The Life and Times of Eva Baglin

(Florence Eveline Jenner 1901-1994)

My Mum and Dad - by Grace Russ, 1985©

My dad always liked animals. He had 240 mice when he got married. After his marriage he expanded into rabbits as well and up until the 2nd World War he used to show his rabbits and mice, and mum's cats, at the Fur & Feather Shows'. Mum said "he used to have everything except cows and horses". He also specialised, as an amateur, in Dahlias, and used to show these as well. He was always interested in `Banding' and played, firstly a cornet, then a tenor horn in the Kingswood Salvation Army; Staple Hill Salvation Army; Kingswood Evangel Mission and the Albion Dockyard Band.

When he left school he went as an apprentice to the Barber and quite liked the hair cutting side but couldn't get on with the shaving, which was a necessary part of the job. So he then went to work at Miles' Boot Factory, Kingswood and when they were taken over by G.B. Britton in the 1950's he stayed on, but moved to their Soundwell Road Factory.

My mum was born in Stapleton Road, Bristol but was brought up in Abertillery and Crumlin in Wales until she was in her early teens, when they returned to Bristol. Upon their return they lived in Ashley Road, Bristol later they moved to Thicket Avenue and from there to Ridgeway Road, and finally to the Haven (between Pool Road and Middle Road), Bristol. All the children were married from the Haven. Gran and Grandpa Jenner later `retired' to West Park Road, Downend.

Mum was the eldest and was therefore the one who had to stay home from school whenever Gran was ill, or was having another baby - Mum was quite often `in charge' of the broad because Gran was a sick woman and always in and out of hospitals.

Among her memories is how they put halfpennies on the railway line so the train would squash them into pennies! Another one is her brother, Russell, used to get into arguments with boys and then say, "My sister will get you", and she would then find herself fighting the boys on his behalf, and then, in turn, get into trouble at home for fighting! She courted Fred Wymark for six years, engaged for two. His parents had a shop and he wouldn't get an independent job, at it was expected that when they got married they would live in with his parents and help run the shop. Her parents were unhappy with this arrangement, and she felt the same way, so they finally parted. Mum then went out with a Leslie Lang and said he was a nice man, but was very tall - over 6ft. One day she overheard someone remark, "There goes the long and the short of it", and so she wouldn't go out with him anymore. Then she met my dad - and the rest is history!

The Diary of Eva Baglin

Transcribed from taped interviews, 1985©

Childhood

When I was young I used to pinch the nuts from my Grand mother's red and grey talking Parrot, and then eat them. On another occasion I broke her umbrella, and hid it behind the ivy growing up the house because I was too frightened to tell her. She found it years later when she was cutting the ivy back.

We had a great time in Wales, and when we first moved down to what we called the `Branch' we had no water laid on. So, in order to get water for drinking, washing and that sort of thing, we had to go a little way into one of the caves in the mountain. The water was icy cold - but so beautiful for drinking. I remember how we used to have to get down to our school. We had to go across the countryside, over the `branch line' (railway line), over two stiles, then down a hill onto the main road. The last bit being twenty steps or so to get onto the road. One day at school I was looking up words in the dictionary and happened to pick on `confined' -the teacher thought I was daft or something because I didn't know the meaning of the word. So to punish me she shoved me between two boys - I had the time of my life!

Why kids can't enjoy themselves now like we used to, I don't know. We never had TVs and the like in our days. We had to make our own fun. I don't know what we would have been like if we had TVs to watch - with all the violent programmes they put on now. Mind you, we were a bit cheeky -there was one dear old soul, she was a lot bigger than our Grace, about 20 stones, and we'd say "Clear the way, clear the way, phantom tank coming". All the boys and girls would then make a clearing for her to walk through -she could have killed us. In fact, the only one real naughty thing we done was to get up on the bank and throw stones down at the teachers going home. I had the blessed cane for it the next morning - Wallop, wallop, wallop - right across the hand. We never minded though, because we deserved it, we deserved all we got - and I was always getting the cane.

