Transcript for: Embarrased of working with men
Interviewee: Shamim Begum
Subject: Employment and Housework
When you first came did you work or stay at home?I went with someone for a day or two then after that never worked again I didn't like the men, it was full segregation then even from uncles cousins, it was a lot more then, so I was embarrassed and I worked for two days and it was the Christian neighbour who took me she said your at home all day so I went and you made balls, cotton balls took them off and put them in your lap, it wasn't work and I didn't know; I did that for a week or two.
You didn't like it?
No I didn't like it I was embarrassed, the men would come round and ask if I had finished and I would stay quiet the neighbour would say from the number 10 house. From there she used to go and me. She thought I was quiet and I didn't speak. To make herslf look better she'd say that she did the work and I didn't. She'd say if you want to work come if you don't then don't come, I said ok so I never went again and I left work even he (husband) didn't say anything about going back to work, normally they'd say go back, he just stayed quiet so I never went back.
So what did you do at home?
At home I'd just do the housework what else? nothing.
Did you have relatives near by living with you?
Yes, they lived further away
How often did they come?
They didn't come everyday
(H) Brother Bashir lived with us
He lived with you?
The days just passed like that
So when you lived here did you mix with others from the Pakistani community?
Yes
On your street?
Yes, the number 10 house and number 11. From there people came and the houses were old, needed cleaning the wives didn't do that so they moved and in those days the houses were cheap
How much were they??
In the hundreds £500, £1000 nothing more than that.