North Kensington

The Dyett Family all lived in Notting dale on Prince Dale road .At the time I was born the Dyett,s had moved to Abbey House Abbey Road ( now Stonely place )near Avondale Park.. The house was a tenement building of two floors and a basement we lived on the top floor with a gas stove on the landing for cooking. Grandma and her children lived in the basement (my Aunts and Uncles all lived in but I am not sure If Dads older brother William had left home by this time). My father’s eldest sister had married and gone to live in America with her husband, unfortunately she died and their son Alfred Dixon was sent back here to be brought up by grandma. Alfred was about the same age as dad’s youngest brother Tom. I remember them doing lots of things together. The next oldest was Uncle Jim, then Charles Fred Ernest (my dad) and William. The girls were Floss and May.

GYPSY CORNER.

I had had Whooping cough and can remember being dosed up with cod-liver-oil, or Scots emulsion. I was born in 1929 at about 4 years of age Grandma put a down payment on a house in Horn Lane Gipsy Corner. We moved there with my Grand parents, Floss and May had a bedroom also Tom and Dink as Alfred was always called. At that time there were Gypsy’s camped at the corner, the A 40 was open fields all the way to Greenford which was like a village. Trams ran along Horn Lane from the Jubilee clock at Harlesden to Acton High Street. I only got to ride on them if I went with Grandma to Acton. Grandma had an ulcerated left leg if I went with Mum we always walked, especially after my sister was born: 1934.on the 8th of January. At about 4-30 pm, I was taken up to see my new sister in the evening and was very surprised to see a small baby with a mop of bright orange red hair. Several weeks after, she was christened Mary Ruth, at the nearby church in Noël Road. After the christening we had an early tea.

FIRST SCHOOL.

I remember I was told I would have to go to school. I started school at the age of five. The nearest was Acton Wells in School road. I do not remember being very keen, But Tom and Dink went to school so I supposed I would have to go as well. The school was a Montessori system, and I was quickly integrated into the scheme, placing small model animals on the floor and putting letters that spelt out their names in line with them. The teacher sat and played with us placing printed alphabet cards face up while we each had to identify the letter sound it made, then we went on to the double sounds; oo, ou, ao,ow, etc; I also remember the first instances of imagination and exaggeration, or boasting. This was by a small boy who heard us talking about train sets and assured us that he had one that could be laid all around the streets. When it did not materialise I concluded he was lying. The Walls factory was in Horn Lane, in summer the “stop me and buy one “tricycles attracted custom for frozen frosties fruit juice and wafers and cornets. Mum did a lot of her shopping in the Co-op, the Horn Lane shop used to sell butter from a large block I was always fascinated to see the salesman pat the butter into an oblong and wrap it in grease proof paper. Shrimp paste was also sold loose

APPLE FORD ROAD.

Suddenly we moved to North Kensington to Appleford road. I remember Mary being caught with some of grandfathers tiny tomatoes in her hand, but I do not think that this was the cause of our move, family politics was more likely. Dad Mary and I visited Grandma quite often on a Sunday. Mum only visited on High days and Holidays. Dad Mary and I often took a tram to the Jubilee Clock Harlesden, then another tram to Horn Lane.

MIDDLE ROAD SCHOOL.

I joined Middle Row School in the infant’s class. My teacher was a Miss Clark. We attended assembly every morning, and our marching in and out accompanied by classical music. Mainly Elgar, played on a large windup gramophone with a large green horn. Rather like the one Grandma used to have. I remember we had to learn our tables, and to write copying out printed words (not joined up writing at that stage). Mum noticed that I was not keen on school on Fridays. The reason was I was excluded from the singing class, and spent the afternoon in the art room. I did do very well with art lessons, but my singing took a long while to catch up. I was designated a growler, I SANG OUT OF TUNE. Or so they thought. I moved into junior school, and walked to school with cousins Stan & Joan Welch. Stanley was built like a little tank Joan and I were of the same age Stan was about 2years older. North Kensington was a rough area. Stan knew that if he got involved in a fight Harry his father would take a belt to him. In consequence he would take one big punch at any assailant and ran. Middle Row School was a tough environment; small gangs of boys tried to a assert their authority. I quickly learned that if I was prepared to fight the group or gang would usually back off. Miss Rulestum was my teacher in the junior school. Here main job was to teach £-s-d .and mathematics.