In those days we went around in gangs. I was always the head of our gang, and Charlie Applebee was the leader of the boys' gang. We used to have hundreds of fun -but we were never destructive like the kids are now. You know, we'd dare one another to climb trees - except our Lil, the one who died, so different to me, so dainty. I used to call her "mum's creep". And sometimes we used to pretend to be all the old actors and actresses, like Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks. We used to get up on the trucks (railway trucks) and pretend to be ladies, and the boys would chase us up and down the railway trucks -How we never broke our necks, I'll never know. Once or twice we were driven off the branch line, we didn't see a bobby often though. Or we'd tie our legs together, to simulate the tight skirts women used to wear, and pretend to be `Suffragettes', and the boys would pretend to be policemen and would chase us, and we would try to get over stiles, and that, and all sorts of other ridiculous things. Then we'd get to the top of Wimberry Mountain, in Abertillery, Wales, and pick wimberries (bilberries) coming down, then pick watercress from `Watercress Stream'. Afterwards, going into the fields and craw or run under cows, as the chance arose (a kind of chicken game). Mine you, Russell (her brother) used to get into arguments with the boys and then he'd say, "My sister will get you", and I did - I would fight the boys on his behalf, and then get into trouble at home for fighting.

Once I put a halfpenny on the railway line to see if it would turn into a penny! Well, that was the last time I saw that! That reminds me of the time I put Edie (Edith, her sister) in the pram and pushed her down the railway embankment - to see if she'd stay in. I got a right walloping for that, but I didn't mind, as I knew I deserved it. And another time I got a right walloping was when I got caught for putting squibs (a kind of firework) through the door of our neighbour - two doors away. We did that to people we didn't like.

When I was a kid we had to be in bed by 7pm. There was never any staying up late - and we had to earn our `penny' pocket money. Our mum was so prim and proper -she would say "A place for everything, and everything in its' place". We all had various jobs that had to be done during the week, and on Saturdays' we had to clean the steel fender, the hearth, tidy up and put all the papers away - even the potatoes had to be done Saturday night, as Sundays' were `sacrosanct'. We were never allowed to do anything on a Sunday. That's how we was when we got married - but it went all different after that.

1st World War

I can't remember much about the 1st World War. I was about 13, and we were living in Crumlin, Wales, at the time. I can remember this man that used to walk with a great big bear, used to treat it like a child. As it was so unusual to see a bear in those days, we'd wait for him to come across the big Viaduct Bridge - but were afraid of him because we didn't know whether he was Russian, a spy, or what. We were always thinking of spies because of the big Viaduct Bridge, Its been taken down since.

The only other thing I can remember is that our dad volunteered for the war - our mum was so mad then because he needn't have gone - he had a key job. A kid of 19 took his place - so he went to war, leaving six kids behind, and our mum never seen him for five years after that. He had more than he bargained for though - His job was to drive to the front lines with the ammunitions. When he came back it was "blinking" everything - Our mum would get so mad "Can't you stop blinking it" she would say. Like I used to say "blooming" and sometimes I would say, "blessed", and our Norman would say "Now why is it blooming", or "Why is it blesses". And I'd say "Cus that's me". I'd say "Oh that blessed thing", and old Norman would tick me off, like mum used to be always ticking our dad off about "blinking".

My Courting Days

I was always with the boys at school, and went out with three or four before I was 19. When I was 19, I was in the concertina band at the time; I had to choose between two chaps, Fred Wymark and Harold Jeans. Harold is now at Plymouth Congress Hall. I don't know why, but in the end I chose Fred. We courted for six years, and were engaged for two of those. I had an engagement ring with three stones set into it. It looked like a wedding ring, and people often thought we were married, especially when they saw us with Ken and Arthur (her two young brothers) mistaking them for our kids. I could have got married to him and gone and lived with his mother and father - they wanted us to. They owned an Ironmonger shop in Milk Street, near Newfoundland Road. It was good money but our mum and dad wouldn't have it. They were worried that after the income from the shop was shared out, I would have had what was left over after his mother had her share, I might not actually get much, especially if nothing was coming in one week - I felt a bit like that myself. He wouldn't or couldn't get another job. Our dad tried to get him a job, but he just didn't seem interested. So we split up - we didn't row or anything - I just said to him "The best thing we can do Fred, is to go to `Watch Night Service'", that's the 12 O'clock one, in the Salvation Army you know, "and then afterwards you can take me home, and then you go your way and I'll go mine" -And that's how it ended, we still stayed good friends after, because every birthday he'd send me a card.

