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Vast, 4) ,,,, NEWSLETTER

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David Bellamy patron of Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park, pond dipping with children from the localschools when the cemetery took on its new status as a Local Nature Reserve, and the launch of theMillennium Trail in July. (See page 14 for further details)

CONTENTS:Programme 3 Cambridge Heath Road 10Book Reviews 4 Members' Letters 13The Curwen Family, Music and Printing Cemetery Update 14In Plaistow 7 HRH Princess Margaret I5University House 9 Coach Trip 16

ELHS Newsletter Spring 2002

Spring 2002


The East London History SocietyNewsletter is published twice yearly and isfree to members of the Society.

The Newsletter is edited, typeset and producedby Rosemary Taylor with the assistance of aneditorial team comprising John Harris, DoreenKendall, David Behr, Philip Merrick andDoreen Osborne.

Letters and articles on East End history andreminiscences are always welcome and wemake every effort to publish suitable material.Whilst hand-written articles are acceptable,items of interest that are typewritten or evenbetter still, on disk will get priority!!

Enquiries to Doreen Kendall, 20 PuteauxHouse, Cranbrook Estate, Bethnal Green, E2ORF, Tel: 0208 981 7680, or Philip Mernick,email: phil©mernicks com

All queries regarding membership should beaddressed to John Harris, 13 Three CrownsRoad, Colchester CO4 5AD.

Check out the History Society's website atwww.eastlondonhistory.org.uk.

The present committee are: Philip Mernick,Chairman, Doreen Kendall, Secretary, JohnHarris, Membership, David Behr, Programmeco-ordinator, Ann Sansom, Coach Outings,Doreen Osborne, Bob Dunn, Howard Penbergand Rosemary Taylor.

East London History Society Report on the Annual General MeetingNovember 2001

The AGM of the East London History Societytook place on Thursday 22 nd November,before the lecture on Spitalfields. PhilipMernick presented the accounts, whichshowed that the society has a healthy balance.With the minimum of fuss the committeemembers, who had all agreed to continue theirgood work, were re-elected en masse.

As the committee have been considering anew publication, following on the success ofthe Victoria Park book, we have been lookingat publishing Derek Morris's work on MileEnd. Please see the Letters Page for his notesand update. A progress report on this workwill appear in the next newsletter, whenhopefully we will have finalised a publicationdate.

Christ Church Spitalfields


EAST LONDONHISTORY SOCIETY

PROGRAMME 2002

Thursday 28th February 2002

So Your Ancestor Worked in theDocks?Speaker: Bob Aspinall

Thursday 7th March 2002

Town Gardening in 18 th century andearly 19th century LondonSpeaker: Todd Longstaff-Gowan

Thursday 18th April 2002

Developers and Residents on theCoborn and Morgan Estates, BowSpeaker Nigel Glendinning

Saturday 27th April 2002

Spring Coach Trip to the HistoricDockyards at Chatham (See backpage for details and booking form)

Thursday 23 rd May 2002

Open Evening - Memories and Photos

Note:

The lectures are held on Thursday eveningsat 7.30 pm in the Latimer CongregationalChurch Hall, Ernest Street, El. ErnestStreet is between Harford Street andWhitehorse Lane, off Mile End Road(Opposite Queen Mary and WestfieldCollege). The nearest Underground Stationsare Mile End and Stepney Green.Bus No. 25.

The Programme

Suggestions and ideas for future topicsand/or speakers for our LectureProgramme are always welcomed. If youcan suggest someone or indeed if you wouldlike to give a talk yourself, please do comealong to the Open Evening in May, andmeet David Behr, our Programme co-ordinator.

Alternatively, email our Chairman PhilipMernick at phil©mernicks.com with yourcomments and suggestions.

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EHLS Newsletter Spring 2002

Book Reviews

Maid in West Ham: My formativeyears 1924-1948 by Ivy Alexander. Price£10 inc. p&p.

Ivy Alexander, nee Hicks, was born in WharfStreet, Old Canning Town, in 1924. She hasbrought together experiences in her life inMaid in West Ham — this is more than thestory of her own life; it is an excellentexample of how to write family history placedin a social context.

Her parents were an ill-matched couple — herfather had been a professional boxer whostarted his boxing career in the boxing boothsof the time and who later suffered fromresulting brain damage causing him to havefits of aggression. Her mother had marriedhim to get away from home. Her father'sforebears were mostly agricultural workers inEssex; his paternal grandfather became abrickyard worker on Wanstead flats, a placewhere Ivy was to spend many happy hours asa child. Her grandmother is said to have hadtwenty-one pregnancies of which, aftermiscarriages and stillbirths, only eightsurvived to maturity.

