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29 October 2014
Voices

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The Voices Recordings


About this interview
Lifeboat crewTwo current and one former crew of the Aldeburgh lifeboat talk about the local dialect and work as a lifeboatman.

Interviewees:
Maurice Smith, John Marjoram, Steven Saint,

Click on names to find out more about the participants.

Relationship of interviewees: Fellow crew members

Where: Aldeburgh, Suffolk

Language of interview: English
About this interview
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Voice clip 1
The group talk about how the lifeboat crew is summoned for a rescue operation by "firing the maroon", or "the gun".


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Voice clip 2
When the men were young, children didn't leave the town and weren't exposed to outside influences like television - but now it's all changing.


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Voice clip 3
One of the men talks about how he only realises how broad his accent is when he hears his recorded voice.


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Voice clip 4
One of the men tells us why he thinks shopping in Aldeburgh is aimed at the wealthy - you can buy an expensive painting but not a Brussels sprout.


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Voice clip 5
The group talk about the old days when Aldeburgh was a lively place and was divided into Uptowners and Downtowners, with fierce rivalries.


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More clips from this interview

Maurice Smith, Former employee Sizewell Nuclear power station
Maurice talks about how the local accent has been losing ground since he was young - and explains what a "swede" and a "pudding" are.

John Marjoram, Full-time lifeboatman
John remembers how he started helping on the lifeboats informally as a youngster, eventually being taken on as crew.

Steven Saint, Full-time lifeboatman
Steven laments the loss of the local social scene - he reminisces about a time in his childhood when he'd go to the local bar with his father and people-watch.
Interview's notes

Long description of interview: Three people who know each other very well. Maurice Smith, the eldest, is the most vocal, with John Marjoram more reserved. They are all genuinely interested in their local dialect, which they feel is declining due to outside influence and they become most animated when talking about the lifeboat.

Recorded by: Stephen Martin, Radio Suffolk

Date of interview: 2004/11/22


Map

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In Your Area
What do you think about your local accent?
Talk about Voices in your area
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Did You Know?
If someone refers to you as a Cuddie Wifter, a Ciotach or Corrie Fisted it's probably because they have realised you are left-handed.
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