Barbican voices

The voices of local residents bring to life Plymouth’s Barbican between 1920 and 1950.

Below are a selection of tracks from the Barbican Archive CDs.

Please note that the sound quality is variable due to the condition of the original recordings.

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Disc 1 - Fishing and boats

Documents

	Track 1: Introduction - Sam Webber, Jim Glanville, Mabel Roberts, Fifine May and Eileen Lillicrap - Many of the memories in these recordings relate to the Barbican’s fishing heydays of the 1920s and 1930s. Hundreds of people worked on bustling quaysides where more fish was landed than Newlyn. Key catches included herring, pilchards, mackerel, prawns and dogfish (called 'flake' or 'dogs'). Commercial shipping and fleets of rowboats and ferries added to a vibrant scene that was peopled by a close-knit, hard working community. The song used to be sung by boys on the Barbican. It features on the original recordings and is sung by Fred 'Tibby' Gilbert. Recording time - 1 minute 18 seconds File format MPEG (mp3) - 1.2MB
	Track 2: Ashore - Gladys Trewin, Fifine May and Mrs Honey - Bait digging; making waterproofs and drying nets - all around the Barbican, families helped the men prepare to go to sea. The 1890s saw the first steam trawlers arrive in Plymouth, sailing smacks died out by the late 1930s, while diesel craft took over by the 1950s. Throughout the work was harsh and dangerous, demanding a wealth of local knowledge. Recording time - 1 minute 57 seconds File format MPEG (mp3) - 1.8MB
	Track 4: The Return - Jim Glanville, Mrs Honey, Mabel Roberts - When the fishing boats came back from a trip it meant a portion of the catch could be bartered - and the return of husbands and fathers. Recording time - 1 minute 58 seconds File format MPEG (mp3) - 1.8MB

Disc 2 - People and places, times and seasons, work and play

Documents

	Track 6: Toys and games - Alice Martin, Lil Hatherley, Flo Tozer, Flo Loveys and Mabel Roberts - Some Barbican families could afford simple toys: yo-yos, skipping ropes and for some lucky ones - wax dolls. Recording time - 2 minute 19 seconds File format MPEG (mp3) - 2.1MB
	Track 12: Unions - Eileen Lillicrap, Charlie Fice - Many Barbican residents were employed on a seasonal or casual basis and saw the unions as key in protecting pay and conditions. Recording time - 1 minute 14 seconds File format MPEG (mp3) - 1.1MB

Disc 3 - Love and war, life and death

Documents

	Track 3: Family Size - Flo Loveys, Flo Tozer, Lil Hatherley, Wilfie Witts and Gladys Trewin - In 1931 the Vintry ward, which included the Barbican, was the 4th most densely populated area of Plymouth. Large families, often on eight or nine, were common - many lived in one or two rooms, making sleeping arrangements chaotic. Recording time - 1 minute 13 seconds File format MPEG (mp3) - 1.1MB
	Track 12: School - Mrs Honey, Alice Martin - Hundreds of Barbican children went to Palace Court School, where canes were a fact of life. Some children left with more than sore hands. Recording time - 2 minute 48 seconds File format MPEG (mp3) - 2.5MB

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