John Edward Cooper’s Notes
Chris and I discussing photographs of Thornton, ?early October 1978 (2)
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[Evidently, when we started the recording, Chris had just mentioned by name a shop in the photograph he was looking at, remarking about a sign saying “Darbyshire’s Prize Bread”.]   John: …What was the name of that shop there, where it says “Darbyshire’s Prize Bread”? Chris: It used to be Makin’s, a grocer’s shop, but it looks like it’s a clothes shop now because there’s things hanging up outside on the stall, but— John: It still says “Darbyshire’s”, does it? May I just—? Chris: Over the front door, the house front door as opposed to the shop door. John: Good heavens, you’ve got good eyesight! Chris: Can’t you read it? John: Yes, I can now, but I would never have observed it. It still has a “Wall’s ice cream” sign. Chris: Perhaps— I probably observed it— from memory, because I remember it used to always say that. You know, I just probably triggered off— John: Oh, that’s good. If I’m ever doing a drawing of it—blow it up into a drawing, you see—I’ll remember to put “Darbyshire’s Prize Bread” on there. Would it have said “Worrall’s” above the door, or, “Something Something Worrall”? Chris: “G & M Worrall”, I think. John: “G & M Worrall”, it would say just up there? Chris: Yes—because it became West’s, didn’t it: “Somebody” West. John: I don’t know. Chris: Not Loganberry West, but— John: No. There are plenty of “Wall’s ice cream” signs. Chris: Ah, yes. “Yesss.” John: “I’ll have an ice cream for my little—” No, what would Jones—? What did we say— agree that Jones would have said? Chris: When? John: When he takes David in to Worrall’s. Worrall would go, “Yesss!”— “Yesss!” Chris: With our David standing about a pace behind him. And he’d probably ask David what he wanted. And David would probably be extravagant and say, “A choc-ice.” And Jones would say, “An ice cream cornet, please!” I’m purely sort of fictionalising that; I don’t know. I just imagine it: sort of, David asking for more than what Jones is prepared to give. Like if there were such things as rum and raisin choc ices, you see: “A vanilla ice cream cornet, please!” John: Or, “ice cream cone!” Chris: “Cone!” John: “Yesss!” Chris: “Yesss!” “For my little friend.” John: “Yesss!” Chris: And then, he’d sort of get it; David would go: [sound of rapid panting], trying to reach it; and Jones would be saying, “Ah, but you’ve almost forgotten something, David! I believe you have some information for me first—” [Sound of Jones’s half-chuckling, half gasping-for-breath laugh.] Chris: “—just before I give you your ice cream”—holding it just out of David’s reach! Short, chubby little arms trying to make a grab at the ice cream! John: “Chris— Chris wants to meet you on the fields on Hawthorne Road.” Chris: “—For a big battle!” John: “Oh, this is very interesting. When is this meeting to take place?” Chris: “Emmm— Sat’day!” John: Then David goes and tells you that Jones wants to meet you! Chris: Yes! Oh, yes. Shocking, wasn’t he, really— Oh, thank you—another shot of the— John: No, that’s the same one, actually. Chris: Oh, is it? Sorry!  
Chris: Ah! “53”. Oh, it’s got a name now: “Menengai”. They’ve ruined it a bit, haven’t they. John: Did it have a stone— Did it have a sort of silver ball on top when Jones had it? Chris: I can’t remember: did it? John: I don’t know, but there used to be a silver ball on top of “Menengai”, and then it disappeared. Chris: It wasn’t called “Menengai” when he had it? John: Oh, no. Oh, no. No, no. Chris: Oh, it probably was— Have we got time to nip to the Co-op and get a bottle of plonk? John: Yes. Chris: OK— Unless you want to— Can they wait? John: Well— What time does it close? Chris: Half-five. John: Oh yes, definitely. Chris: I was… [The recording ends abruptly.] |
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