TEACHERS.& THE LOVESY

The class was under strict supervision which was not surprising as Miss Rulestrum had a class of close on 40 children. The difficult ones were always sat near the front. Miss Rulestrum was a good teacher and certainly knew how to keep the class in order. My next teacher was Mr Chiltern He had black wavy hair and a cheroot pipe sports coat and flannel trousers. He spent a lot of his spare time setting up aquariums and tadpole tanks. In the summer holidays we took home the tadpoles or baby frogs, and watched them until they jumped out of their jam jar or were let free in the garden to fend for themselves Every day we walked down Appleford Road and Southern row to School; passing Davises factory, where big men shovelled coal and coke into huge furnaces which drove their dying and cleaning work. We rather fancied a job like that. The pub opposite did its best to quench their thirst. The works was right opposite where Uncle Fred Lovesy kept his horse and cart I think he did various odd jobs with it, but in the evening it accompanied him to the Foresters Alms where he played his mouth organ until being invited in. Having had a good evening he would struggle out to the cart, or be helped up by his friends who would then give the horse a slap to take him home. I think he sometime slept on the cart all night. Fred lived in Wornington road (do not remember the number) with Edwin and Aunt Liz, and Great Grandma Lovesy, also an Aunt Tinder. All Mums family came from Wornington Road Her Father was killed in the First World War while they were living at number 212. He died at Arles France. He was William Bosley

THE LANE

Mum used to Meet Grandma Cotton and her sisters on a Saturday afternoon and go down the Lane (Portobello Rd) Emily Lotty. Rose. And occasionally Elizabeth (Lizzy). They perused the market from the rag-end as far as Woolworths or the far end of the fruit and vegetable market. In the summer they had ice cream, but I also remember some really rotten rainy days, with umbrellas and water running in the gutters.

At the time we lived in Appleford Road money was very tight, we were well looked after but I think my mother went with out a few meals, I remember that if I asked why she was not sitting down with us she would say” I have already had mine”. Being a child I did not question this but I do remember it. I also remember one Christmas when she nipped up the road to numbers 12 and 17 to wish her sisters well and came back but passed out on the kitchen floor. I ran down stair to the Welsh lady Mrs Nivocent for help, and I remember dad cooked the meal while mum recovered on the bed. Dad worked long hours, he managed to get a job in the Town Hall with the assistance of Uncle Bob, Mums step Father.
My Mother said one night after we were asleep. She sat knitting when she heard a noise on the stairs. The footsteps slowly climbed the stairs finally the door opened and an old lady stared vacantly into the room; she had come into the wrong house. At Christmas I can remember going out with mum after dark to get the shopping. Golbourne Road was all lit with stall holder’s hurricane lamps; at the last minutes joints of meat were a bit cheaper. Near Christmas there was generally a visit to the Cobden Club in Kensal Rd for a pantomime the party and pantomime lasted all the afternoon.

HARD TIMES.

