Doris Baddick

Mrs. Doris Baddick, b 1924, recorded 15/10/2013

Doris Baddick has lived in the Foxhole and Bonymaen districts of Swansea all her life and spent the years until her marriage in 1946 with her family in the Quarry Cottages (Samlet Row) at White Rock immediately overlooking the White Rock Works and ferry.

Her childhood experience, financial constraints of her widowed mother, social conditions in general on the East Side of the town and river before WW2 are amply described as well as war service at Cwmfelin Steel Works welding fuel cans, and her husband’s employment history.

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  • Mother born in a cottage on the riverside (Tawe)
  • Father worked on the railway as did his father.
  • Father gassed in WW1, suffered poor health and died aged 36.
  • Moved as a young child to the “Quarry Cottages” officially Samlet Row immediately above White Rock Works and White Rock Ferry.
  • Four houses in the row with neighbour families: Hancock/Needen/Davies.
  • Attended St. Thomas school, Kilvey Parish Church and Canaan Chapel Band of Hope.
  • Her mother when widowed sought relief from “the Panel” (parish relief) and received a loan of 10/= per week for herself; 5/= for Doris; and 3/= for each of her two sisters.
  • Rent was 8/= per week paid to Mrs. Screech , landlady, who kept a newsagent shop on Port Tennant Road.
  • Mother worked as a cleaner and did washing for 1/6d a household.
  • Two rooms up and two rooms down, with no indoor facilities.
  • Worked at a Printers in Green Dragon Lane before and after the war.
  • Recalls experience of air raids and displaced relatives having to move in with them at Samlet Row!
  • Recalls death of an Uncle in the Copper Works aged 27 years and an Aunt who worked in White Rock as a cook.
  • Describes drams carrying waste over the road on an incline to be dumped on the hillside.
  • No money for school outings but kept well as children. Others not so fortunate, no shoes for school.
  • Paid at the door for medical service and Doctor was across the river near High Street Station.
  • White Rock ferry discussed, 1d  journey.
  • Went to the “Pictorial” cinema, later called “Scala” near the Midland Railway Station, on Wednesday and Saturday, 2d a show.
  • Worked in Cwmfelin Steel Works on war service welding “Jerry  Cans” and used ferry to cross the river, becoming a supervisor, paid £3.10.0d per week.
  • People just got on with things and did not grumble about conditions.

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