- By Admin
Life Moved on – For Better or Worse
Rosemary had moved from her beloved countryside area where she was born – sadly due to unforeseen financial circumstances - to an industrial ship building basically working class town nearby. It has been something of a culture shock and steep learning curve. No disrespect was meant in her thoughts but was a far cry from the tourist filled Lake District filled with long gone poets and writers of note. The new town she found, in a way, fascinating. She had also lived in Spain and found industrial side of things interesting seeing how they did things their way from gas storage tanks to grain stores.
The biggest contrast was the scenery – or lack of. Fairly flat landscape, all coastal which is the nice bit, then Lowry type town scapes. Rosemary was not used to living in a row of houses with tiny back yards looking onto more houses and often scruffy backyards. No views. Even the animals, two cats and a dog, were confused by the absence of green fields and seem unsettled. Their toilet was now an alley which you must keep your eye on and pick up any mess. Many don’t bother though. Nor is litter picked up. Being on the coast wind had a huge part to play in daily life. Hair styles don’t last. Trees face the same way blown bent over through years of wind. Litter is blown in and then out of streets and on to other areas where it is ignored by all, including the ruling bodies whose budget didn’t stretch to road, pavement repairs or road sweeping. Gulls seeking food constantly opened dustbin lids scattering rubbish tearing bags open leaving a trail of devastation. Used nappies seem to be a favourite.
A massive surprise for Ros when she first moved to the town, was that the people were exceedingly friendly - which was heartwarming. In fact so very friendly it was worth mentioning to friends. Unfortunately not all things were found to be good. Football which was played and watched at every opportunity was a seriously noisy affair and brought out the worst in people. Pubs tended to be quiet during the week – which was when Ros and doggie pal would go – but Fridays and Saturdays were when parents took their kids out too for cheap eats and lessons in many bad habits. Unfortunately swearing went hand in hand with the football - shown in the pubs most days. Swearing even when children were present was accepted as the norm. What a shame Ros thought. Not a good role model. Many of the pub goers couldn’t form a sentence without using the F word. Everyone talks above the next person until the noise level was almost unbearable. So the dog and Ros would leave, or not go in, on one of those evenings.
Not liking cooking it was tempting for Ros to eat out a lot in local pubs as the food whilst basic was good and amazingly cheap. It couldn’t bought or cooked, for what the pubs sold it for. Consequently many of the contractors who stayed Monday to Friday building ships ate out all the time.
There was a maritime museum which appealed to the intellectual side and was well attended from far and wide due to its greatly interesting content. The modern take on the old ship building was the nuclear submarine building. It was the mainstay of the town which attracted people who wanted an apprenticeship in this industry. It would enable them to travel the world with excellent qualifications.
Shops were functional, not glamorous but prices very reasonable and many opened twenty four hours to cater for late workers. Pubs, bars, stayed open late and taxis were twenty four hours being used like buses – almost as cheap. No need to drink and drive. There were some advantages to town life.
There was a drug scene – as there seems to be everywhere even Ros’s beautiful countryside – but it tended to be contained in specific areas. In the country it popped up anywhere but perhaps more hidden.
The outskirts of the town soon revealedl large houses and open areas where the bosses lived. It went back to Victorian times. Houses for workers and house for the bosses. Industrialization was fairly rapid once it started. In times past one or two bosses commuted from The Lakes in their own trains!
Ros walked her dog along the coastal paths, went to the big theatre, found endless new things to see in the museum and enjoyed the industrial landscape in an artists way. How the many factories produced their goods was a mystery waiting to be solved. An enquiring mind helped and Ros certainly loved to follow up on new things.
Trips back to country which only took half an hour’s driving kept Ros’s hand in her old home life. The hills and mountains, the lakes, the chocolate box beauty, the sheer magnificence of the landscape were a magnetic pull. One day maybe a lottery win would catapult her back but until then Ros settled in with her lot. New town, new life, no debt. Peace of mind. Of a sort. Does a fish out of water ever settle? Or beaver away – pun intended – to rebuild a familiar life in a more familiar environment? She often pondered what the future held.