Joan Phillips
Joan belongs to: Cullercoats Community Centre
Joan was born in Cullercoats. She worked abroad before returning to Cullercoats. Joan now spends her time writing.
Joan was interviewed by Carl Greenwood on 1 March 2006. The interview took place at Cullercoats Community Centre and lasted 31 minutes and 8 seconds.
Her Grandmother's routine
"But my granny used to work very hard, like all of them, get up very early, toddle up to the station"
But my granny used to work very hard, like all of them, get up very early, toddle up to the station, and I think they used to have to sit in the guard’s van because certain people, I think, complained about them, about the fisherwomen, you know. I mean, they didn’t smell or anything, but probably people thought, “oh,” you know, “don’t want them sitting next to me.” So I think they all went into the guard’s van.
And they used to get off at Tynemouth and there was a woman there with a horse and cart. I can’t remember her name, my sister can, but I can’t, but I can remember seeing her, and she had a horse and cart and she used to hoist all the women on the back of this cart and off, off down the Fish Quay, you know, down the bank and onto the Fish Quay.
And I remember my sister also went into the fish business but she had a van. And she went, like my granny, my granny went up to the Tyne Valley- Mickley, Prudhoe, Stocksfield, Bywell, Wylam, Ovingham, Ovington, you know, she must have walked thousands of miles in her day. And, you know, she never fell down once, because in the winter she wore socks over her boots, never fell down. And they wore, their fisher clothes were made of serge, which kept them warm in the winter and cool in the summer, and so they were away in all weathers.
And of course, they came home and, you know, had a cup of tea and then probably fried themselves a bit of fish, or a kipper, or a few fish cakes if they had any left, she used to make her own fish cakes, and then, and then, probably after she had something to eat, probably started making fishcakes again for the next day. And of course they had to go to bed early because they had to get up early. So it was just, you know, toddling upstairs.
Visitor Comments
My memory
My mother came from Cullercoats - born there in 1907 so no one now will
remember her, but she had a brother, Bob Hunter who was a coalman in the
village for years. I just remember their father, Harry Hunter, one of
those old 'bank top' figures and I wonder if anyone else still recalls
him or Bob (Bobby) Hunter?
By Bev Joicey On 29 November 2006
Joan has 9 memories in the memorynet:
Joan's memories with a Roles and Routines theme:
Going away with fish- Her Grandmother's routine
- Going with her sister to sell fish
Joan's other memories:
Joan's great grandmotherThis memory has these themes:
Childhood | Clothing | Roles and Routines | The North East | Women | Work
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