The interview

Interview between Nellie Maybury & Kim Streets

Nellie Maybury was born at the old Jessop Hospital in 1922, and is the last surviving member of a family of 8 children. She grew up on the Wybourn and has lived in Grimesthorpe and Burngreave for most of her adult life. At 14, Nellie went to work as a buffer for Mappin & Webb, ‘We left school on the Friday and we were in the buffing shop on the Monday love. My mother made us go in the buffing shops love, because she was a buffer. See there were trades that you had to go in love, there was no other work, only hard work. We couldn’t run about the streets’. In 1949, Nellie married Ernest Maybury, and they set up home in a little back-to-back cottage on Chambers Lane. Nellie remembers it fondly, ‘They used to say where do you live, and you’d say, ‘Chambers Lane’, and do you know what they used to call it? They used to say she comes from Piss-Pot Alley. I’m rough you know – I’m rough and ready! I don’t put any airs and graces on. It was a lovely area Grimesthorpe. I wish they’d never pulled them down. It was beautiful. Everyone helped each other. It was really lovely at Grimesthorpe’. 

What is your idea of happiness?

 Enjoying yourself I think, if you can. Get out and enjoy yourself. Be friendly with people. That’s what I am. I talk to anybody. Because I don’t refuse nothing - only blows. 

What is your greatest fear?

 Having to leave this earth, I think. Because you’ve got your friends, you’ve got your company haven’t you? 

What do you dislike about yourself? 

I’m too outspoken. There was one woman, she was right gobby, and I said ‘You know – the last time I saw a gob like yours was on a fish – you know what I’m calling her don’t you – she’s a cod-mouth isn’t she? I tell them what I think and that’s it. It puts them in their place, because they think; you’re getting old - you’re daft. 

What do you dislike about others? 

Sometimes they’ll talk to you, and another time they won’t – they’ll walk past you won’t they? That’s what I don’t like. They might say, ‘Are you alright?’ and the next morning they’ll walk past you, they’ll knock you down. 

What makes you sad?

I can’t walk like I used to – I used to go out and enjoy myself – I can’t go out now. 

What or who is the greatest love of your life? 

Well, the greatest love of my life at the moment is God. I keep saying, ‘please God help me when I’m poorly and I’m having these attacks’. I love my Grandkids, and my nephews and nieces. They say blood is thicker than water, don’t they love? 

Which words or phrases do you most overuse? 

I always say, ‘Don’t refuse nothing - only blows’. 

What is your greatest regret? 

Not being able to get about like I could, because I used to be able to enjoy myself. I used to go in the Club with my mate Sybil – we used to get up and sing you know, in the clubs. We used to run weekend trips to Blackpool, to the Illuminations, every year. 

If you could have one wish, what would it be? 

To be well, and be like I was when I was a young lass. To be able to work, because I have worked. I used to love to go to work though. 

What is your earliest memory? 

I’ve that many. When we were young lasses we used to go to Park Pictures and the Norfolk, and we used to enjoy ourselves all the Buffer lasses. There used to be a fairground at the bottom of Station Approach, and it was open all year round, and we used to go there straight from the pictures. We used to walk home from the station right onto the Wybourn when we were young, and nobody used to bother you. You could walk about - you were safe love. You could have your doors open all night, but you can’t now, can you love? 

What is your favourite smell? 

I like to smell perfume, or an after-shave. I like to smell those plug-in things. How do you relax? I sit in the chair, or if I don’t feel well I go and have a lie down. 

What single thing would improve the quality of your life? 

I don’t think there’s anything that would improve it now, without I won the lottery, though I should give it away. 

If you could change one thing about Burngreave, what would it be? 

It used to be nice. Burngreave was Burngreave and everybody was friendly, and all good neighbours. Pulling all these maisonettes down, pulling you further a-field. Why? And still they build new ones again. Half of my neighbours have died. We had been on Verdon Street for 32 years. You’re like a plant, when you’re uprooted you don’t take root no more when you’ve been there so many years. We’d only moved 7 months, and Ernest died. When you want to come back, you can’t get back into the new houses. It’s wrong isn’t it? 

What keeps you awake at night? 

Pains in my legs and my back love. I’ve got angina, and hardening of the arteries. 

How would you like to die?

Peacefully – not knowing. 

How would you like to be remembered? 

I shall be remembered all over love - everybody knows me. I shall be remembered. 

What is the most important lesson life has taught you? 

To look after myself, and always pay your rent and keep a roof over the top of your head. You can eat in the street, but you can’t sleep. But they do sleep in the street don’t they? We’re old fashioned aren’t we love?