Her mother, born in Poplar, came fromgenerations of artisan Londoners. Ivy'smaternal grandfather was a chef; hergrandmother was born in Penge, south eastLondon. Broken families are not a newphenomenon. This grandmother left her familyto live with a licensed victualler while, at alater stage, Ivy's mother left her husbandduring the war and then emigrated to NewZealand in 1952, the last time that Ivy saw hermother. Her father lived on until 1970.

Ivy was the third child in a family of sixchildren. It is here that her story takes off andenfolds the reader with concern for themembers of her family, her friends and theircircumstances. The family home for father,mother, three sons and three daughters was atwo bed roomed house where a constant battle

had to be waged against the bugs which gotinto the bed-springs, behind the wallpaper, andeven in the brickwork and plaster, in spite ofthe family's great efforts to wipe them out.She tells of the arms-length relations withneighbours which existed in pre-war EastLondon, respect for people's privacy and no`dropping in' and the strict injunction tochildren to 'know nothing' if a stranger called,and of an understandable coldness to theRelieving Officer.

The book is an encouraging story of how adetermined girl made a break from thisbackground and from the problems ofeducation in the Second World War years. Thekey to that break is what she describes as 'alove of, and' indeed, thirst for education'which shaped her life.

Her first school was in Bidder Street wheresome children came from families too poor toafford footwear for them and many, like Ivy'sfamily were provided with free breakfasts anddinners because of poverty. When she wastwelve she was selected to attend RussellCentral School, and at sixteen years of age,after some very temporary jobs she gotemployed in a Tuberculosis Clinic in Plaistowwhere she began to question why, in those pre-NHS days, patients had to be income-assessedfor extra nourishment and wondered what wasthe treatment available to the rich, leading tothe thought that 'something must be done' andto political campaigning for socialist ideas.Her thirst for education included five nights aweek at evening classes to which was addedcycling trips, rambling, dances, amateurdramatics, concert and theatre going,immediate post-war visits to France anduniversity, all of which brought a wide circleof friends. An adventurous young woman!

The book worked for me on several levels:family relationships; social history; theimportance of friendships; the need to retain asense of humour in adversity; a love of life. Ithoroughly recommend it as a life story withall those components in it.

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EFILS Newsletter Spring 2002

Ivy Alexander has published the book herself.It is an excellently-produced 159 page paperback book with many photographs and it costsonly £10 packing and postage paid, from MrsIvy Alexander, 4a Fordington Road,Winchester, Hampshire 5022 5AL. Alsoavailable at Newham Parents CentreBookshop, Plaistow.

Eddie Dare

Upton Connections, 1732-1916, AStory of Families by Derk Pelly chroniclesthe history of the lives of the seafaring Pellys,plus the close-knit and interrelated Quakerfamilies, the Sheppards, Gurneys, Frys andBuxtons, all of whom helped shape West Hamin the 18 th and 19th centuries. Derk Pelly theauthor who is directly descended from theseillustrious people has traced his family ties andthe result is far more than just a family history.These were years of great change, when Uptonevolved from a rural hamlet into a seethingmass of smoky tenements. The book isillustrated with portraits of some notablecharacters, as well as maps and illustrations ofUpton and drawings of the great houses.

Upton Connections – A Story of Families ispublished by Pentland Press, price £12.95

The Tower of London Children'sBeach by Rose Baillie Price £3 inc. p&p.Order directly from R Baillie, 15 EscuanLodge, Aberdeen Park, London N5 2AP

Rose Baillie writes: "I set out to research thearchaeology of the Tower foreshore, but foundthe Children's Beach such an interesting andtouching story that the project took on a life ofits own. I produced the book myself thissummer. I would like to emphasise that Iregard this as 'work in progress'. I would bedelighted if any ELHS member has anypersonal recollections or photos that theywould share with me for the Second Edition."

Rose Baillie is the Chair and Hon. FieldOfficer of the City of London ArchaeologicalSociety, who have been engaged in a survey ofthe Thames foreshore at the Tower of London,in front of what had once been the Tower'sWharf. It was during this survey in 1998 thatthe Society came across patches of yellowsand, which proved to be the remains of theTower of London Children's Beach, acharitable endeavour of the 1930s. ManyEastenders have fond memories of theirsummer excursions to the Beach, and it was toprove an extremely popular outing for familiesfrom Stepney. Whilst the book is a factualaccount of the creation of the charity whichran the Beach, and its progress up to and afterthe War, it also gives us snippets offascinating information about those who usedthe facilities and those whose task it was tomaintain a watch over them.

The booklet is fascinating, and well worthgetting, especially for those who have personalmemories of using the Beach.

Changing Places – A short history ofthe MEOTRA area, published by theMile End Old Town Residents' Association,A4, 4Opp. Price £4.50. ISBN 0-9541171-0-7

A collection of essays on various aspects ofthe history of this corner of Tower Hamlets,with some evocative photographs, combinedwith interviews of residents, bringing thehistory up to date, makes this a must forcollectors of east end publications. The bookexplores every aspect of life in this, one of themost elegant areas of the borough, tracing itsearly development, living and working in MileEnd Old Town, transport, leisure and places ofworship.

