Uncles & Aunts

Thomas and Sarah Napper Had the following Children

1) Thomas Albert Napper

Tom was born 29, Jun 1903, and was baptised 19, Jul 1903 in St. Barnabas, South Kennington, Lambeth,

Tom C 1916

Upon leaving school Tom was employed as a greengrocer. He married Mary (May) Leggett 9 November 1930. May had lived at 52 Lindford Street. The Billam family lived at no. 46. Helen (Nelly) Billam had married Tom's brother Harold in 1929.

After their marriage they set up home at 18 Patmore Street, Nine Elms, as lodgers of James & Rebecca McKenzie.  Rebecca seems to be the head of the Household. She is able to vote in her own right, whereas husband, Jim, is only able to vote because of his wife's occupation. This suggests that he wasn't employed, she was, and they had to take in lodgers.

31 July 1932 he was best man at his brother Charlie's wedding.

Daughter June was born 15 Nov 1933, followed by Shirley on 15 Oct 1936

By 1939 Tom was employed as a Tool Room Engineering Labourer. HIs father, had moved from Dawlish street, to just round the corner from Patmore street, to Stockdale road.

On 4 June 1940 their son, Peter was born.

Tom had by now joined the Armed Forces

 

On Sunday 10th September 1940, at about 7pm the Luftwaffe began a raid on Battersea.  At about 11:40 a land mine was dropped by parachute. Much of Patmore Street and the surrounding area was destroyed. 

On 25 February 1942 their third daughter, Vivian was born.

After the war they were rehoused to 3 Ascalon House, Ascalon Street.

In the early 1950's they moved out of central London to 120 Titchfield Road, Carshalton.

28 June 1957 their daughter June emigrated to Canada, followed by Vivian in 1959

by 1965 they were living at 1 Chester Gardens, Sutton.

October 1990 - visiting their nephew Colin Napper in Lowestoft.

Tom & May had the Following Children:

JUNE born on 15 Nov 1933. 
SHIRLEY  born on 15 Oct 1935.
PETER born on 04 Jun 1940 

VIVIAN born on 25 Feb 1942.

Tom died in 1992 and May died in 1994

2) Queenie Ada Napper

Born 15 September 1905 and baptised 5 October at St. Barnabas' South Kennington.

Confirmed 19 November 1919

, , , ,

In her teens, Queenie learnt to play the Black Ebony piano that was in the front room at home. It was made by a firm called "Russell & Russell" of Clapham Road. It was bought "on the weekly",

In 1929 she married her cousin Ernest Russell

Residence: 
1932 in 7 Shaftsbury House, Vauxhall Walk, SE11( The home of her In-laws: William and Mary Russell 

1933 in 35 Cavendish Road.(With Claude & Ethel Beasley & Robert De Ath,) 

1935 in 40 Tavistock Road, Carshalton; Nr Her brother Tom,

1936 in 24 Tweeddale Road, Carshalton,

29 Sep 1939 in 48 Croxden Walk, Merton & Morden,

1949 in Chippenham, Wiltshire, England,

1949 - Queenie, Horace & Joan

Queenie & Ernest had the following children:

MAUREEN born on 05 May 1932.

RAYMOND born on 21 Oct 1936.  

JOAN born on 26 Apr 1929 

GILLIAN J RUSSELL.

Queenie died in 1978

3)  Charles William Napper

Birth: 2 Feb 1907
Baptism: 13 March 1907, St. Barnabas, South, Kennington

1917

Residence: 31 Jul 1932 in St. Barnabas, Landsdown Gardens
Occupation: 31 Jul 1932 - Railway Porter
Marriage: 31 Jul 1932 in St. Mary's Lambeth

Residence
29 Sep 1939 - 18 Tyers Street, Vauxhall; Living with In-laws.
1949 in 18 Tyers Street; No in-laws,

1950 in 18a Newport Street, Vauxhall; Lodgers: Bertram Mason, Charles Winterton, Maurice & Bessie Vincent, and George Maynard (who went on to marry my mother's cousin, Peggy.)

1951 in 18a Newport Street, Vauxhall; Lodgers: Maurice & Bessie Vincent,

1952 in 18a Newport Street, Vauxhall; Lodgers: Maurice & Bessie Vincent,

Death: Dec 1952.

