Reminiscences of Arthur Douglas Addams about his life
Audio Player:
Date(s): late 20th century
Creator(s): Addams, Arthur Douglas
Scope & Content: Tracks 1 and 2: Arthur talks about Jo Adami 'the Human Billiard Table' and the Dario-Bario circus family; Winnie Collins; Foresters Arms; his epilepsy and how it stopped him going to secondary school; Dr Dorothy Pantin; Mr Christian, headmaster of Hanover Street School who got him a job as a telegraph boy (aged 14) at the Post Office; lack of employment when he left school and how a lot of his friends joined the armed forces, mentioning Reggie Clucas, Harold Christian; Isle of Man Government work creation scheme for unemployed boys at Summerhill Glen, Douglas; Douglas and its characters including Peg Leg Caley, Scale Laughlan, Leslie the dwarf, Mr Quine the newspaper seller (known as Johnny Putty Nose), High Bell and Low Kelly, Baldrine Betty and the Peel Vamp; Manx Homecomings of ex-pats from Canada; Royalty Cinema, Moore's and Blackburn's herb beer shops; Benny Blackburn, old Falario the organ player and the Collister brothers, Harry Winter and his donkey, Mr Winkel the cake seller, Kelly the Barber, Jim Kewley the tobacconist, Harry Collister and the gathering of men outside the Roseberry buildings who used to call themselves the House of Keys.
He talks about 1936 murder by Kissack and describes policeman Charlie Crowe; Palais de Danse, Villa Marina, cinemas and Gaiety Theatre open during the winter; working at Ford's fruit shop as a schoolboy; his work as a telegraph boy describing the Regent Street Post Office and its operations and colleagues including Bill Kelly, Billy Cashin, Jack Connor, George Christian, Teddy Clucas, Frank Ward, Alec Harrison, Frank Carson and George Johnson; 'The Ten Moonbeams' dance act and Mary Persil; Miss Cannell's Cafe, Duke Street; being unable to sit Civil Service exams in 1936 after breaking his shoulder playing for the Post Office football team, mentioning his sister Connie's boyfriend George Bridson; promotion to Counter Clerk and Telegraphist, training at Liverpool Post Office and lodging with Mr & Mrs Osborne in Aigburth; playing football with Ted Drake of Arsenal FC; his transfer to Castletown Post Office mentioning Post Master Mr Previll, Bobby Corkhill, Grace Cooil, Jack Connor, Mr & Mrs Anderson (with whom he lodged); return to work in Douglas Post Office mentioning Alan Perry, Ernie Stimpson, Walter King, Graham McKenzie, Harry Cowin, Maxie McPhee, Miss Knox, Eric Crellin and Jim Brown.
Tells anecdote about a boxing match with Johnnie Robinson at Fayle's gym; his obsession with Bing Crosby and his own nickname, Bing Addams (recording of Bing Crosby); friends Donald Collister, Guy Barton and Fred Hughes; joining Territorial Army (Isle of Man Royal Artillery) around 1938; story of how he met Joyce Hughes.
Administration / Biographical History: Arthur Douglas Addams (1920-2011) was born on 22 February 1920 in Douglas.
Language: eng
Extent: 1 hr. 35 min. 20 sec.
Item name: cassette tape
Collection: Sound Archive
Level: ITEM
ID number: SA 2019-0110/3
Access conditions: All reasonable attempt has been made by Manx National Heritage to trace and request permission (where needed) from the copyright holder(s) in this sound recording. If however you think you are a rights holder then please contact Manx National Heritage.
Subject tags : #UOSH