Irene Carver and her husband John owned a Scarborough pub, the Lord Nelson, on Victoria Road. Owing to John Carver's connections with the fishing industry it was a fisherman's pub.
Irene and John Carver were both from Hull. Irene was one of many people affected by the bombing during the war. Her home was bombed out and she had to go and live at her Aunt's. She didn't save as thing from the house - they just had to 'let it go'.
Back then they had nothing but radio. They would huddle round the wireless set listening to all the latest news. The wireless was never off. It was relief when the war was over. They held street partiesin Hull with cakes and lemonade.
John Carver's father was a publican in Hull. John took on the Lord Nelson in his early twenties. Their son indeed took on a pub - the Aberdeen on the corner of Aberdeen Walk.
They ran quite a friendly pub. It was mostly families as men used to come with their wives. Anyone causing trouble would be shown the door. If they refused to go then the police would be called.
Young men would start their pub crawl on a Friday night. They would start off in the Victoria Hotel and work their way around the pubs until they got to the nightclubs. Some of the clientle were visiters who would come on cheap holidays from Leeds and Hull. John Carver went to nuatical school in Hull and had many fishing connections.
Many fishermen used to come into the pub. A lot worked on trawlers. They would bring some fine fish with them. They would always have a fine piece of haddock or skate for the landlord. The fishermen would often be here for two days then disapear back onto the trawlers for five days.
Fishermen such as Bill Sheader often popped in. It was a very friendly pub though. Everybody knew each other and if it was someone's birthday then they threw a little party. It was a busy pub packed with fishermen singing songs and telling jokes.