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Walks through History — ExploringThe East End by Rosemary Taylorpublished by Breedon Books, price £9.99.ISBN 1 85983 270 9

This book of twelve walks covers almost all ofTower Hamlets, from Brick Lane toBlackwall, and places in between! The book isbased on the many walking tours that theauthor has conducted over the years, for ELHSmembers, history classes, various clubs andthe Museum of London. Each of the walks hasa map showing points of interest, and isprofusely illustrated with archive photographsand many others taken by Rosemary herself,during her explorations in search of theunusual and often hidden history of the EastEnd. The illustrations are evocative, and thearmchair traveller will get as much enjoymentfrom these guided tours as the adventurouswho set out to explore the highways, andbyways of backstreet East London.

Available from Newham Parents CentreBookshop, on the Barking Road, EastsideBookshop, Whitechapel (next door to theRoyal London Hospital), The Ragged SchoolMuseum Bookshop and W H Smiths, amongothers.

In the courtyard of the Whitechapel Bell Foundry

Gilda O'Neill has produced an audiocassette of her best selling book MyEast End — A History of CockneyLondon. This is now available atNewham Parents' Centre Bookshop,Barking Road, Plaistow.

A Pictorial History of Victoria Park,published by the East London HistorySociety is still available at £6.95 plus£2 postage and packing. Please sendyour orders to Doreen Kendall, 20Puteaux House, Cranbrook Estate,Bethnal Green, London E2 ORF.

East London History Society —50th Anniversary Call for Papers

The East London History Society willbe celebrating its 50 th anniversary nextyear 2002, with a special publication tocommemorate the event.

Articles are welcomed from all ourmembers, on any topic connected withthe East End of London. If possible,please supply articles on disk andinclude photographs and illustrations.

Please send your material to DoreenKendall, 20 Puteaux House, CranbrookEstate, Bethnal Green, London E2 ORF,or Philip Mernick, 42 Campbell Road,Bow, London E3 4DT.The deadline is 30 March 2002.

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THE CURWEN FAMILY, MUSICAND PRINTING IN PLAISTOW

Pat Francis

Plaistow grew up as a small village in theparish of its neighbour, West Ham. In 1844,the Independent chapel in Plaistow welcomeda new minister, a 28-year-old Yorkshiremancalled John Curwen. In 1891 the minister'sson, John Spencer Curwen, wrote andpublished a booklet, Old Plaistow. It openswith the story of a little girl in Sunday Schoolwho, on hearing of the delights of the Gardenof Eden, commented, 'I expect that placeyou've been talking about is all built overnow'.

The author goes on: 'I should say, frominternal evidence, that that girl came fromPlaistow. That is how we have to end many astory of Plaistow. ... We have exchanged acountry village for a town, a small group ofpeople for a crowd.'

A major cause of this transformation was theMetropolitan Building Act, passed the self-same year that the minister, John Curwen,settled in Plaistow. This Act, meant to protectresidents in the already crowded streets ofLondon, forbade within its borders industrieswhich emitted noxious fumes. Land lying tothe east of the city was free from theserestrictions. Communications by road, riverand the developing national railway networkwere good, and so factories soon coveredground where previously marshmenshouldering long poles had wandered, andsheep fattened on salt grasses. The building ofVictoria Docks in 1855 settled the fate of thearea for a hundred years, residents enjoyinghigh employment, but coughing andspluttering in frequent pea-souper fogs whichfollowed when industrial pollution met dampair on the low-lying Plaistow levels.

John Curwen had been charged by a SundaySchool conference to improve congregationalsinging, and so his conscience was clear whenin 1863 he gave up the ministry in order to

devote himself to publishing music and booksabout tonic sol-fa, the method he had chosento help people, especially the poor, to sing. Atfirst literally a cottage industry, the printingpress took over an old school building inNorth Street in 1866. From the outset,although J. Curwen and Sons always had apublishing address elsewhere in London,printing was done at the press in Plaistow,initially called the Tonic Sol-fa Press, andlater The Curwen Press.

John Curwen kept his prices low. Forexample, the paper-covered 1865 edition ofThe Child's Own Hymn Book added a furthertwenty-three hymns to the previous number,and still claimed to provide an improvedlayout. He saw the songs he published asbeing not only for congregations, but forTemperance Halls, schools, and cheapconcerts of a wholesome nature, to lure peopleaway from pubs and singing rooms, theforerunners of music hall.