In 1956 Hettie married Bertie Spurway and lived at 27 Harders Road, Peckham.

Charlie and Hettie had one daughter: June.

June was born in 1937 and died in August 1991 in Lambeth. 

4) Harold George Napper

Birth:- 20 Nov 1908

Baptism:- 9 Dec 1908 in St. Barnabas, South Kennington.

Between October and December 1929 Harold Married Helen (Nelly) Billan in Lambeth. Following in the Napper tradition of short pregnancies, Little Harold was born the following Spring between Jan and March.

Residence:-1932 in 46 Linford Street. They were living with Nelly's Parents, brother & Sister-in-law. (Note the Legalls lived at 52 Lindford Street. May Leggall Married Tom Napper)

1935

Address
1937 in 18 Dawlish Street (Harold's parents lived at 22 Dawlish Street)
1938 in 22 Stewarts Road. (They shared the house with two other families)
1947 in 49 Thessaly House, Thessaly Street, Nine Elms.
1949 in 49 Thessaly House, Thessaly Street, Nine Elms.

1951 in 49 Thessaly House, Thessaly Street, Nine Elms; With Ivy
1954 in 49 Thessaly House, Thessaly Street, Nine Elms; With Hal & Eileen, and grandson Steven
1958 in 49 Thessaly House, Thessaly Street, Nine Elms; With son Tom.
1961 in 30 Manor Place, Spelthorne, Stains
1965 in 30 Manor Place, Spelthorne, Stains

Nellie died in 1949.
In 1950 Harold married Ivy Cox

Occupation: 29 Sep 1939, Goods Porter. Southern Region Railway.-

Harold died in 1980                                 

Children:-
Hal and Nelly had the following children

Hal (Little Harold) Napper

Tom Napper

Elaine Napper

5) Nobby (Percy) Napper.

, ,

Birth: 21 Dec 1910

1917

He married Evelyn E M (Eva) Robinson in Dec 1938 in Lambeth

Occupation: 29 Sep 1939 ; Coopers Labourer,

Residence 
29 Sep 1939 in 83 Tradscant Road Lambeth; Lodged with 2 other families. Fred (Stableman) & Edith Atkins, Mr & Miss Sellwod (Law typists),

1945 in 25 Lennox, Buildings, Wandsworth Road,

He continued to live here until his death 4 Oct 1961. 

Eva died in Jul 1993 in Wandsworth.

Nobby & Eva had the following children

Anthony J T Napper b 6 Aug 1939

David E Napper born March 1945

Edward H Napper born 1947

6) Reginald James Napper

Birth: 07 Nov 1914 in Lambeth,

Baptism: 17 Dec 1914

Reg C 1934

Residence: 1939 in 158 Wandsworth Road. Vauxhall; With Father and Clarke Family,

Occupation: 29 Sep 1939 ; Window Dresser,

Residence: 29 Sep 1939 in 4 Stockdale Road,

Marriage: July 1949 in Romford (Dessie) Decima Winifred (Joyce) Stewart,

Residence: 58 Streathbourne Road; With Fredk Adams, Arthur & Elizabeth Crisp,

Residence: 2000 in 11 Penvensey Close, Crawley.,

Death:, May 2000 in Crawley, Sussex, 

Children

James A Napper

Steven W Napper

7) Violet Evelyn Napper

Birth:-16 Dec 1916 in Lambeth

C 1936

Marriage:-1938 in Lambeth to Arthur Wenborn

Address:- 29 Sep 1939 at 42 Amersham Vale, Deptford. Living with in-laws: George & Ethel Wenborn and brother-in-law, George.

Occupation
29 Sep 1939 ; Unpaid domestic duties. Husband Arthur worked as a core examiner for undersea cables.

1942 in London Docks. One of the first women stevedores

1950's. Tea lady at the BBC.

Address
1945 at 182 Edward Street, Deptford. SE14. Arthur was still in the forces.

