Kathleen already lived in Leicester at the
bottom of Border Drive, Mowmacre Hill. Bill’s mum was over too, also living
with Kathleen, along with two brothers Eugene (known as Paddy). The other
brother, Bob, followed soon after.
Bill’s father, also called William, was a
barber by trade and had died when Bill was just 11. Bill’s mum, also called Kathleen,
was a District nurse and as she was out a lot working the elder sister,
Kathleen, became a mother figure to the children. The Irish would call such young
girls who behaved like a grown up ‘Buddy’. She is still today known in the family as
Aunty Bud.
The children remember their Dad saying he
was told”Boots or no boots, you’re going to school! ” - there were no excuses.
Bill had been in the Irish Army and had
also worked as a mechanic, a trade he learnt in the army. When he came to
Leicester he worked as a bus driver for Midland Red Buses.
 |
| Joanie O'Keffe, Border Drive. |
Joan Elaine Carlisle, known as Joanie, came
to Leicester in 1956 from Nagpur in India to stay with her eldest sister Eileen
who was already here living with her young family at 80 Border Drive, Mowmacre
Hill.
Joan’s father had been adopted and changed
his surname to that of his birth mother, Mary Carlisle. Joan’s mother was of Dutch descent.
Joan and Bill met one night at the Palais
de Dance. In those days men and women would stand on either side of the dance
hall: the women waiting for the men to ask them to dance. Joan has spotted
William and turned several fellas down before he plucked up the courage to ask
her. It was only when he walked her home that they realised they both lived on
the same street!
She next saw him getting off the bus they
were both on and prodded him in the back with her umbrella to get his
attention. Bill didn't sat much when they first met so Joanie thought he was the silent type. Actually he was a bit embarrassed as girls didn't usually understand his Irish accent!
They were both Catholic and got married in
1959 at Our Lady’s Church on Moira Street. They were both well educated: Joan worked as
a secretary at the tax office, and later as a medical, then, legal secretary.
 |
| The new Mr. and Mrs.O'Keefe |
Although from an Anglo-Indian background,
Joan embraced Bill’s Irish culture and was known for her fantastic curries and
Irish coffees. When they moved up to Stonesby Avenue the kids remember people
coming round after a night out at The Eyres Monsell club, their Dad rolling
back the rugs and everyone enjoying a good dance.
After they were first married Bill went
back home for work and Joan and their two sons, William John (known as Billy)
and Paddy stayed with Joan’s sister, Eileen.
The plan was for Bill to call the family
back home but things changed and he came back to England instead.
 |
| Bill and Billy, Border Drive. |
The family then moved into a flat on
Clarendon Park Rd where their third child, Suzanne was born. Their landlord was
a Mr Singh.
Just before their fourth child Jacqui, was
born they moved to Stonesby Avenue, Saffron Lane. Four years later the family
was complete when Siobhan was born.
Bill was reinstated on the buses on his
return to England. However he later picked up his old trade of mechanic and
worked for Hanger’s Motors on Welford Rd where Homebase now stands. In 1979 he
began working for himself at 503 Saffron Lane, next to Burrows and Smiths.
 |
| Tom Cullen and Bill O'Keefe, 88 Stonesby Avenue. |
All the children attended the new Holy
Cross School on Stonesby Avenue in the 70s, where they all made their Holy Communion.
Suzanne O’Keefe was in the same class as Marie Byrne. Jacqui was in the same
class as Helen Considine and Billy played football with Helen’s brother Timmy.
Billy O’Keefe was in the same class as Sandra Callaghan and remembers John
Mullholand and Mick Tansey. Along with
the above, other family friends include the Brady’s, the Tyrell’s, the O’Hara’s
and the Dempsey’s.
The family knew the Silks, Josie and Tom
and the children, and Tom built the extension on their house on Stonesby
Avenue.
Their mixed race background was still quite
unusual in the 70s and Billy remembers being called” Double Dutch Paddy Pakki “
by other kids.
Billy and Paddy were altar boys at St John
Bosco and Suzanne later married her husband Mark Porter there in1981.
Billy and Suzanne remember that if you
danced on the bar at St Pat’s club you’d get a bottle of pop and a packet of
crisps.
Billy now has a son of his own, named William
Michael (known as Will).
All 3 generations of Williams uncannily have
birthdays on the 22nd of the month:
William Patrick, January 22: William John,
May 22 and William Michael, August 22!
If you know any of the other people mentioned in the O'Keefe story please get in touch and tell us about it. If you'd like to tell your own family's story contact us on 0116
276 9186 or pop in to:
The Emerald Centre, Gipsy Lane, Leicester. LE5 OTB
We're now also on Twitter: follow me on @irishleicester
Click here to view a map of The Irish in Leicester.
The Emerald Centre, Gipsy Lane, Leicester. LE5 OTB
We're now also on Twitter: follow me on @irishleicester
Click here to view a map of The Irish in Leicester.