John Curwen's sons, John Spencer and JosephSpedding, were usually known as Spencer andSpedding. Spencer, the elder, decided againstfollowing his father and grandfather into theministry, and trained at the Royal Academy ofMusic. At his father's death in 1880, hetherefore took over the publishing side of thebusiness, while Spedding managed theprinting works in Plaistow. It was Spedding,though, who had the honour of singing forQueen Victoria. Alexander Graham Bellpresented the queen with a new-fangledinstrument, a telephone, made of ivory. Toprove its worth, a quartet of tonic sol-fasingers was chosen to sing to her, they beingin Cowes and she at Osborne House on theIsle of Wight. Spedding, possessed of a finevoice, was one of those selected.

Spencer's wife, Annie Jessy Curwen, was anoted piano teacher who wrote a manual forother teachers. Familiarly known as MrsCurwen's Pianoforte Method, it was firstpublished in 1886; it reached its twentieth

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edition shortly before the Great War, andremained in print for many years after that.Annie Curwen followed the precepts of herfather-in-law; they believed children should betaught the elements of music through singingusing tonic sol-fa notation before learning toplay an instrument. The Curwens had alsoalways held firmly to the idea that teachersneeded sound training. In this, as in many oftheir social beliefs, the Curwens were ahead oftheir time. Teacher training in all subjects wasintroduced on a national scale with theEducation Act of 1870. This act called forelementary schooling for the children of arapidly expanding population. Tonic sol-fawas quickly adopted as the method ofinstruction in music in schools. By 1879, JohnCurwen had set up the Tonic Sol-fa College inForest Gate, near the Plaistow printing press.

Spedding took on general printing tosupplement work on Curwen's ownpublications. Secular music was produced, instaff notation as well as tonic sol-fa. Settingmusic by moveable type was a highly skilledtrade, and Curwen's compositors wereespecially looked up to, as they couldtranspose from one notation to the other atsight. By the last decade of the nineteenthcentury, lithography was introduced at NorthStreet, making the setting of music lessarduous. At about this time, cheap paper-making processes greatly increased thevolume of printing in England. Thegramophone had been invented, but was notyet within the reach of many people. Thenumber of pianos, in the home, however, wasincreasing. Sales of sheet music were thereforegood, and Curwen's produced a variety,including the 'action songs' popular during theBoer War.

Nearly half the staff at the printworks formedthe Curwen Caxton Choir. They arrived atseven in the morning to practice beforestarting their day's work. Their efforts paidoff, as they won prizes at the Stratford MusicFestival three years running, from 1900 to1903. Spencer Curwen had been instrumentalin developing competitive choral singing

nationally, and had founded the Stratfordfestival.

In the early years of the twentieth century,running the business was taken over by thethird generation of Curwens. John Kenneth(called Kenneth), eldest son of Spedding,developed the publishing side, introducingorchestral music by contemporary composerssuch as Vaughan Williams, Gustav Hoist, andEthel Smyth, while Spedding's youngest son,Harold, took the printing press in a newdirection. As print proliferated at the end ofthe previous century, the choice almosteverywhere was between the worthy and dulland the wildly exuberant; as befitted a manrespected in chapel-going and Temperancecircles, Spedding had been one of thoseproviding an honest but uninspired service.Harold, born in 1885, was heavily influencedby the Arts and Crafts movement. Kennethwent to Oxford, but Harold chose a practicaltraining in the craft of printing, then evolvinginto the new profession of typography. Heintroduced artists of the calibre of Paul Nashto design end-papers and illustrations.

Harold wished to follow William Morris ingiving joy, or at least satisfaction, to hisworkers in making a beautiful object, butunlike Morris and the small private pressesprinting by hand, he needed to run aneconomical mechanised business. Perhapsthese ambitions were incompatible, but he andThe Curwen Press became renowned fordesign, and it was not at all unusual forworkers to stay with the firm for thirty, forty,or even fifty years. Harold introduced the five-day week before it was legally necessary to doso. It is interesting to note that he did so in1926, the year of the General Strike.

In time, a fourth generation of the family tookover, in the person of John ChristopherCurwen, born in 1911, but gradually thevarious functions of the business split up andwere sold off. The old North Street buildingwas bombed in 1941.

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In their different ways, the Curwens strove forsocial justice as they saw it. The Songs ofWork and _Duty for Schools which JohnSpencer Curwen edited in 1879, teachingthrift, earnestness, and love of parents, andwarning against debt, idleness and the merelymilitary spirit, sound quaint and paternalisticto us. Calling the bindery 'the Girls' Room'may make us cringe, and by our standards,some of the working conditions wereinsupportable. In 1900, for example, there wasno paid leave, though there was a sick club.The Curwens gave staff a day out once a year,and at Christmas the men received a pound oftea while the boys and girls (women usuallyleft on marriage) were given a box ofchocolates. But by their own lights, andjudged by the standards of the day, they weregood employers. And their intention to spreadcheerfulness through song and print was notsuch a bad one.

