I am very pleased to say that the West Yorkshire Archive service have accepted the Back-Chat Collection interviews into their permanent archives thus ensuring their accessibility to the public for many generations to come.

You can hear this interview by simply clicking the West Yorkshire Archive Link where you will find all of the Back-Chat Collection interviews listed in alphabetical order along with captioned photographs.

If you would like to contact The Back-Chat Collection please do email me at carloharrison1947@gmail.com.

To listen to the interviews which are now hosted on the
West Yorkshire Archive Service click here.

Derek Lawson

Born

November 1930, at home, Swain Hill Crescent, Yeadon.

Background

Yeadon up to Emigrating to Western Australia in 1967

Date of Interview

3rd December 2020

“Yes, it’s fine to put Dad’s interview on the Back-Chat site”

Julie Martin (Daughter) 14th October 2021

Derek Lawson is a down-to-earth man who was 90 years old when I interviewed him by Skype at his home in Albany, Western Australia. As you would imagine at his age, Derek has lived a full life with plenty of ups and downs. He is the youngest of a family of seven children, sadly all of his sisters and his brother have now passed away.

Derek was a Sammy Ledgard bus driver and when in Australia worked for the local council. We talk about care for the elderly in Australia, Coronavirus in his part of Australia, South View School and Christmases as a child.

Derek has advice for people thinking of emigrating to Australia.


 
 

Interviewer: Carlo Harrison

Cataloguer: Fiona Quinton


HTML5 Audio Player

You can listen to the entire recording by clicking the start arrow or, you can move the slider to one of times shown for the headings opposite, they are a guide to the many things we chatted about.
Early Life – Yeadon
01.55
Coronavirus In Western Australia
02.10
Parents – Bob Lawson – Born 1893 – (Banksfield Mill – Royal Navy Stoker) – Mary Lofthouse (Maid)
06.35
Family Life – All Deceased – 1 Brother & 5 Sisters
11.00
Early Life – Yeadon
12.00
Emigration To Australia
13.00
Care For The Elderly In Western Australia
14.45
South View School – Yeadon
16.10
Ambitions – Mill Worker
17.45
Christmas
18.45
Holidays – Blackpool – Morecambe
20.30
Married Life – Mavis Elliott – Honeymoon In Land’s End
21.20
Children – Glenn (Died Of Cancer) – Julie
22.00
Working Life – Weaver – National Service – Bus driver – Local Council Worker (Australia)
24.30
Hobby Farm – Goats – Chickens And Horses
28.45
Brexit
29.25
Advice On Emigration
31.30

 

Please take into consideration when listening to these interviews that the meaning of language changes over time and that interviewees have not intended to cause offence by anything said which now may be thought to be unacceptable.

Recording this social history, chatting to different people about a whole host of subjects has been a real pleasure, such an interesting and I think worthwhile project for people to listen to both now and in years to come.

Thank you for visiting this website.

Carlo Harrison