Now here’s a real exclusive as it’s not in JOE’s book.. This is an extract from the interview I conducted with Joe Longthorne’s sister Lizzie. It tells of what was like for her and Joe when they were very little. I thought you might be interested in it…..

Joe with his siter Lizzie in Hull

LIZZIE’S TALE of LIFE WITH JOE when they were very young….

LIZZIE:  Joe was always a star in my mam’s eyes from the day he was born. She’d lost children and then had Joe so all her life was wrapped around Joe and when he become  2 or 3 he used to start singing … it reminded my mum of her when she used to sing, but her dad stopped her because in them days, my mother being the Catholic she was, he didn’t like my mam going everywhere singing … so when she saw this in Joe she went to work full time because she knew that she had in Joe what she had in herself … She always said with Joe that he had this talent born in him … My mam went to work 8 til 5 – on a cod farm – so Joe was put into nursery and it was me and my sister who used to take turns in picking him up …. As I remember I used to meet him, opposite a pub called Fisherman’s Arms, round the corner …  when I used to pick him up he’d be singing … immaculately dressed, all booted and suited to the best… Joe always had the best because of the 4 children my mam had lost … I’d pick Joe up, hold him by his hand and he’d say where’s my minger? .. I knew what it was, it was his dummy …    (Joe says minger is gypsy for copper which is mingra)We used to get him out of this old ambulance which they used to pick kids up from all over to take hem to nursery. In them days both my mam and dad always worked… dad out tatting… used to have horse and cart then… and my mam on cod farm… so our job was to get Joe home ready for my mam and dad coming home… dad always came home earlier because he worked for himself, whereas my mam worked in a factory so she had to clock off…. JOE:  Mam used to say I graft because I graft for my kids … LIZZIE:  Both our grandmas besides being sister in laws were friends.. they went out ‘hawking’ - door to door … my dad always wanted my mam to do what they did I think … well my mam wouldn’t, she wanted to go to work get a proper wage … so she always knew she had a few bob to spend on Joe….. Grannie Lizzie – my dad’s mam – used to come straight in our house make sure we was alright – me & Joe, being the youngest … then we’d grab her bag & in this bag would be beautiful clothes, absolutely beautiful… always got good stuff…  … so every week we was done up to the nines.. all these clothes that both grandmas used to get, we got first lot of clothes… what wouldn’t fit us went to the shop on sale… in second hand shop on the corner of the terrace where everybody used to come… before she parted with anything my dad’s mum would make sure we all had clothes.. the other grannie would go knocking and selling…. Always knew when grannie’s shop was stocked out.. her windows would be full by the end of the week …She had a customer with one foot…. Used to be this one customer that used to come in… he had a club foot and he used to say to my grannie ‘have you got any left feet Lizzie?  I’d be stood there … she said oh put your foot up there let me have a look, and she sorted him with a left foot of each pair… but had audacity to charge him same price… used to say it isn’t my fault you’ve only got one foot love… Then me & Joe would have a bit of tea… Ann and John could always go and play… Ann 11 John 8 Me 6 Joe 2… being youngest we’d stay with grannie let me dad go and earn a few bob with his tatting and horse and cart…When my mam used to come in she’d come in with big wellies on stinking of fish bless her… dad used to say ‘we’re going for a drink Teresa.. at 7 o’clock’ ..

THE OFFICIAL JOE LONGTHORNE AUTOBIOGRAPHY, written by Chris Berry, is now available through www.chrisberry.tv please go to the PRODUCTS section.