Further reading: Old Plaistow by JohnSpencer Curwen; 4th ed. published 1905,republished 1994 by Plaistow Press Ltd;Printer and Playground: an autobiography byOliver Simon, Faber & Faber, 1955; Song andWords: a history of the Curwen Press byHerbert Simon, George Allen & Unwin, 1973;The Printing of Books by Holbrook Jackson,Cassell & Co Ltd, 1938.

(Pat Francis writes: Although theinformation was all gathered from booksand records, I remember the old printworks. I was born and brought up inPlaistow, and my forebears all came fromBethnal Green/Mile End.)

East End 1888 by William J Fishman, 376pages, Hardback, ISBN 0-9541059-0-7.Published by Hanbury, 65 Hanbury Street,London El 5JP. Price £20.00 (inc. p&p)

Professor Bill Fishman's book originallypublished in 1988, has been republished, andis available at Eastside Bookshops or directfrom the publishers.

UNIVERSITY HOUSE

Mrs Bertha Bell was housekeeper atUniversity House, Bethnal Green fromOctober 1919 to March 1923. Her husbandwas the doorman. In the late 1980s sherecalled some of her memories of the house,and sadly died soon after in the early 1990s,having lived for many years at 32 St Peter'sAvenue, Bethnal Green.

In 1919 University House contained theoffices of the War Ministry of Soldiers,Sailors and Airmen, situated on the groundfloor at the rear. In a small office in the frontthe Customs and Excise were housed. Otherrooms held the Ministry of Food, Clothing andCoal. This was also where the First WorldWar veterans saw the medical staff for extrafood rations, clothing and coal vouchers whichwere to supplement their small pensionsreceived for being limbless, shell-shocked orsuffering the after effects of being gassed.Many were ragged and homeless, having losttouch with their families, and were a pitifulsight.

On the first floor were the temporary lendingrooms of Bethnal Green Library, which hadbeen bombed out. The third floor was used forstaff offices.

Visitors to the House always remarked on thefine French staircase which was highlypolished.

The entire house was lit by gas lighting andhad shutters at the windows. The garden at theback of the house had large flower beds andvegetable plots, and chickens were also kept.

Mr and Mrs Bell, doorman and housekeeper,lived in a basement flat and were paid wagesof £3 a week for the both of them. Theyworked from 5.30 am lighting fires in every

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room, preparing and serving lunches, morningcoffees and afternoon teas for 26. There werealso two committee teas per week for up to 20staff.In 1922 the Government had an economy cutand their wages were reduced to 22 shillings aweek. The Ministry was closed down inMarch 1923 and the House was let to anEngineering Firm. Lord and Lady Buchananof Oxford House then bought the building fortheological students and social workers. SirWyndham Deedes opened up a social centrefor local people, a boxing club and there wasalso a ballroom where many elderly peopletoday recall chatting up the opposite sex,which led to courtships and marriages. Thelocal paper, East End News was publishedhere in the 1980s, then the House was boughtand turned into residential flats.

Cambridge Heath Road —My Memory Lane

Stephen Sadler

The article on Allinson's by ChristopherLloyd in the Summer 2001 ELHS Newslettergot me thinking. In the far off 1920's myfamily lived in gas lit rooms above Harvey's, afruit and veg shop in Old Bethnal Green Road.We moved to Victoria Park before manyhouses in that part of the 'Old Road' weredemolished by the LCC about 1938.

50 yards to the left of our home was a railwayarch. Looking through it one saw CambridgeHeath Road. On the far side was the Allinsonsbuilding. That view is indelibly printed on mymind. To my child like thinking the roadbecame a grand highway leading to anunchartered world waiting to be explored.Now a senior citizen I am still doing just that.Recently I took a slow walk along pavementswhere once I skipped. From Hackney Road toBethnal green Road was my playground. Themany buildings and three small gardens in thatstretch of Cambridge Heath Road all holdmemories of sights, sounds and even smells.

The traffic was so light a pedestrian couldeasily cross Cambridge Heath Road at anypoint. But one had to watch out for electrictrams that ran in the centre. I recall a smallhorse drawn cart getting a wheel caught in thetram line. The exasperated carman tugged andpushed to release it, but to no avail.Meanwhile, trams, unable to pass, began toqueue in each direction with their drivers andconductors all bellowing advice to thesweating carman. I was one of a crowd ofchildren enjoying the comedy. The horse wastaken from the shafts and from adjacentgarages helpers appeared. When the wheelwould not budge hammers and crowbars wereused. That splintered the wooden wheel, leftthe metal rim in a twisted mess and thedisabled cart was dragged from the lines to

A Memorial Service was held for MrFrank Sainsbury on Sunday 18thNovember at St John's Church inNewbury Park.

Frank Sainsbury was a founder memberof the Newham History Society, formedin 1971, and was the society's secretaryuntil 1997. He worked for the formerWest Ham Council for 35 years up to1965, the last ten years of service asBorough Librarian.

