Reference
X214/12/9
Title
Transcript of interviews with Bozena Briggs. Born 12 March 1959 in Warsaw, Poland.
Date free text
28 Jul 2008
Production date
From: 1959 To: 2008
Scope and Content
Lived in an apartment block. The apartment was on the ground floor and had 2 bedrooms. Most of the mothers did not work and most of the men worked together. The children all played outside.
When younger, her father worked at weekends clearing sites to rebuild Warsaw after the war. The hills in the park were created from the rubble.
When Bozena was a child it was the socailist era; before Solidarity started [In the 1980s, Solidarity was a broad anti-authoritarian social movement, using methods of civil resistance to advance the causes of workers' rights and social change]. Grandather became more and more disillusioned. He gave back his Socialist book. He was actually arrested and imprisoned for this. There was conscription in Poland so Father was in the Army. Because of Grandfather, Father was sent to work in the coal mine; the equipment was poor so it was very dangerous.
As a teenager argued with Father about politics and religion.
When a child, things were rationed. Mother would stand in long queues to buy commodities. Would stockpile things when they were available. The ration for sweets was half a kilo a month. Mother worked in a shop so was able to sort provisions out for neighbours who could not stand in the queues.
During the Solidarity times, the food would not get delivered to the shops, so a shop might have only vinegar and nothing else. People got organised to stand in queues, so you had 'queue grandmas' or 'queue aunties' who you would pay to queue for you.
Mother has 7 brothers and sisters, and father has 3 sisters. Used to go to a small village in the country about 60 kilometres from Warsaw for holidays. It was where maternal grandmother lived. Sometimes went to the mountains were aunts lived. Holidays were always going to visit relatives. First holiday to the seaside was aged 10 or 11.
A lot of streets in Warsaw have been renamed, but Bozena remembers the old names.
Comments about a change in currency, possibly to the Euro.
Describes the exterior of the apartment block and playing there. There were excursions for city children to take them to the country.
Recalls first proper doll and Christmas present of ice skates, made in the USSR. They would have been very expensive. Still has the ice skates.
Did not have a telephone in the apartment. After meeting husband in England, had to go to the post office to call him: it was very expensive.
As mother was not at work, did not go to school until the age of 7. There were about 40 children in the class, and 4 classes in each year group. The school was near the apartment - could see it from the window. Stayed at that school till the age of 14. Describes first day at achool. The school day was 3 hours long. Mother began working when Bozena went into the second year, and she then had the key on a string round her neck to get back into the apartment. Had to change shoes for slippers when arriving at school. Thinks the teaching of history was too political. Enjoyed school and always got good marks.
Description of photographs.
Chose a secondary school which specialised in maths and physics. It was not too far from home. It was a very big school. Liked Polish, still learned Russian, and started to learn English. Worked really hard; used to go to the 'Methodist School of English' in Warsaw for extra English lessons; parents had to pay for this. Had a heart murmer, so was limited in how much sport she could do. Finished secondary school at age 17. Maths and physics were her chosen core subjects, but did better is the subjects she liked - Polish, English and Russian.
First boyfriend was a friend of brother.
After school went to Warsaw University to study English. Had to do a written and oral exam. There was only about 1 place for 12 people, so was really happy to get a place. Was at university at the time of Solidarity, was not directly involved, but a friend was, and he was interned when martial law came in. At one time there was a strike at the University and some Solidarity members locked themselves in the building, hanging banners outside. Police told people to go away. Another time the street was cordoned off by police. They used tear gas and water canon.
Listened to the Free Europe to get information. The day that martial law was introduced there was nothing on the television and just mournful music on the radio. Eventually the news came on with a man in uniform. Could hear the rumble of tanks entering Warsaw. The media presented the martial law as being for the safety of the population, and better than having the Soviet army entering Poland. Everything changed overnight. It was during last year of university and Bozena was trying to write her dissertation; it was difficult to go to libraries and to meet tutor. The first 6 months of martial law were very disruptive. It was difficult to know who to trust.
First came to England for a month as a student with a couple of student friends as a working holiday. It was diffuclut to arrange, quite expensive and required a visa. Worked on a farm, and in London in a restaurant and in a hotel as a chambermaid. In free time walked round London.
After university got a job in the exchange centre for scientific publications of the Polish Academy of Science. Worked in the Palace of Culture. Lived at home.
Brother had to serve 2 years in the army. Describes visits during his conscription.
Decided to visit England again for holiday and found casual work in a restaurant. This was in 1984, and when Bozena met her husband. First date was to the cinema to see '1984'. On return to Poland exchanged letters nearly every day. He also sent tape recordings. He came to Poland for a weekend to visit and met parents and brother. He later came to Poland for a week and proposed. It was complicated getting married as it was thought people were marrying foreigners for convenience to get out of Poland. Had to go to be interviewed at the British Embassy. The political situation was still very difficult. Got married in the Primate's Palace in Warsaw in 1985. Had 2 weeks honeymoon and then husband had to return to the UK. Bozena could not go with him as she had not got the paperwork; had to give in identity card to get passport - it was rather sad as it felt very final.
Stayed in Finchley with husband Louis for about 7 months, then moved to Dunstable. Got a job at A.B.C. International as an editorial assisant and after a few years had been promoted to an editor. Edited Hotel Guide, then holiday guides. Finished there as a content manager. Was there almost 20 years. Had some opportunities to travel, which was nice. Visited family in Poland every year.
Got pregnant aged 35, and after that paid for parents to come and visit in the UK; still visited brother in Poland. For about 3 years Mother came for periods of 6 months so daughter had someone round her speaking Polish all the time, teaching her Polish nursery ryhmes and stories etc.
Daughter was baptised and so started going to the Polish church and began to meet people from the Polish community. Started to get involved with the Polish community, the Polish School and the parish in general, and made lots of Polish friends. Up till then friends had been English.
Considers it important to retain Polish culture.
Recalls going to church in Poland - lots of singing.
Husband joined Polish dancing group.
Describes the growth of the Polish School and it's move to Downside.
Comments about daughter being brought up with two cultures; when visiting Poland she can speak to her Polish relatives, play games with her Polish cousins and watch Polish television.
Describes first visit to England when a student. Came by train, as that was cheapest. Germany was still divided; crossing the borders was quite frightening; soldiers coming on the train to check passports. The ferry train ended at Liverpool Street Station. Arrived with dollars as could not exchange money for pounds in Poland. Liked the English food. Gives details about accommodation and jobs. Buying clothes and listening to music in record shops.
Level of description
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