open fields where galas and bands played.
Mentions the Old Mill, Rose and Crown, and Bolton Road as landmarks.
Notes how many of these areas were redeveloped or lost over time.

Her father was a stonemason, later working at BDA doing concrete work.
He carved street name plaques and once made a mistake on one inscription still visible in town.
Elsie fondly recounts neighborhood figures such as Billy Mike, a local steamroller driver, and his son who became a boxer and police officer.

Elsie repeatedly contrasts “then and now” — emphasizing that people were kinder, more neighborly, and hardworking in her youth.
She reminisces about community pride, simple pleasures, and moral discipline.
Her stories illustrate the transformation from a Victorian-style, industrial town to a more modern but less communal society.

T07 – Summary