Elsa Marks

Born	1st January 1920 in Yeadon
Died	11th February 2021
Background	Grew up in Haw Street, Yeadon, and now lives in the Wharfedale View Apartments, Yeadon.
Date of Interview	30th August 2019
“You have my agreement to include my mothers interview in The Back-Chat Collection.” Val Butcher (12th October 2020)

When I interviewed Elsa Marks she was 99 years old with a memory as sharp as can be.

It is obvious from the beginning that I am having to talk fairly loudly but at 99 years of age a little deafness can be forgiven.

Elsa was born two years after the end of the First World War and it is fascinating to hear her memories of Yeadon Railway Station, steam train trips to Blackpool and the bleakness of Cemetery Road.

A mother’s warning to children of Elsa’s age was ‘don’t go playing near the dam it’s too mucky!’

This lady has so many memories, a flying circus at Yeadon Airport, a trip up in a biplane and Frankie Vaughan to name but a few. The memories just don’t stop.

A remarkable woman who was a pleasure to interview. Elsa Passed away peacefully on 11th February 2021 at 101 years old.

Interviewer: Carlo Harrison

Cataloguer: Fiona Quinton

Sound Engineer David Myers

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.

Yeadon Station	0.00
Train To Blackpool From Yeadon	02.10
The Wild Duck, Yeadon	04.36
Cemetery Road, Yeadon	04.56
Yeadon Dam	09.01
Temperance Hall, Yeadon	09.48
Olive Harrison	13.03
King Street Market, Yeadon	13.53
Yeadon Airport	15.35
Flying Circus	19.35
Weaving	20.59
James Ives Mill	23.34
Fundraising	29.31
Boys Club, Yeadon	31.50
Frankie Vaughan	32.18
Dancing	32.40
Sequence Dancing	34.23
St John’s Church Hall	35.43
Yeadon Town Hall	37.30

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