Frank retired to Southport in 1997, anddied aged 86 in October 2001.

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join the nag contentedly munching at a feedbag.

All the locals then knew Glickman's. A largeshiny radio shop (now a supermarket) at theHackney Road intersection. When televisiongot going in the late 1930's this new gadgetwas added to its stock. To attract buyers aworking set was displayed in the window. I,one of many kids who just had to see thismagic, stood outside Glickman's, nose pressedagainst plate glass, watching the flickering TVpicture of a football match.

From Cambridge Heath railway station a childcould take a return journey to Liverpool Streetfor one penny. I remember several of theseadventures with some chums and beingthrilled by wonderful, if short train rides alonga viaduct and through smoky tunnels. Theoriginal 19 th century Liverpool Street station,and its maze of stairs were just waiting to beexplored. If lucky, the young searchers mightget to see a giant express from East Anglia juststeaming in. But a novel entertainment wasfinding a machine that punched your name ona strip of aluminium for one penny. Inretrospect it is astonishing that children couldthen move about London so freely — and insafety — without being accompanied by anadult.

To the south of Cambridge Heath station is aline of railway arches — nearly all garages.Opposite was Bethnal Green Hospital. I usedits services three times. The first was withmumps — `Orrible; the second time round Imust have been a very sorry small boy incasualty with a bloody finger smashed in ametal gate. That and my third visit werepainful. At 14, working in print, I got ink intoa cut finger. The septic wound received roughbut effective treatment. BGH itself hasbecome a casualty in the march of progress.No longer a hospital the old place looks sad.

Another casualty is the Bethnal Green TownHall. As a child I was awed by the place andregarded it as the seat of Great Authority. Now

that imposing building sits unused and forlornwith dirty windows and locked doors.

Next to the Town Hall stood Museum Cinema.I spent whatever coppers I could save forflicks at the 'Museum'. I recall a rare occasionwhen my older brother Wal took me there tosee a Hitchcock classic: Thirty Nine Stepsmade in 1935. In one scene Richard Hannay,the hero, is chased across Scottish Highlands. Ifound it so exciting I jumped noisily up anddown in my seat. That rapidly brought an irateattendant who threatened to chuck us out. Inthe 1960's the cinema joined the casualty list.Part of the site became a council laundry.

I retain a soft spot for York Hall as the place Ilearned to swim. A dip in the pool then cost uskids one penny. That included a towel andbathing trunks, both freshly laundered. Motherdid the weekly wash at York Hall and all thefamily used the baths. At the height of theBlitz, I had not undressed for several days andso my Saturday tub was extra welcome.Barely had I relaxed in the hot bath when theair raid siren wailed. All bathers were orderedout. When nearly dressed the all clearsounded. Annoyed I marched off intoCambridge Heath Road in a state of dampdisgust.

In my day the Museum (a branch of the V &A) had a reputation for stuffiness. Youngvisitors were discouraged unless accompaniedby an adult. And even then we had to staytogether. To be seen apart meant the door. Inthat hallowed hall children spoke in whispers.Happily that has changed. Coaches fromschools regularly bring parties to the Museumof Childhood to enjoy and learn from museumdisplays.

On the far side of the road was a line of smallshops supplying every kind of service frombarbers to butchers. There were several pubsand of course the essential pawnbroker mixedin with small factories. Remarkably many ofthose buildings have survived. But in WorldWar Two some took a knock from a V1rocket. That is why there is a patch of new

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development leading to that strip of frontingParadise Row. Everyone knew it as Pussy CatPark, due I think, to the army of stray moggiesliving in the shrubbery.

At the junction of Bethnal Green Road helpfuland chatty bus conductors – an extinct race –would call out 'Salmon and Ball' after thatcelebrated Victorian pub, referred to by myAunt Margaret as 'The Snuff Takers Arms'.Before the Gardens (corner of Roman Road)became an open space, part of the site wasoccupied by the Bethnal Green Asylum.Victorian cockneys did not forget thatassociation and in a forthright manner namedit Barmy Park. And that was the name I knewit by. I still recall falling in the park pool andrunning home in my wet clothes.

When I progressed from Comic Cuts and FilmFun to books I joined the borough library inthe Gardens. Browsers then walked around thelibrary quietly. The slightest noise broughtdisapproving tuts from staff. I became a keenreader, especially on discovering RichmalCrompton's Just William stories, What magic!Kept me chuckling for hours. Then I found CS Forrester's Hornblower naval novels. Sheerentertainment in print! At that library Iacquired a self-taught education and considerit aided my learning at Mowlem Street School.Why, I even began reading Charles Dickens.

