Memories of Deptford
[I am typing this tonight February 15, 1995 because the Evening Standard in its series about the Blitz on London has an article tonight about the intensive bombing in September 1940 - that time of the diary I kept and have typed. I have cut out the article and in putting it in with the diary found these written notes (with the typed ones I did about mums family etc). And have added as I went along].
Memories of Mum.
(Millie, Shirley's mother was born in London in 1900. Her parents had emigrated from Russia. She had two sisters: Rosie, who was older and had been born in Russia, and Esther who was younger)
Her finger tip missing - the middle finger but I can't remember if it was left or right. I never wanted to think about it - but it happened when a cart wheel went over hand and I think she bent down to pick up something that had fallen into the gutter.
How old was she? About eight? I must ask Esther, but she would be only two. I must ask Esther what she remembers about Hunton Street and her life- ( she will probably say now that she can't remember...she is 87).
Mum remembers things - about Auntie Rosie - always wanted to play tennis - go boating - do something - but they only had Shabbat as the shop was open on Sunday - so she was 'not allowed'. She (Rosie) fell in love with a 'college man' - not allowed - because his mother was not Jewish. (Rest of the family - aunts - all interfered). She resented Mum having things because she hadn't had them-i.e. being in the hockey team, staying on at school. Nothing happy seemed to happen.
Mum always had a good dress sense-good colour sense-she remembered a peacock blue crêpe dress with rust coloured ribbons. She remembers once taking a taxi to town-to see an 'older man' - but was then stopped from seeing him.
There was also something about a South African fellow but they wouldn't let her go there!!
I have a visual memory of Hunton Street, the narrow stairs going up and the shop with the counter. I also remember going to a nearby shop - friends of the family they were furriers I think-made a great fuss of me. Ben Sherman. (Subsequently he married Doreen Sack, Lou Sack's sister). I can see myself sitting on the counter there....and going to Uncle Hyman's shop...see note of Mum's memories.
MY YOUTH..MEMORIES..CHILDHOOD MEMORIES
(From 1926 until 1940, Shirley lived with her parents Solomon and Millie, and her sister Leila, above the milliner's shop at 155 Deptford High St., London. There were also two baby boys, Leslie and Cecil, who both died a few months after their birth).
155, Deptford High St.
Now the Karisma Restaurant. Photo taken 2014.
Deptford - the shop - where we lived..... Up the flights of stairs at the back of the shop which led straight into the kitchen living room - then through the door - stairs immediately on the left going up to bedrooms - a big cubbyhole next to stairs - and then the door into the 'front room' - dining table and chairs and sideboard -and a sofa where I can remember going to sit and cry when ever I was stopped from doing something I wanted to do! Were there armchairs? - must have been...to match the sofa.
It's strange but only one meal is visually in my memoryin the dining room- Leila wouldn't eat something (as usual) and Dad put her outside the room.
I have no visual memory of Friday night meals or anything. I remember doing homework at the kitchen table and coming down the stairs to the shop and ask Mummy to help usually with anything mathematic!
Deptford High Street - such a part of my life. Selwyn's next door (and the radio shop next to Selwyn's Dad's best friend, Mr. Jay. Never used a first name). Winers, the shoe shop, opposite. (Marie Winer married...and divorced...Felix Gordon). The Dobkin's dress shop - my particular friend Marion Dobkin.....we completely lost touch - I don't know whether she was evacuated or not - but I never saw her again after 1939.
....the other hat shop down the road - not friendly much with them! And MUNRO's - the big store next door to us - their big wall on the left of our garden as we went out there. ....I was always disappearing in there - one of the staff making a fuss of me - letting me pull the handle of the overhead wire to send the little box flying to the cash desk with the bill and the money - and she would send the receipt and change back again. (It sound like a 100 years ago!!!!!!!!!)
Our garden had a big door (double door?) At the back on the right hand side which led to a path which was behind Selwyn's yard and Mr Jay's yard - (the Selwyn's were Mr and Mrs Murray) and led out to the little street - a cul-de-sac - that was there.
I nearly forgot - the RAILWAY was high at the back of the garden and Deptford Station was just along to the right past MUNRO's - and I think there were railway arches at the end of the little street (or did it go round to the market?). Jay's yard was always full of those big big glass 'bottles' or jars - now used as 'indoor gardens'.....then full of 'acid' which went into batteries......for what? Radios? It had a special smell.
I remember that at some time we built a wooden hut in the narrow bit of agreed outside the back door and the windows of the workroom.....it was quite a longish hut I can still smell the smell of the wood - at it was used to store millinery things - no room in the workroom.
I have vague memories of the bathroom being built in the 'scullery' which was beyond the workroom - had a garden door on the left....but I must have been very young.