However, after I'd finished with Fred I had a sort of a breakdown and went to stay with my Uncle Arthur (Arthur England) in Plymouth for six months - But he had twins - Phyllis and Evelyn, my millionaire cousins -so I was a sort of glorified servant. I remember years later, Ted and I met Fred in town, and he invited Fred to tea. I said "You're a bright spud Inviting him to tea" I said "He's an old, old flame, you're asking for trouble". He said, "A bird in the hand is worth more than two in the bush". It was while I was in Plymouth that I picked up with Les. He was 6ft something, and we had lovely outings around Dartmouth and places like that, and then we'd sell `War Cry's' in Looe - we had a smashing time. Then I moved to Bristol and he came down and stayed with his Aunty at Eastville. I went out with Les for a couple of years or so But one day we were walking along and, because of my keen hearing, I heard someone say, "There goes the long and short of it". That hit me flat - That put Eva off, and that was the end of our relationship. I did love him so I suppose that shouldn't have put me off - but it did. We wrote to each other for a long time, but eventually it filtered out. He's still in the Salvation Army, and if anyone goes down to Exeter, or Plymouth, I ask them to send my love to Les. However, I tell them to send my kind regards, if his wife is with him. I think last time someone went down, he was with his wife, so they gave my kind regards.

After I finished with Les I had two or three other boy friends, but nothing serious until I met Ted. I was 29 then, and the first time he walked me home he gave me a quick peck on the cheeks and ran all the way home. I met him in the August in 1931, and we were married by December. Just before our wedding I shaved all the hairs off my legs, and it was a couple of weeks before he saw my legs for the first time, by which time the hairs had grown back.
Home Life

When we were kids our mum was always involved with social work and the like, and used to take in waif and strays. Our mum would say "Well that saved them from going to prison". So we didn't take much notice, well except Arthur - He said all his family were years older than him, except Ken, there being about a 20 year gap between them and the rest of the family. So, when all these waifs and strays kept coming and going he felt, being so much younger than everyone else, that he couldn't be part of the family and thought that he must be one of the waifs and strays.

Carrie Parks was one that we brought up - She was with us from her mid-teens, until she got married, but she thinks the world of me, so I don't mind - She use to read all my love letters! (Carrie Parks died February 1993)

One time I remember was when Mr Skidmoor came over and said "Do you mind if a few of us come over to tea, Sunday", of course our mum reckoned on about four or five, six at the most. So she had the shock of her life when the whole Corps from Frampton Cotterall walked in, fortunately they bought their own food with them, but our mum had to put on the big boiler to boil the water for the tea -because there was so many of them. Mind you it was a big house we had there - right opposite the Citadel in Ashley Road. It was a double fronted house with eight rooms in the front and as many in the back. Then there was a double storey out-house, the upstairs for the washing, and a place to hang your washing during wet weather. It had a long garden with a tree in it, and at the bottom a lane that led to Picton Street. And that's where we used to do all our courting -behind the gate because of the long garden and the tree - nobody could see us. I think most of the big houses that are left, are now all bed-sitters!

We never had a lot of money in those days, but we always had plenty of fun, and we weren't dissatisfied like they are now-a-days: Although I've had to work hard all my life; I was the oldest of eight -and with my mother always being ill - in and out of hospitals - I've always had kids tugging at me - I bought up our mum's last two - Arthur and Ken - I smacked their backsides more than once. Our Arthur made Grace laugh last time he was here - He was telling her how I used to spit on my handkerchief and wash his face with it. I told him that's how we got such good complexion. Our Arthur says that I used to grind my teeth at them when I got annoyed, and he says that's how I got my false teeth. In fact, the dentist said there was nothing wrong with my teeth - they just went soft. I was all right when they were first taken out, but shortly afterwards I had a haemorrhage and was laid-up in bed for a week.

When our mum was at home, she had it like clockwork: -

And when I wasn't working, everything had to be done before dinnertime - It was like that until I got married.

My Working Life

I left school at 14 and started work at Rawlingsons, the Newsagent/Tobacconist opposite Crumlyn station. Everybody would come in for their papers and baccy - twisted tobacco that they would chew. We would have to cut pieces off from them, eeeehh - the worst thing was selling snuff - We'd sneeze like mad when we had the snuff. It was long hours but the apprenticeship I did afterwards at Tubbs, the clothing factory, was much worse. I was 18 or 19 at the time, I think. I had to work such long hours - 8 in the morning until 6 or 7 at night - I only did that for a few months. When I got paid I had to take my wage packet straight home to our mum, she would open it and give me back 18 pence. Most young people had to do that in those days, so we saw nothing wrong with it. We were just glad to have our bit of pocket money. I'd say the kids wouldn't do it now, would they? But then -18 pence went a long way in those days.