1946 at 182 Edward Street, Deptford. SE14; Arthur still in the forces. Vi takes in a lodger: Joe Delamain

1956 in 21 Maple House, Idonia Street, Deptford-

1963 in 22 Seldon House, Seldon Road, SE15-

1965

1968 Vi & Arthur & her brother Harold

Marriage:-22 Feb 1984- John Langley

November 2002 with Colin Napper

Death:-14 Dec 2002 in Kettering --

Children:-

Ronald Arthur Wenborn

Barry Anthony Wenborn

John Wenborn

8) Dora May Napper

Born: 23 Dec 1918

Address 1939: 4 Stockdale Road with her father, sister, Vera and brothers Eddy Reg. Also living here is her cousin, William Russell.

Marriage: in 1940 she married her cousin, William Russell, in Battersea

1944

Address 1946: 56 Luscomb Street with her father, sister Vera and brothers Reg & Eddy

Marriage: 1947 she married George Murray Melville Truman in Lambeth

Address 1947: 6 Vauxhall Grove. She shared a house with James & Evelyn Clasby, Lilian

Jenkins and Mary Rogers. Husband George was still in the forces.

Address1948: 6 Vauxhall Grove. George has been demobbed. They now share the house with Martin & Kathleen Scanlon, Lucy Oakley and Albert & Christina Robson. Dora a George remain here until 1955

 

1949

Address 1954: 12 Severne House, Black Prince Road. They remain here until 1959 when they move to Dagenham

1979

Death: George died 4 Jun 1980 in 27 Reede Road, Heathway, Dagenham

1988

Death: Dora died 14 Sep 2002 in Felixstowe

Children 

Doreen S Truman

Lynne E Truman

Melville Edward James Truman

Murry Truman

Rodney G Truman

9) Edward Henry Napper

Birth:-19-Sep 1920 in Lambeth

Address:

29-Sep 1939 in 4 Stockdale Road-

1947 in 56 Luscomb Street; With Father and brothers Horace and Reg-

1952 in 12 Basil House, Wilcox Rd. S..Lambeth; Living with his father, Tom Napper

1961 in 51 Bonnington Square-

Occupation:-

29-Sep 1939 - Railway Porter

1969 in Waterloo Station; British Rail

Death: 24-Nov 1984 in Lambeth-

Married Elizabeth Sutherland-

Children:

Isabel Napper-

10) Horace Leslie Napper

Birth: 10  Aug 1922

Residences

10 Aug 1922 - 22 Dawlish Street, South Lambeth.                                                                            12  Sep 1948 - 56 Luscombe Street, London SW8                         

13 Sept 1948 - 1a (Ground Floor) Dorest Road

18  Jul 1949 - 1a Dorset Road, London, SW8                                 

08  Aug 1949 - 1b Dorset Rd. (Incl. John & Gladys O'Leary, James & Alice Reese          

09  Oct 1950 - 27 Meadow Place.(Ground Floor) London SW8                               

1951 - 27 Meadow Place (First Floor)

1952 - 12 Basil House, Wyvil Estate, Wandsworth Rd. London SW8

1954 - 12 Conrad House, Wyvil Estate, Wandsworth Road, London, SW8

1955 - 62 Turner Buildings, Erasmus Street, Millbank. London.

