Tape-recorded interview of Louise's reminiscences of her time living in Bath
Reference Number
0289/2
Level of Description
Item
Title
Tape-recorded interview of Louise's reminiscences of her time living in Bath
Date
1988
Extent
Extent: 1 item
Description
An audio recording of Louise Ross (Nee Stride) being interviewed by Polly Lloyd of BBC Radio Bristol, which was originally broadcast in 1988. Louise goes by the name Louie in this recording.
The purpose of the interview is to discuss Louie’s recent recording of her recollections of her childhood and times living in Bath, which were published by Bath University Press entitled 'Memoirs of a Street Urchin'. The recordings were played on BBC Radio Bristol in the subsequent days after this interview.
The recording is 30 minutes, 55 seconds long and is dispersed with music, which suggests that it has been recorded on to cassette from the radio broadcast. This has resulted in the interview with Louie cutting in and out and coming in mid sentence on some of the discussions. The section relating to Louie begins at 22 seconds and the recording cuts off abruptly at 30.03, with the remainder of the recording being blank.
The recording mentions that Louie was born 80 years ago in Bath, so her memories are from 1908 onwards. She mentions that she lived in Bath until the cottage she occupied was brought as part of a compulsory purchase order.
The themes of the interview include:
Louie’s upbringing in an impoverished slum area of Bath, with mention of living in Broad Street and Corn Street.
Her mothers mental health struggles and the impact on Louie.
The stigmatism of illegitimacy and the loneliness of being an only child of a single mother.
Education and schooling, including attending Walcot School, truancy and the 'School Board Man'.
Extreme hunger, malnutrition and poverty, and the effects on Louie's health.
Louie’s motivation for recording her reminiscences.