I was in my late teens when we moved back to Bristol, but with our mum in and out of hospitals a lot, I spent most of my twenties at home looking after my younger brothers and sisters’ - working in between times. Although when I was in my mid twenties I left home for a while and served in the pub -the don't know about that up here (Salvation Army - Staple Hill Corps), I don't say anything -But one of Les's relations had the Railway Pub, down by Stapleton Road Station. I was living in and wore a black skirt and red blouse. I really enjoyed that job, until the Salvation Army people came in to sale `War Cry' -Not the first time, but the next time I was recognised, and they told our mum. That was the end of Eva - our mum was so prim and proper -and I had no choice but to give my job up and go back home, where our mum could keep her eye on me.

Then I had a job helping to make artificial teeth, at Greets the dentist in Zetland Road, off Gloucester Road. I had to polish them and that sort of thing. It was tricky holding them in one hand and a brush in the other. I know that on one occasion I was polishing a pair that had just been fixed - I dropped them - they had to be repaired again. Then our mum was ill again and I had to come home and look after her and the family. When she was better I took a job down Todds, the Tailoring factory. I was doing the finishing of the sleeves, coats and that sort of thing. I remember the first Christmas there, I played a prank at the Citadel that backfired on me - I was always doing daft silly things that hurt me more than anybody else. I pretended that I had gone to the Christmas party at work. I was chatting to my mum and other people afterwards at the Citadel, pretending that I had too much to drink and that I was drunk - I almost got suspended from the Salvation Army for that.

The last job I had was at Wards the Solicitors - The big old house down over Cleeve Hill - the son's still there now - Malcolm. I had to bee's wax all the floors, except the bedrooms. The floorboards were all new, it took several months, and it was hard work. I did the Hall first, then the reception room. I only got ten bob (50p) a week for that. But when it was finished they put these big Indian like rugs in the centre of each room, and it looked really beautiful.

The War Years

Mother (Florence Eveline Jenner aka Eva Baglin 1901-1994) and daughter (born 1933) sharing their experiences of the 2nd World War (1939-1945)

Eva, "Grace knows about the war years - She'd tell you how we used to get in and out of that shelter."

Grace, "Yeh - They were exciting times - But you spent most of the war in the Havens shelter."

Eva, "Yeh - we did, Cus theirs was so much nicer - she'd say about that now, if she meets you."

Grace, "We had an Anderson one - It was quite small, and partly buried in the ground. Theirs was a brick built one - like a garage - which had lights, benches, a radio and things like that.

"Eva, "Yeh - but they had theirs by the house, and if a bomb had gone off, we wouldn't have been safe though."

Grace, "No - ours was by the house once! But we must have moved it - as later on it was down the end of the garden by the greenhouse. That was the time Grandpa Jenner came up for dinner, and during the evening we were in the shelter during a raid. There was a lot of, sort of bomb flack, and what not - and Grandpa Jenner kept opening the door to see what was happening, and Gran Jenner kept telling him to shut the door. There we were - me and Grandpa Jenner trying to see out to see what was happening, and everyone else trying to keep the door from opening."

Eva, "Yeh - that's right and one time I had to stay in the house during a raid cus our cat was having blessed kittens."

Grace, "Yeh - and I know our dad didn't go down every time either."

Eva, "And sometimes we'd put you under the piano and push the table over to it - And then we'd put our heads under the table with our backsides sticking out. I used to think that to be so funny. But our Ken was thrown-down by a blast once, the sleeve from his suit was all blown-off, and he was all shaken up - Otherwise he was alright, although he didn't want to go to work after that. Then there was the aeroplane that came down by Manor Park, Fishponds."

Grace, "Yes, I remember that. I also remember the time grandfather Jenner looked up at a plane while he was on his bicycle and went into a ditch - the lid from one of his tins of paints came off, and the paint went all over him - He was a painter and decorator at the time."