1958 - 44 Haward Gardens Putney
1959 - 41 Pemberton Road, Slough
1965 - 19 Alderman Terrance, Easthampstead. Bracknell
1967 - 34 Haversham Drive, Easthampstead, Bracknell
1970 - 75 Ashbourne, Great Hollands, Bracknell.
1971 - 26 Ardingly, Great Hollands, Bracknell
1975 - 11 Chalmers Road, Ashford, Middx.
1977 - “Pendrin” Atlantic Road, Tintagel.
1979 - 117 “Brookside”, Fosters Lane, Tintagel
1983 - “ Centaur” 35 Westdown Road, Delabole, Cornwall.
1985 - 26 Foster Drive, Bodmin 
1987 - 2 Windy Ridge, Roseveare Park, Gothers, St. Dennis. St. Austell PL26 8DG
1988 - 37 Monument Way, Rock Lane, Bodmin
1988 - 31 Fosters Drive, Bodmin
Sept. 1988 - Caravan at Dereham, Norfolk.
Nov 1988 -11 York Road, Felixstowe        —
1989 - 45 Gainsborough Road, Felixstowe
1990 - Flat 3, 13, Constable Road, Felixstowe
Oct 1991-“Killibury” Sandylands, Egloshale, Wadebridge
Dec 1992-17 Berryfields, Bodmin
1993 - 12 William Tubby House, Swonnels Walk, Lowestoft.
Feb 1994-27 Nightingale Avenue, Reydon, Southwold.
Oct 1995 - 28a Downland Park. The Street, Bamber, Steying, West Sussex.
1996 - 55 Ophir Road, Worthing, West Sussex
1997 - 7 Seamill Park Crescent, Worthing.
March 1998 - Restormell, Mount Pleasant, Crewkerne, Somerset.
March 1999 - 6, Evergreen Path, Merriott, Somerset.
March 2000 - 4 Stenagwyns Court, Foxhole, St. Austell. Cornwall
February 2001 - 3 Meadow Court, Meadow Street, Mevegissey, Cornwall.
January 2002 - 39 Killermont Place, Kilwinning, Scotland
Apr 2003 - 6 Chalybeate Court, Kilwinning, Ayrshire, Scotland.
Apr 2003 -18 Chalybeate Court, Kilwinning, Ayrshire, Scotland.
Sept 2005 - 1 Robert Smith Court, Stalham, Norfolk
Feb 2007 - 4 Herivan Gardens, Lowestoft
Sept 2008 - 4 Creighton Court, Kilmarknock
Oct 2009 - 1 Wensum Gardens Lowestoft

Mar 2010 -41 Hometor House, Exeter Road, Exmouth

6 June 2011 - Flat 4, Palmer House, 9 Station Road Budleligh Salterton
6 Aug 2011 - 27 Stanley Mews, Upper Stonebridge Lane Budleigh Salterton

Occupations

1938 - Booking Clerk, Waterloo Station

16-Jul 1942 - Army. National Service 
15-Apr 1947 - Transferred to Army Reserve.

13-Sep 1948 - Booking Clerk, Waterloo Station

Feb 1952 -  Clerk, Consumer Accounts Dept, London Electricity, Battersea
21-Aug 1954 - Accounts, American Express.in Haymarket, London
1959 - Mars Chococlate Factory, Slough
1964 - Accountant, Benfix, Slough Industrial Estate

1976 - Self-employed B&B proprietor, Tintagel, Cornwall

1979 - Accountant,  Fitzgerralds lighting, Bodmin, Cornwall

1947

Died 11 November 2011

Children
Colin Napper
Irene Napper
Pauline Napper
Diane Napper

11) Vera Sarah M Napper

Birth:
02 Mar 1924
             
Address
1924: 22 Dawlish Street
29 Sep 1939: 4 Stockdale Road (With father & brothers)
1950: 56 Luscomb Street (with father & Brothers)
1952: 12 Basil House; Living with father, and brothers Reg & Eddy-
15 Feb 1953: Lambeth
1956: 12 Bombay Block, Deepcut Barracks, Aldershot; (Husband Charles not on electoral register)
1957 ; No longer at Deepcut.

Occupation:
29 Sep 1939 in Unpaid Domestic Duties-

Marriage:

Sep 1951 in Bradford, Yorkshire to Charles Smith

Children

Christine
Michael

1947

1968

Horace Napper - In his own words

I was born on the 10th August 1922, 22 Dawlish Street, London. I was the 10th of eleven children. The house where we lived was:

Ours was a street of back to back houses and most comprised of what we called a Front Room, a Back Room, a Kitchen and a Scullery which lead off it. A door from the Scullery led into a "Yard" covered with flag stones.

Our only toilet was situated outside in the Yard. Inside the housie we had gas mantles, but there was no lighting in the outside toilet. At night I would have to take a brother or sister with me to hold the candle and frighten away the rats and mice. But mostly we used a bucket in the bedroom (we were too poor for a po) and emptied it in day light. Toilet paper was scraps of old newspapers.

At this time my eldest brother, Tom, and my sister Queenie, were courting. But all 10 children lived at home.

The Front Room

Queenie (20), Vi (17) and Dora (15), shared a double bed in the down stairs front room. In this room, apart from the 3 girl's double bed, there was a Chimer with a shelf full of Knick-Knacks; an oval wooden table which folded down on two hinges into a perpendicular position.