From its inception in 1932 Sir OswaldMoseley's British Union of Fascists becameincreasingly active in Bethnal Green. I recallits 'Blackshirt' soapbox orators holdingmeetings outside the Salmon and Ball andnearby in Victoria Park Square. One Sundayafternoon I watched a massive parade of BUFmembers dressed in black Nazi type uniformssweep across Cambridge Heath Road andmarch into Roman Road heading for a rally.Alarmed by the threat of a political army thegovernment banned all political parties fromwearing uniform. Over 60 years later that lawis still effective.Eastenders were delighted to learn some travelnews. The Underground Central Lines was tobe extended from Liverpool Street to Ongar,

Essex. The Bethnal Green station would be atthe corner of Cambridge Heath Road andRoman Road. The date for completion of a 3year project: 1942. Although World War Twobrought an end to all construction we did havea partly finished station. And it became a wellused deep air raid shelter. I only went thereonce, and that was on an exceptionally roughBlitz night. Down on the platform of the 'IronLung' I recall grim bare lighting, harshunfinished concrete walls, bodies lyingeverywhere, and the stink. The scene remainswith me as a grey morbid picture of life at alow ebb.

In 1943 I joined the Royal Marines. On a dullJanuary morning, nervously clutching a smallcase, I boarded a bus in Cambridge HeathRoad, the first leg of a journey to a WestCountry RM Depot. As I later moved out ofthe borough, that never to be forgotten wintermorning seemed to be my last memorableappearance in that road but ....

Whilst enduring the life of a raw recruit Iheard terrible news from home. 173Eastenders had died in the Bethnal Green tubeshelter. It happened on 3rd March and laterdescribed as the 'worst civilian disaster ofWW2'. After surviving the D Day landing andservice in the far east with the Marines, Iwaited a lifetime to pay homage to those tubevictims and did so in 1993 by joining thecongregation at the 50th AnniversaryMemorial Service held at St John on theGreen. Seated in a pew, waiting for the serviceto begin, I had time to reflect. I had spent myearly life in the borough but it was the firsttime I had ever been Bethnal Green's premierchurch, which of course is in CambridgeHeath Road. And that is my walk downmemory lane.

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MEMBERS' LETTERS

Jim Crouch, of 131 Hillcrest Road,Hornchurch, Essex, whose excellentcontributions to the newsletter has been muchappreciated, had requested copies of thepictures that were added to accompany hisarticles. He writes:

Many thanks for the discs and the photographswhich were much appreciated. It is when youget this type of response from the society thatyou realise just how invaluable themembership is.

I have recently purchased your latest book ofWalks in the East End and would like tocongratulate you on yet another excellentbook.

(Ed. Thank you, Jim, for your kind words.)

R Cushion, 8 Beech Grove, Millgate,Bentley, Doncaster DN5 ODG writes:

I have just had the pleasure of renewing mymembership and having read the current issueof the newsletter thought that I would let youknow how much I enjoyed it. There are alwayssimilarities in each number with my childhoodin Hull in the 1930s.

I particularly enjoyed John Payne's article andwas able to identify with the characters suchas the ex RSM and the lady 'Mad Lou'. In aterrace near us was a similar character whowas known as 'Gimme the Wire' so calledbecause when on the rampage and smashingwindows with a shoe she would call out to thekids who were following her progress, I wasone, 'Gimme the wire when the slops arecoming.' (Slops – coppers; Wire – warning.)

I remember another character in the sameterrace gassed himself and an older lad toldme thought I must see, and I waited for whatseemed hours for the body to be carried out, Ican't describe my disappointment at it being

covered with a blanket. With suchentertainment, who needed television?

Looking forward to the next issue of theRecord, and with apologies for the writing.

Derek Morris, 21 Haddon Court,Shakespeare Road, Harpenden,Herts AL5 5NB has sent this update on theproposed publication of his Monograph onMile End Old Town, 1740-1780.

`I have now completed 90 percent of the firstdraft and various friends are currently readingthe chapters and checking for readability,obvious errors etc.

While they do this I am working on reference,illustrations and an essential glossary.

Their comments have been very favourablesuch as from an Official London Guide: 'Notonly was it very entertaining and the personaldetails and way of speech very revealing ofthe way of life, but your aims and conclusionsinterpret the area well.' Another wrote:found the introduction to your book extremelyabsorbing. It will certainly interest not onlythe East London History Society members, buthopefully, a wider readership. The best pieceis about John Bond, which gives a wonderfulword picture of just where he lived and whathe did as a tax collector and how he did it.'

Alan Gardner, 23 The Daedings,Deddington, Banbury, 0X15 ORT:

In a recent newsletter there is a reference to abook 'Bow Then and Now' but I can find notrace in the newsletters of how I can obtain it.Can you help, please? My father was born inTredegar Road in 1890 and I am thereforeparticularly interested in that photograph. I amalso trying to discover where George Gardens,Bethnal Green is – or was. My grandmotherwas born there in 1866 but I can find no traceof it on any past or current maps that I have of

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BG, although there is a photograph if it takenin 1903 – in Gilda O'Neill's 'My East End'.