I wasn't born in Deptford - Mum and Dad then had a shop near Waterloo Station in York Road - but I was only about 3 months when they moved to Deptford. I was 'born' in the Salvation Army Home (or was it Mother Levy's home?) anyway - it was in Mile End Road....and Auntie Esther often tells me now that she was the first person to see me after I was born. I remember 'playing' in the shop when it was closed with friends - putting on the high heeled shoes the 'girls' had left there - and dressing up with the hats.
The 'funeral' hats we had in specially at Christmas navy and black thin silk covering a sort of cardboard and a 'pot' shape.....and costing 4 shillings and 11 pence! Always a lot of funerals after Xmas....people died mainly from overrating and drinking....because they were poor and didn't do so all year. Remember when they used the 'change' the window - the hats in it - done in rows.
I also vividly recall sitting down in the shop at night waiting for Mum and Dad to come back - they always went to the cinema on a Thursday night at he Elephant and Castle. I can remember being worried they would not return - those vague or not so vague worries of a child yet I couldn't have been so young - we always had maids when I was young - maybe we didn't have maids after Leila grew up a bit - there were only two bedrooms and three couldn't sleep in the back room?
Back to the High a Street....'up' the street just after the railway bridge across the road - there was the MARKET (on RH side) ....the first 'shop/display' was fruit....Jewish boys....we were quite friendly with them....and they had 'flares' (lights) hanging down when it was dark and in the winter.....must have been oil lamp things.
We went 'up' the road to the top.....to get the bus to New Cross...the shul (synagogue) was in New Cross.....the Fines Hairdressers were first up there and to the Left....and then they moved to Greenwich. My school was up to the 'top' and to the Right....in the New Cross Road.....it was on the LH side of the road. ADDEY and STANHOPE. That was when I was 11. Before that I went 'down' the road and turned left and around to CLYDE STREET SCHOOL. 'Down' the road....the little flea pit cinema with the sweet shop next door (or nearly). .... Opposite the entrance to CARTER PATERSON....went through to a depot - lorries could back up to the warehouses they were high up and steps up to that level. And near the famous EEL PIE SHOP - horrid smell!
Going down there to catch the 47 bus to London Bridge (ON SUNDAYS) - and then another bus to Hackney to Booba Finn.... or to Stoke Newington to Auntie Rosie...uncle Natie....Sylvia.....or to Stamford Hill to Esther and Maurice.....and sometimes to Hymie and Leah.
I remember - or do I remember being told - about Leah and Hymie's wedding - I was 3 - and sang 'Bye Bye Blackbird' in the middle of the hall. I can remember the dress I had as a bridesmaid for Esther's wedding - the little red velvet cape - but I do not remember anything of the wedding.
*** I will have to do another 'remembering' - must stop now.... but.....
SPELDHURST ROAD, HACKNEY.......Cecil......often staying there......sleeping with Hilda and Zelda.....big fire in the fireplace....cold cream.....EMMA!!
I remember once at Auntie Rosie for tea/supper.......she cut oranges in half and offered them round....I thought then "you can't cut them like that " and how irritated I was....(I could only have been about 8!). The Levy family frequently irritated me.....more so as I got older!!!
Then my friendship with Carmel Brickman.....the different world of the Brickmans......I was very conscious of it then.....when I was maybe 11.....certainly 12 -13 (I was 13 in 1939). The 'intelligent' games we played! (It must have been their influence that made me start the music scrapbook - in the green folder - I still have it. Sister was a pianist....she died young....there was Ben and Miriam. [re: the scrapbook, which we still have, Shirley added the following handwritten note in the margin: 'It was cuttings from the Radio Times about the music being played each week - I wanted to learn what was what'.]
AND WARTIME and EVACUATION.......
WHAT ABOUT THE SHOP IN CHATHAM....Hilda and Zelda there....I stayed there....had a cold....Zelda made me a hot milk but I wouldn't drink it....
What about the time she specially fried sprats for me and I wouldn't eat them.
CONTINUING 'MEMORIES'.
Typing it Aug. 26 1997 (although I wrote it out last year sometime)
DEPTFORD Most vivid memory when I was about 3 - sitting on floor in the kitchen/living room (where stairs came up into the room from the back of the shop) -.there were lots of legs of people all around me - something going on, I was aware of that, but I didn't know what. Later - I was told it was when the child who was born after me had died - a boy - and I don't even know or can't remember his name). He was also 9 months old, like the first boy, Cecil, and again it was immediately after being vaccinated....(now we know it was, like the first, the lack of a thymos gland which produces antibodies....as happened to Leila's third son David). I must find out where the boys are buried - it must be Edmonton - but it was never referred to and Mum never went (or did she?). I still have the few baby clothes she kept.
[At some point later Shirley added the following handwritten note: 'It was Leslie - buried at Marlow Road - 1930, see photos etc. Cecil is buried at Edmonton. d. Sept 3 1925]