There was also a Black Ebony piano which belonged to my sister Queenie. I'm not sure how she came to have this, but it was made by a firm called Russell & Russell of Clapham Road, S.W.9. And no doubt was bought "on the weekly".

Also in this room was a gramophone with a large Horn. I can never remember it being played or ever seeing any of the records, but there was a supply of needles which came in a small tin with a hinged lid about 1 1/4" x 3/4".

In front of the window always stood the table with an aspidistra on it. I remember the window so well with its starched lace curtains hanging from a huge wooden rail. Inside the window you could lift the sill, which was on hinges, and pull up from its inside 2 large solid wooden blinds.

Also in the front room was an open wrought-iron fire grate. It was never used but was regularly polished with black grate polish. This polish came in a small block, which we used to spit on, dab a brush in and then keep polishing the grate.

In front of the grate was an old silk fire screen with a wooden frame. Above the grate was a mantle shelf and this was also full of Knick-Knacks. On the shelf it's self was a sort of damask cloth which hung down from the shelf. We called it "The Mantle Cloth". On the wall above the mantle shelf on the chimney wall were twin gas brackets. I can never remember them being lit. They were so delicate that even a strong draught would damage them. The mantles were always being broken. These mantles were the same as can be seen today in old caravans.

The gas meter was fixed high up on the wall between the front room and the back bedroom. The Meter was so high that the children had to stand on a chair to put in a penny. In my youth a penny was a small fortune. 2d would but a large loaf of bread. 1d was the only coin which would go into the meter.

Beneath the Gas Meter Shelf there were always lots of coats hanging from nails driven into the wall. As children we used to hide under these coats, and if there were an overcoat hanging there, we couldn't be seen.

The Back Bedroom

The back bedroom was my parent's room. The furniture consisted of a huge cast iron double bed, and an enormous chest of draws. I believe that the lowest draw was used as a cot. I can't remember if my youngest sister, Vera, was the last to use it or not.

One other item of furniture in this bedroom was the cot.

My sister Vera was a delicate child and spent quite a lot of time in and out of Hospital. (When I was about 7 or 8, I remember going to visit her in hospital with my mother at Carlshalton Beeches.)  When she was at home Vera often sleep-walked, so she invariably slept in a cot in my parents bedroom. This cot was also of cast iron and had metal bars in the sides. I well remember when the cot was finally dismounted and we used the sides as a ladder to climb on.

I think all my brothers and sisters at some time slept in this cot. I can recall when my brother Eddy slept in it, for one morning he was found with blood pouring from his hand. It appears he was suffering from warts on his hand and the previous night caustic soda was put on them to burn them off but the solution was either too strong or too much put on. It was said that he nearly bled to death. He had a terrible scarred hand for the rest of his life and had difficulty in clenching his fist.  I slept in the cot until I was about 7 or 8 and then shard a bed with my brothers.

In this bedroom was the used gas mantles but these were protected by glass shades and were awkward to light with matches. One had to light the gas by turning it on with one hand and with the other hand apply the lighted match to the mantle being careful not to puncture it. A Taper would have been ideal but I suppose they were more expensive than matches.

Also in the room was a wooden half-moon shaped wash stand with a marble top. On the wash stand stood a large wash bowl and what seem to me an even larger water jug.

Coal Cupboard.

From this bedroom a passage led to the kitchen passing a cupboard under the stairs on the way. This cupboard was actually called the coal cupboard but all I can remember being in there was a heap of coal dust about 2 feet below the level of the passage floor. The place was covered with huge spider's webs hanging from the walls and beneath the stair treads. My brothers said there were also rats and mice in there, so if we were asked to get some coal for the fire we would stand banging on the door for 5 minutes to frighten them off! We would then lie on the passage floor and lean down and use our hand to scrape up some of the dust. The other hand would be used to cling on to the side of the door for dear life. My brothers would often threaten to lock us in the cupboard and sometimes did. They would only let us out after we had been screaming the house down. To this day I have a fear of spiders and heights.

The Kitchen.

At the end of the passage was the kitchen door. It was in no way a kitchen as we know it today. It was the general living room where everyone ate and sat either listening to the wireless or playing games on the kitchen table. The room itself was about 12' x 8'.