Although I was born in Hackney and have notlived in East London since 1937, I still lookupon Bethnal Green and Bow as my spiritualhome as I have had so many familyconnections there.

I would love to take a more active interest inthe affairs of the society, but distance and agedeter it. The newsletter is an excellent link tokeep in touch and I normally find a number ofitems of interest. It is a great credit to its editorand contributors.

I was walking around Cranbrook Estaterecently, rekindling memories of CranbrookStreet of long ago – they were mainly happy –and then walked across Victoria Park. It is stilla lovely park, although I am not saying that Iagree with all the changes that have beenmade. Is it possible to obtain a copy of thephotograph of the lake which appears at thefoot of page 34 of the Pictorial History of thePark? I would, of course, be prepared to payfor it, as I wish to frame what has specialmemories for me.

(Ed. Doreen and Diane obliged with ascanned copy of the above picture, andinformation on Bow Then and Now, andGeorge Gardens – which was nearGibraltar Walk in Bethnal Green.)

Alan Gardner responded with thefollowing:

Very many thanks for your letter and for thetrouble you have taken in answering myqueries. The photograph by Diane is excellentespecially as it is in colour and I am trying tofind the best spot in the house to show it to theadvantage it deserves.

The photo-copies of the Bow pictures werealso very interesting. My father was born in ahouse just out of shot behind the camera inTredegar Road.

The other literature is also very interesting,especially the development of Mile End Park.One small point – in the Time Out leaflet thereis no mention of BG Museum. It is still open,isn't it? I spent many childhood hours therelooking at the exhibits. You have given meenough further information to make anotherday's visit well worth while!

(Ed. The Bethnal Green Museum ofChildhood is still open, and well worth avisit.)

Cemetery Update

In July 2001 Tower Hamlets Cemetery Parktook on its new status as a Local NatureReserve, and the new Millennium Trail waslaunched with the publication of a Guide tothe cemetery. David Bellamy, who is patron ofthe Cemetery Park spent the afternoon in theCemetery Park with children from localschools, and Doreen Kendall led a walkaround the cemetery.

If you would like to help Doreen and Diane intheir sterling work of recording graveinscriptions, meet them in the cemetery on thesecond Sunday of every month, at 2.00 pm.Over the past few years they have done anenormous amount of work and have helpedscores of people locate their ancestors' graves.During last year's Bank Holiday Open Day,Mrs Pearl Amodeo from Canada flew overspecially to see the grave of her mother, OliveAnderson, which had been located by Doreen,and Mrs Mollie Elliot and her husband made aspecial trip from Bristol.

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As this newsletter was being put together the news came through of the sad death of HRH PrincessMargaret. The Princess made several visits to the East End with her sister, our present Queen and herparents, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, as well as on her own. This is one occasion, when thenew building was opened to replace the bombed churches of St Nicholas at Blackwall and AllHallows on East India Dock Road. HRH Princess Margaret is pictured cutting the ribbon at theopening of St Nicholas and All Hallows Church Hall in Aberfeldy Street, Saturday 22 October 1955.On the left is Prebendary Mark Hodson, Rector of All Saints, Poplar, who was later Bishop ofHereford.

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SPRING COACH TRIPSATURDAY 27 TH APRIL 2002

THE HISTORIC DOCKYARDAT CHATHAM

This has been highly recommended for a visit.

There is very much to see, including three historic warships to explore (one a submarine).There is a ropery, where you can see rope making being done in the traditional way. Thereis the RNLI's collection of lifeboats. The history of Chatham and the Royal Navy isdisplayed in a museum. Many of the buildings are scheduled as ancient monuments. Thesounds, sights and smells of an 18 th century dockyard are recreated.

Because there is so much on the site, I am not sure if there will be time for a visit toRochester as well — we'll see on the day.

Lunches and teas can be obtained, or bring a picnic.

Entrance is £7.00 full rate, £5.00 concessions, £4.50 child. I will be collecting this on thecoach.

The coach fare will be £7.50. Please send this to me on the booking form below. The pick-up will be at Mile End, at the bus pull-in in Grove Road, just round the corner from MileEnd Station, at 9.30 am.

Please send your bookings on the form below to me, Ann Sansom, 18 Hawkdene, LonddriE4 7PF. Tel. 020 8524 4506. My mobile no. is 078 1569 5428. I will have this with me onthe day in case of problems.

SPRING COACH TRIPThe Historic Dockyard at Chatham

Saturday 27th April 2002

I/We would like seat's for the coach trip.

NAME/S

ADDRESS

TEL. NO. I enclose a cheque/PO for £

(Cheque made payable to the East London History Society.)

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