Ruby's Story
I was born in the Parish of St Elizabeth, Jamaica. I have eight siblings. My father was a Tradesman who travelled back and forth to Kingston, buying and selling. My mother was a homemaker.
On the 27/9/64 (a date that is imprinted on my mind) I landed in Birmingham. I remember the day so clearly. It was cold and depressing and I just wanted to get back on the plane to Jamaica.
My first winter was the worse. The ice, fog and snow were hard to cope with. I remember the first time it snowed. I had never seen snow before and asked my brother what it was.
We had a coal fire to keep warm. I had to clean the grate out and make fire every day. My bedroom was heated by a paraffin heater. We had a communal toilet in the back yard, which three other houses also shared. It was horrible. There was no bathroom and we had to use a tin bath in the kitchen when we wanted a bath.
It took me a long time to settle and I constantly complained to my brother that I wanted to return back to Jamaica to the sea and the sun.
I decided to remain after meeting Keith whom I later married. Keith and I lived in a rented room with shared bathroom and kitchen. That’s all we could afford at the time.
We later moved to a house in Albert Road, Aston where we were able to rent two rooms.
Shortly after arriving in Birmingham, I got a factory job at Lucas, Wheeler Street. I later moved to a company named Newey & Goodman Summer Hill Road, where I remained for over 10 years until I was made redundant. We used to make hook and eyes and drawing pins. I found the manager and the other workers very friendly. We used to go to the local pub at lunch time and went on many a pub crawl during the Christmas period. My first wages was £8.00per week.
I also worked for with the Princess Trust, Trinity Road, Aston, visiting the
Elderly, and later as Care Assistance in a Nursing Home. Although I had no previous experience working as Care Assistance, when I went for the interview, the Manager said I looked like a caring person and asked if I could start the next day. I remained in the job for 4 years before I had to leave due to back problems. Looking back, I can honestly say there was never a dull moment working at the Nursing Home.
After leaving Newey and Goodman, I enrolled on an Adult Education Course at Holte School, Lozells, to improve my English. My teacher felt I was too advanced for the course and suggested I became a Volunteer instead. I was there for over four years helping Adults with their reading and writing.
The one memory that stands out in my mind was the Birmingham Pub bombing in 1974. My girlfriend and I had gone into town that
evening for a drink. We usually went into one of the pubs in New Street. At the last minute we decided to go to Yates Pub instead. We never heard the explosion and it was not until we came out the pub and saw the police and crowd of people rushing around that we knew something had happened. When we got home we realise the full horror of what had happened to the Tavern in the Town and the Mulberry Bush Pubs.
In 1977 my landlord informed me that he had sold the property I was living in and gave me one week's notice. It was a very anxious week, rushing around trying to find somewhere to live. I was lucky to be offered a flat in one of the Tower blocks in Aston by the Housing Department. I remember my first visit to the flat, it was dirty and smelly, but I jumped at it as I had no where else to go.
Since moving into the flat I have seen so many changes in Aston. Two of the biggest changes happened in Aston Cross, when both Ansell’s Brewery in 1981 and HP Sauce factory in 2007 closed and were later knocked down. I can still remember how dreadful the smell from HP Sauce and Ansell’s Brewery use to be on a bad day. I don’t miss the smell, but the area is just not the same.
I love my flat, and the view from my kitchen and sitting room windows are awesome, especially at night. I can see as far as Spaghetti Junction one end and the skyline of Birmingham City Centre the other.
On one occasion I was paid £50 by the BBC to let them take pictures from my flat for a documentary they were making about Birmingham.
The music I used to enjoy listening to in the 70’s was Reggae. The dance at the time was the Ska, and my friends and I all had very big Afro hairstyles. I used to go dancing at the FCF Social Club, Handsworth or to the Crompton Public House, Handsworth when they used to have a
live artist playing.
Due to my poor mobility I became isolated in the flat, and following a visit by the Social Worker from, Birmingham Social Services I was referred to South Aston United Reformed Lunch Club which I attend on Wednesdays. I also attend the Outabout club on Mondays where we go to the Pub, sea side, garden centres, etc.
The Lunch Club has helped me to get out and meet other people, and I enjoy attending.
Ruby
I was born in the Parish of St Elizabeth, Jamaica. I have eight siblings. My father was a Tradesman who travelled back and forth to Kingston, buying and selling. My mother was a homemaker.