On opening the kitchen door about 5' on the left was another door which led to the yard. On the other side of the kitchen was a wooden screen which reached to the top of the ceiling. This was full of nails on which hung every one's jackets. When you think that many of my brothers worked on the railway and were issued with free uniforms made from heavy coarse material then that screen was taking quite a bit of weight. On reflection I don't know how it stood up.

Behind this screen was the kitchen table with an assortment of hand made stools around it. They must have been well made because I can never remember any being replaced. There was a kitchen window here which looked into the yard and under this window was the largest of the stools which could sit about 4 people. Working our way around the room, on another wall was a door which led to the wash house, as we called it. (Some families called it the scullery). There was no hot water tap – only cold. We had no bathroom; it was in this room that everyone washed. There was no privacy. On the same side as this door were more chairs with never two the same. Some had backs on them but most were broken off.  In the corner was a copper with a little fire underneath it.

On the wall, from a 6 inch nail, was a huge photo or print depicting the charge of the Light Brigade. I think my mother had a tremendous sense of humour. To see the picture there and reflect on the size of our family it should have been captioned the charge of the hungry brigade!

Turning onto the next wall, the focal point of the room was the kitchen range. On one side of the range was a shelf on which the wireless set, together with an accumulator. There was of course no electricity in the house and the accumulator worked the wireless. The accumulator was quite a heavy thing, slightly smaller than today’s car battery, but which we had to carry every week to a wireless shop where they would exchange it for one that had been charged. The cost on exchanging it was, I think, 2d.

The kitchen stove itself was made of solid iron stove that had to be cleaned every week by rubbing down with emery paper.  The oven was not used for cooking, but only to dry out boots when it had been raining, and also used as a means of keeping meals hot for any of my brothers who were on shift work or were cling home late from an evening out.

The fire grate was quite large and in it burnt anything that could be burnt. If it couldn't be burnt it wasn't for the want of trying. Some of the things we burnt would be chopped up fish boxes from the local fish stall at the top of the street. The wood should have been dried out and would then have burnt quite readily, but we put it on the fire whilst it was wet and the smoke and the smell were terrible. Inevitably the kitchen window had to be left open to let the smoke and smell out, so the warmth from the fire was practically nothing.

We were too poor to buy coke for the fire. But what used to do was hire a wheelbarrow for 2d and then tout around the neighbours and charge them extra per bag and keep the profit.

Another thing we burnt was bark which we used to collect from a local wood-yard. Before school and sometimes after school we would take a sack to the wood-yard and fill it up with bark which had been chipped of the trees. This stuff again would smoke something awful because I suppose it was damp. We would try and remedy this by trying to gather decent wood which was used to separate the planks after the trees had been sliced. But if we were caught stealing it we would be booted out of the wood-yard and would lose whatever we had gathered in the sack.

Another favourite fuel would be what we called tarry logs. These were blocks of woods about the size of today's brick and looked like railway sleepers chopped up. Many roads were laid with these blocks. After they were laid they would be covered with tarmac and a sprinkling of grit and a road roller would roll it down. When there was any road works going on, the word would spread that tarry logs could be had and again we would take a sack or an old pram and try and get some. When the road works were on there would always be a night watchman on duty. He would have his own night watchman's hut with a brazier going permanently boiling a Dixie can for hot water for the tea during the night. He kept his brazier going with coke and the odd tarry log. We would ask for a few and when given permission would fill up our sacks with about 1/2 a dozen logs, but at the same time scoop up with our hands some of the coke which would be in a pile near his hut. One had to be careful yet quick to pinch the coke. It seems the largest lumps of coke. When we put the tar logs on the fire the tar would melt and pour out bellows of thick black smelly smoke.  Stones would get hot and spit and fly all over the place

For another source of fuel, we would take our home-made  four-wheel cart and go to Vauxhall embankment – next to what is now London fire brigade headquarters – little road / slipway that ran under the road to the river. There was a sand bank there where all the drift wood seemed to gather.

There were never any carpets anywhere in the house, but we did have some home made rugs down in the passage. The mats were made from old coats cut up into small strips and sown together. Some of my brothers worked on the railway and were issued with free uniforms about every 2 years, I think. If the old uniform was too rough to be sold, it would be cut up and sown together. This was the reason for the abundant supply of rugs!