Eva, "Yes, and that was it, when we all sat on that wall watching some planes going over - I think you was with us then - We looked up and said "Ou-ah, there's a lovely lot of planes" - Until we saw the swastikas on them. Then we all scattered like mad. They dropped a bomb and some incendiary devices, they all landed in the railway embankment, and fortunately none of them went off. We had to be ready to be evacuated in an emergency, you know. We prepared - ready to be hooked out of our windows quickly, but it never happened."

Grace, "The best thing I can remember about the war was the `British Restaurants' - they sprouted up everywhere, didn't they, like mushrooms. And you could get - sort of cheap meals there - like subsidised meals - it was smashing. I can remember my dad taking me to one - In Castle Street I think."

Eva, " - where the main shopping centre was. And then there was that raid while we were in the Salvation Army Hall - singing the halleluiah chorus. We weren't allowed to leave cus there was a terrific lot of flack around - that could kill you, you know. So we kept on singing - mind you we were worried about Grace, we were on the platform and she was in the main Hall - we wondered if we could get to her in time if anything happened."

Grace, "Yes, and I remember that exciting night, on the Sunday, when we came out - And looked down towards Bristol and saw the sky was all bright red - that was really exciting - that."

Eva, "Yeh - and it was awful."

Grace, "That was the night the Bristol Blitz started, it lasted for several days."

Eva, "And if it had started on the Saturday night I would have been in that - Cus Ted and I used to go into town every Saturday night. Many a time, everybody had to dive under the shop counters during raids. Then there was that time when a bus load of school children going up Clifton way had a direct hit - Oh it was so dreadful, all the children were killed."

Grace, "And there was that time when a coach load of people from Yate, I think, went up this way - everybody on board seemed to have blood pouring from them."

Eva, "Yeh - it was so awful - though they were exciting times - they were."

Grace, "It was - It was really exciting."

Grace (daughter of Eva)

When Grace was young I asked her to watch the potatoes boil while I went out shopping. And do you know, when I came back, there she was watching them burning, the blessed thing. I asked her why she didn't turn them off and she said she was only told to watch them. Grand Pratt used to be like that, she was always burning things that used to annoy me, because if anybody ever came to the door they'd think it was me burning something.

She was a terror at school too. She wouldn't keep her gloves and hat on, no not her. We tried to make a lady out of her - but we couldn't. Then there was that time she lent her Recorder to Miss Hunt - we never had that back, and it cost £3, that was a lot of money for those days, about a week's wages.

Trip to Wales

After Grace was married Ted and I went back to Wales. He was wearing pinstriped trousers, black coat, and a hat, and I was wearing a new green coat, a bit flared, and a lovely velour hat - we looked real posh. Anyway, while we were there we went into a local fish & chips shop, we were the only ones there and ordered faggots and peas. Then other customers started to come in, they were all dressed in ordinary cloths. The funny thing was, is that we were given the VIP treatment, the faggots and peas were given to us on a saucer with a little spoon to eat it with Ted and I laughed about that for years after.

The Antics of Grand Pratt (Gertrude Rosa Burgess)

I had Grand Pratt from the time we were married. I had both our mothers in their last years, but our mum wasn't so bad, wasn't like Grand Pratt. We did suggest making the front room into a sitting room for the both of them - A place where they could sit and chat to each other, and keep each other company, and that sort of thing. But grandmother (Grand Pratt) wouldn't have it - No she wouldn't have that at all. Ted wasn't like that - He couldn't be, because we always had people in. His drawbridge (privacy) was with his rabbits, in the shed at the bottom of the garden. He used to spend hours there, so it worked out all right.

Grand Pratt had a mirror in every corner of the room - If you was down the road and happened to be facing her way, she'd know what you'd been saying. But what used to really get me mad all inside was when she saw Ted cycling down the road - She'd open the sash windows and sort of sing out "Teddy Baglin Waggling Jiggling Jaggling" - I used to say to Ted "Go on - put your little five year old trunks on then, and go out and play."

One time she was going on at me like `Old Nick' - I then chased her up the stairs - sitting her down half way up. I said to her "You've had your say, now I'm going to have my say" - And you know, I started laughing -I had to speak through that blooming ear trumpet, I could never speak through that blessed thing without laughing.