On the 27/9/64 (a date that is imprinted on my mind) I landed in Birmingham. I remember the day so clearly. It was cold and depressing and I just wanted to get back on the plane to Jamaica.
My first winter was the worse. The ice, fog and snow were hard to cope with. I remember the first time it snowed. I had never seen snow before and asked my brother what it was.
We had a coal fire to keep warm. I had to clean the grate out and make fire every day. My bedroom was heated by a paraffin heater. We had a communal toilet in the back yard, which three other houses also shared. It was horrible. There was no bathroom and we had to use a tin bath in the kitchen when we wanted a bath.
It took me a long time to settle and I constantly complained to my brother that I wanted to return back to Jamaica to the sea and the sun.
I decided to remain after meeting Keith whom I later married. Keith and I lived in a rented room with shared bathroom and kitchen. That’s all we could afford at the time.
We later moved to a house in Albert Road, Aston where we were able to rent two rooms.
Shortly after arriving in Birmingham, I got a factory job at Lucas, Wheeler Street. I later moved to a company named Newey & Goodman Summer Hill Road, where I remained for over 10 years until I was made redundant. We used to make hook and eyes and drawing pins. I found the manager and the other workers very friendly. We used to go to the local pub at lunch time and went on many a pub crawl during the Christmas period. My first wages was £8.00per week.
I also worked for with the Princess Trust, Trinity Road, Aston, visiting the
Elderly, and later as Care Assistance in a Nursing Home. Although I had no previous experience working as Care Assistance, when I went for the interview, the Manager said I looked like a caring person and asked if I could start the next day. I remained in the job for 4 years before I had to leave due to back problems. Looking back, I can honestly say there was never a dull moment working at the Nursing Home.
After leaving Newey and Goodman, I enrolled on an Adult Education Course at Holte School, Lozells, to improve my English. My teacher felt I was too advanced for the course and suggested I became a Volunteer instead. I was there for over four years helping Adults with their reading and writing.
The one memory that stands out in my mind was the Birmingham Pub bombing in 1974. My girlfriend and I had gone into town that
evening for a drink. We usually went into one of the pubs in New Street. At the last minute we decided to go to Yates Pub instead. We never heard the explosion and it was not until we came out the pub and saw the police and crowd of people rushing around that we knew something had happened. When we got home we realise the full horror of what had happened to the Tavern in the Town and the Mulberry Bush Pubs.
In 1977 my landlord informed me that he had sold the property I was living in and gave me one week's notice. It was a very anxious week, rushing around trying to find somewhere to live. I was lucky to be offered a flat in one of the Tower blocks in Aston by the Housing Department. I remember my first visit to the flat, it was dirty and smelly, but I jumped at it as I had no where else to go.
Since moving into the flat I have seen so many changes in Aston. Two of the biggest changes happened in Aston Cross, when both Ansell’s Brewery in 1981 and HP Sauce factory in 2007 closed and were later knocked down. I can still remember how dreadful the smell from HP Sauce and Ansell’s Brewery use to be on a bad day. I don’t miss the smell, but the area is just not the same.
I love my flat, and the view from my kitchen and sitting room windows are awesome, especially at night. I can see as far as Spaghetti Junction one end and the skyline of Birmingham City Centre the other.
On one occasion I was paid £50 by the BBC to let them take pictures from my flat for a documentary they were making about Birmingham.
The music I used to enjoy listening to in the 70’s was Reggae. The dance at the time was the Ska, and my friends and I all had very big Afro hairstyles. I used to go dancing at the FCF Social Club, Handsworth or to the Crompton Public House, Handsworth when they used to have a
live artist playing.
Due to my poor mobility I became isolated in the flat, and following a visit by the Social Worker from, Birmingham Social Services I was referred to South Aston United Reformed Lunch Club which I attend on Wednesdays. I also attend the Outabout club on Mondays where we go to the Pub, sea side, garden centres, etc.
The Lunch Club has helped me to get out and meet other people, and I enjoy attending.
Ruby
Ruby
The view from Ruby's flat
Click on this link for some Reggae music and turn up the volume!
http://youtu.be/X_TlLa2t2vI
http://youtu.be/X_TlLa2t2vI