The walls in every room were painted with distemper, a weak solution of today’s emulsion paint. There was no wallpaper that was too expensive. Distemper was much cheaper.

There were no pictures on the walls because bugs would get underneath the backing paper. There seemed to be a permanent plague of bugs and it was a nightly job to go around the walls killing them with the stump of a candle. The smell of dead bugs was terrible. We had to light a camphor candle to neutralise the smell!

A Visit to Uncle

The only article of importance in the Front Room cum Bedroom was a black ebony walking stick, which usually hung from the wooden curtain rail. The walking stick had a silver ring beneath the handle and as such had a then great value. It would regularly be taken to the Pawn Shop and six pence (6d) advanced against it. The stick might go in on a Monday and then redeemed on the Friday.

In our street there was no shame about using the Pawn-Broker, who was also called "Uncle". In fact anyone going down to "Uncles" would knock on neighbour’s doors to see if they wanted anything taken down.

When an item was taken to the Pawn-Broker, a ticket showing the details of the object and the cash advanced, would be given to you. If you didn't redeem the item after three months you lost all claim to it and the pawn broker had the right to sell it. A person was often too poor to redeem what they had pawned and it was the custom to sell the pawn ticket to anyone who could afford to buy it.

It was usual for the Pawn-Broker to advance about 1/4 or 1/5 of the value of the article. A neighbour would purchase a pair of bed-sheets, say for 7/6d from a tally man and promise to pay him 6d a week for 20 weeks. These goods could then be "popped" (i.e. pawned) for 2/6d or 3/-. The situation then was that the original neighbour, say, owed the Tally man 7/6d which would be repaid over 20 weeks, but he had in ready cash, say 1/6d advanced by the pawn-broker, plus, say 2/6d for the sale of the ticket. This total cash of 4/- was a substantial amount of money when the average working man earned only about 10/- per week. Owing the Tally Man was nothing to worry about, he would be offered 3d per week and feel grateful he was getting anything at all. With such large families and also having perhaps hefty children, the Tally Man knew when to use bullying tactics and when discretion was the best policy!

When articles were redeemed from "Uncles", there was a fee to pay. This could be perhaps a shilling in the pound per week. So if you "Popped" something for 2/- and didn't redeem it for 2 weeks, there would be a charge to pay of 2/2d.

My older sisters were embarrassed about visiting "Uncle". They would walk up and down outside, and when the coast was clear slip into one of the cubicles inside the shop. In the shop itself, there was very little privacy, for you could lean forward over the counter and peep round the screen which divided the cubicles.

The Lodgers

The upstairs consisted of the front bedroom, which was fairly large, because it extended over the passage; a back bedroom; and a rear bedroom, which we called the ante room. There was a small landing with a gas stove and a sink, which was used by the family who rented the front Room. These lodgers consisted of the parents and two sons, aged about 8 & 10. The younger was older than me, so my memory goes back to about 1927.

Births and deaths

In my youth, the wash stand stood, bowl and jug in my parents’ room were only ornamental, but they would have been used for confinements, which always took place at home. These confinements were always attended by a mid-wife who lived further down the street. I don't suppose she was qualified - but she had plenty of practical experience! It seems that the street produced its own mid-wives.

There was always one person in the street that would do the washing and laying out of the dead. The blinds in the front room would only be used if there was a funeral down the street. At such an event, all the neighbours would share in the mourning and pull their blinds as a mark of respect. 

School

I went to the South Lambeth Rd School. All my brothers and sisters had gone to the same school at some time. The school motto was “play up and play the game.” Pupils were aged from 5 years to 14 years. The juniors would have classrooms on the ground floor and the seniors would be on the next floor.

School times were: 9am – 12noon; 1.30 – 4pm. We had to wear a school uniform but my dad was too poor to but the whole thing so I only had the cap. My dad would write a note for me to take to school to ask for any unwanted clothes. The teacher would read the note out loud to the class

The school day always started with assembly in the main hall, we would all be seated in class order, there would be prayers said by the headmaster followed by a hymn, then it was off to our classroom in an orderly file. We always had the same classroom for every lesson except for woodwork and science. We always sat at the same desk and always two pupils at each desk. My best friend was – Walter Dye, who lived opposite us in Dawlish Street

Morning lessons always started with learning all the important dates of British History.  Mt Teacher’s name was Mr. Bailey. It was him that gave me a love of history. I was also fond of woodwork (I made book a case once). I also liked the art class

I was ink monitor for my class, which meant that I was responsible for topping up the inkwells on the desks: a great honour and responsibility.