Then there was that time we were in the kitchen with her, she was moving up and down on her toes, while making jam, up and down, up and down, singing - out of key because she was deaf - all while she was stirring the jam. That used to annoy me. Then Grace was being rude to her, calling her a "Silly old goat" or something - knowing that Gran couldn't hear her, or see her and thus not lip-read. I was telling her off for being rude to Gran, and Gran said to Grace "I know she's talking about me". I got so mad; I just picked up the nearest thing to me, the frying pan, and through it at her. It missed her head by inches and hit the back door. The frying pan buckled and fell to the floor with an almighty clatter - Gran said, "Did you drop the pan my Dolly". Oh - that made me so mad, made me so made - mind you we used that pan for years after, and Ted and I would always have a chuckle whenever we used it.

I never forgot when I was in town with her and we went to the drapers shop to buy some material - She had every blessed roll of the stuff off the shelves. I got so exasperated, I said to the sales girl "Tell her there's no more rolls left" - Gran said "I'm not deaf you know - I'm only hard of hearing". I thought `my gosh' and with that walked out and left her - I went home. Arthur's like that too (Arthur Russ) I remember the time he was in Uley Post Office and he had every blessed toy off the shelf -In the end he didn't buy any (because he couldn't fine what he wanted). I couldn't be like that - I'm different all together.

Oh yes, that was it when she took a little case with her, to buy a marrow. I felt so sorry for the poor kid behind the counter - She was one of my singers. The marrow Gran bought was far too large to go into the case, but she wouldn't have it - it had to go in. The people behind her were held up for ages, about quarter of an hour, I think.

They were going "tut, tut, tut, tut….". I don't know what did happen in the end because I just left her - I think she had to have it in a carrier bag in the end!

It was absolutely appalling when Gran Pratt washed herself in the front room; I use to be ashamed that people looking in could see Gran Pratt with no cloths on. She would use just an ordinary washing-up bowl on the dining table. She would take her cloths off and wash, but never pulled the curtains so people going by could see her - if they looked in. Gran Pratt's use to say, "If anybody looks in and sees me, then it's their fault for looking", she would maintain that it was a private house; a private room and nobody should look into other peoples private rooms. I think that was because of the way she was bought up, with no curtains at Latteridge. At Latteridge, George Burgess didn't have curtains because he believed they were dust collectors, and Gran Pratt said they didn't need them as the only things that could see them were rabbits - because they were so isolated.

But what use to really annoy me was her blooming keys - She kept them all on a piece of string around her waist. Every time she went in and out of her bedroom, or to the kitchen, she'd lock the door behind her. I busted the lock and broke down her door twice, where I got so savage. Yes -but she didn't give me any privacy, she'd come in and out of my room because it was Teddies - And what was Teddies was hers. She'd keep saying to me "He's my boy not yours, he's my boy not yours". And I'd always said "I never had Grace until Gran died". The tickling part was when she would tie cotton to the door - So she'd know when Elsie came (Bill's sister). She wouldn't have her in the house. I don't know why, but she just wouldn't. It was most awkward -It led to bad feelings between us, but they understood and we stayed good friends, and when Ted was in hospital, Bill went and seen him two or three times.

Mr Pratt and Gran Pratt sort of kept everything apart. What was his was his, and what was hers, was hers. The best of his stuff had gone down to Bill (his son) before he died. I'd say that I'd never advise anyone to get married if there are kids on both sides - because there is always trouble. When the two of them were together (Mr & Mrs Pratt) she was always up against him, and it was then so difficult to get on with either of them. And when he got funny (touchy) with her, he'd go up the garden (to calm down). However, when he was down Ham Green, I got on with him lovely.

But I had an awful time when he died - She wouldn't have his coffin in her room - So it had to stay in the Hall. It was so embarrassing when people came to the door. Mind you the funniest thing was when Tommy Harris (the undertaker) came to take the coffin away - Gran Pratt was reading a book called `Dead on Time' and on the day he was buried, she was out the front mowing the grass.

Then there were always conflicts with our neighbours, she would cut off anything that grew over into our garden, and throw it back into their garden - and things like that. I'd recently came across one of her letters, where she'd say we were poisoning her - by putting something in the vinegar - Said she was out cold for 24 hours. She was always writing letters like that, and sending them to our neighbours’ - But they'd bring them all back to us, so we'd know what they said. And then she accused our mum of putting flies in the milk - Oh, she was a terror. In fact she got awful towards the end. She suffered from incontinence - I'd say, "It's all down your stockings", and she'd say "There's nothing on my stockings". I had the same problem with Uncle Arthur when I was looking after him - he had cancer of the prostrate gland. I used to say to him, "Now look Uncle, I'm used to dong this kind of thing, let me clean it up", but he was so particular that he wanted to do it himself - but it only made it harder for me - I had to clear it all up in the end. But going back to Gran Pratt -The day before she died I said, "Have you got any dirty washing, because I'm doing some washing to put into the machine", she said "Nop, nop" - And when we came back from our mum's funeral we found Grand Pratt dead, and a bucket full of muck in her room.

Eva Baglin's Later Life

When I'm going on a coach trip I'd observe everything, and when we are coming back I'd know if we are going a different way or not. Not like old Blanch, who'd just squat there and read a book or go to sleep. I like to be looking out of the window all of the time. That was it when I lost my ring on holiday one time. We were all on our hands and knees, crawling about looking for it. Mrs Trout had her hand down the toilet and all. And then somebody said, "Has she got elastic bottoms". I put my hand down my trousers, and there it was, trapped because of the elastic bottoms - I don't think I shall ever live that down.

Blanch and I - I suppose we have been friend for about 30 or 40 years use to collect for the `Alexandria Rose' -We'd go from Page Park, Staple Hill, all the way up one site to Trinity Church, and then all the way back on the other side of the road. We'd sell flowers in all the shops, pubs and that kind of thing. Thought nothing of it, in fact I'd used to be able to name every shop between here and town. Can't anymore, because half of them are boarded up or closed down, and that kind of thing. I observe, you know Grace doesn't, she doesn't observe a thing.

Mind you, there was that time four of us were walking along the road and this man spat on me - He had just been turned out of the Army Home. He turned on us, he cussed and in the end got so savage that he spat on me - He couldn't do it on old Doreen, who was so fussy -He had to do it on me, and it went all down my lovely uniform coat - And it was so awful, it was as if he'd been saving it up for weeks. I'd wished there was a policeman about, then we'd have told him what had happened.
When I used to go `Pub booming' (selling `War Crys' for the Salvation Army) we'd go out Mangotsfield way, and in one of the pubs, `The Salutation', a group of people would sit at one table who use to joke with us -I has an answer for every question, and they would always buy a paper - I was in my 70's then. When I used to go collection, I'd go across country, through fields, I used to walk miles -In fact I'd go anywhere for a pound -Now look at me. I had to give all that up when I was 76 because chest had got so bad. Before that I was so stupid Twice a week I was picked up by ambulance and taken to the Chest Therapy Unit, and they'd treat me like Dresden china - And then, there I was every Saturday night - Selling War Cries in smoky pubs.

Eva Baglin (1985)

Since I've had the operation on my throat my voice has become deeper. It's handy on the phone though -As sometimes they think you're a man. In fact I purposely make my voice lower than normal when answering the phone (as an old lady living on her own she feels more secure by pretending she is a man when someone phones). On one occasion someone phoned, and he seemed a bit funny (fishy) -I thought, I don't like the sound of you mate. After a while I said, "You have the wrong number", but he kept on, and on, so I shouted out "Oh Ted, you better come and see to this, it's beyond me" -the phone went down `flop', sharpish like. On another occasion I accidentally pressed the wrong button, and got the police - I was in bed at the time - I couldn't get rid of them -I kept saying I'd press the wrong button but they wouldn't go. So in the end I just had to put the phone down on them. I think it's lovely when I'm in bed and the phone rings, I feel real posh like -like a Duchess - And its got such a lovely trill - much better than the ring on the ordinary phone. If any body comes to the door now I always take my hand held `burglar alarm' with me. If there's any trouble all I have to do is press the button - You can get done now for throwing pepper in their faces.

I can get out and about now, for the first time since last summer, now I've got my wheelchair. I had it new from Social Security, and I had an air cushion with it - Eadie's (her sister) was only 2nd hand, and she hasn't got an air cushion wither. I almost came out of it the other day, because the chap pushing it didn't know how to take it down kerbs. And I had to hang on for dear life. Norman (Eadie's husband) knows how to use it of course, because he has to push Eadie around in hers all the time now.

I'm much stronger on my feet now than I was last year, but I still can't get my balance yet - But I get around pretty well. When the doctors here I have to use the walking frame, but as soon as he's gone I use my walking stick.