During In the morning we all had a free 1/3 size bottle of milk, which we drank with a straw. On cold days, the teacher let us put the milk on top of the radiators to warm it up.

I always went home for dinner because we couldn’t afford school dinners. The school took us swimming once a week at the Nine Elms Baths. This was the only time I got my body wet all over and was able to have a wash, because not only did we not have a bathroom, we had no bath.

We were so poor sometimes I went to school wearing sister’s stockings rolled down, a jersey and short trousers. (In those days you only had long trousers when you left school)  My worst memory of school was when I got into a fight with another kid who was teasing me about my poor clothes. I punched him but he ducked and I hit my fist against a brick wall. But I was the one who was punished: I got canned in front of the whole class.

At the age of eleven, I passed the Matriculation Test and gained a place at the Grammar School. But because we were so poor, my dad couldn’t afford the uniform. Anyway, it would have meant that I would have to stay on at school until I was 16. Dad couldn’t afford to let me stay on at school that long. I needed to get a job as soon as possible and bring in some money.

Food

We used to go shopping down the Lambeth Walk, or get a take-away from the Pie-mash shop. The shop also sold things like jellied eels. We would take our own bowls to collect a meat pie with mashed potato smothered in “liquor”; a green parsley / jellied eel juice sauce. Or we would go to the fish-n-chip shop and get whatever we could for a penny, and always asking for the free crackling. (The left over batter)

There was a place that made cakes in Wandsworth Rd called the Vauxhall Cake Supply. On a Saturday evening could take a bag and get 3d of stale cakes that had remained unsold.: donut or cheese cakes (flakey pastry with strings of coconut on top – I’d eat up the loose coconut as soon as I was out of the shop)

There was a market at the top of Dawlish Street. Toward the end of the day we would go round and pick up anything that had fallen on the floor; fruit, vegetables are anything that the costermongers had thrown away.

My brother Tom got a job in fruit shop in Drury lane. I had to walk over on a Saturday afternoon and collect bags of fruit that we would passed out through the side door without anyone seeing. He always knew what was in the bags. He’d notice even if a grape was missing and clip me round the ear.

My brother, Reg, worked in Coppin’s, grocery stop, in Lambeth walk. He was also good for letting you have tuppence worth of cracked eggs

Vi, my sister, worked in bakers in Larkhall lane and she would let you shop lift the stale cakes. We would walk up and down the street until vi gave the glad eye and then we would go in and take the back that she had packed up for us and rush out. One day the manageress came out and nearly caught me! I had to make out that I’d forgotten my money and leave, without letting on that Vi was my sister.

My sister Dora worked at a shop in Victoria. She was also very good at turning a blind eye to my shop-lifting.

We used toasting forks to make toast over the fire.

Celebrations

At Christmas we were usually given a present of an orange and nuts. If we were lucky we might get a box of lead soldier or a torch. Christmas dinner was an edge bone of beef. We would take it down to the local bakery early Christmas morning and then collect it lunch time. Lots of people did that in those days.

As a special treat Christmas dinner was followed by a rice pudding. There was no special Christmas tea of Christmas cake in the evening. Although, occasionally, as a very special treat w might have a pomegranate.

We never celebrated birthdays. There were no cards, cakes or presents. Birthdays were considered anything special.

Church and Sunday school

Have fond memories of attending church with my mother. This was at what was known as the, ragged school but its proper name was the Shaftsbury mission

 

Founded by Lord Raglan. One advantage of attending the Sunday school was the annual outing to Hampton court. This would consist of a special tram from nine elms corner where the church was. When we arrived at Hampton court there would be marquees erected and it was in there that we would have the food which was provided by the church. I well remember one visit as with others we were playing around and my brother Eddy disturbed a wasp's nest. He was stung many times and one of the stings was on his h private parts. Up until the time we left school we wore short trousers which were in the wasps favour.