On one corner of Appleford Rd was a small bakers, opposite was Mary’s Green grocers, Mary was always dressed in black leathers trousers and apron, had terrible teeth and a screechy cockney voice. At the other end of the Street was the Drs surgery. Dr Ross was very young and his hair was ginger and he was a Scot, he grew a beard to make himself look older or appear more experienced. There was no National Health Service at this time; so each consultation cost 5/- being a large amount of money for most of his patients, most of who would have been unemployed anyway. I mean by this that there was little employment and no chance of getting work. My Father hung onto a job at the Town Hall it was long hours and little money. I was given the key of the door, Mary was fostered out and Mum got a cleaning job, picking up Mary on her way home. I do not remember if I played on the streets or if I sat alone in doors. This must have been the lowest time in our family life Mum had to sell the piano, I remember it was walnut wood and had two brass candelabra attached to the front either side of the music support .At one time I was going to learn the piano with Aunt Lizz; I did not fancy her bossing me about, she did that enough as it was, so I said no. perhaps I was wrong to turn down the offer .I later learned to play the organ, a two keyboard Yamaha. I also have an interest in selected pieces of classical music.

J.LYONS. & A.R.P.

Mum was always knitting, we both went to school in hand knitted jumpers, Mum kept the sowing machine she made a lot of Mary’s clothes and made or adjusted a lot of her own. After a while Mum could not stand the attitude of her employer, and managed to get a job at J. Lyons and Co. at Cadby Hall. Soon there were rumours of war Dad joined the ARP (air raid precautions)
He and Uncle Harry set about making the basement of one of the tenement houses into an aircraft shelter. It was fitted up with extra beams and strengthened ceilings, this must have been about the time of Mr Chamberlains return from Munich

OCTAVIA HOUSE.

Although the Kensington Borough Council did little for the plight of people living in accommodation in the north of the borough they were beginning to pay attention to the problems of overcrowding and children of opposite sexes sleeping in the same room. Shortly after this we moved to 45 Octavia House, where Mary and I had your own bedrooms, and we had a front room. The flat was attached to the other shop which the council could not fill with an appropriate tenant.

The flat was a trifle dark and had a long passage, because of the shop. I had a cricket bat with spliced handle and was indorsed by the cricketing hero Jack Hobs. On going into the street with bat and ball I was soon surrounded by keen players. We played in the culd de sac at the end of South Row, which was fairly safe from traffic except for the Arts and General removal vans

THE FORESTERS ALMS.

On the corner of West Row was the Foresters Alms, a gymnasium above the pub catered for the local boxers and wrestlers Sullivan who won an Olympic medal also Ken Richmond who banged the gong at the beginning of the J Arthur Rank Films and was also a very good catchers catch can wrestler, he also trained and did exhibition bouts for the Kensington Men’s Institute which were established in the school in Warnington Road. But this happened after the war
At Octavia House I ran into some of the costermonger families mainly the Spencer’s one of the sons was my age he was always into schemes for making cash, like collecting old boxes in the market chopping them up in a disused shed and selling for two pence a bundle for fire wood. I also remember on a cold winter’s day clearing snow from the paths and foot paths of bigger houses on the St Quinton’s estate.

BRIMPTON.

After war was declared we had a brief evacuation to Brimpton a small village near Aldermaston, Auntie Emm and Stan and Joan went with us. We were installed in the chauffeur’s cottage on an estate. The cottage was primitive, cooking and lighting was by oil lamp, the kettle was boiled on a primus stove, Mum never got used to it and was scared of it exploding. Mean while we got used to the new village smells ie, the village shop the pigsty’s cattle in the fields rabbits, hedge hogs The village school was only a short walk away and we were soon installed there, it had one black stove in each class room that to warm the school in winter. We played in a crop of willows which were to be used for basket making. We were severely reprimanded. The lady of the big house had a crop of lavender that we rubbed to separate from its stems, it took all one afternoon.

THE PHONEY WAR.

A day trip to Newberry Common produced enough blackberries to make jam .There were also long walks to Mitcham station to meet Dad or Uncle Harry if they came down for the weekend. Soon Mum was dissatisfied with the state of affairs and wanted to go back to London. (There had been no bombs up to that time).

Back in London we did half days at school) to try to keep up with our school work. Eventually the government decided that London would definitely be bombed and offered a last chance of evacuation of children. So we were packed up with small cases each and our gas- masks and sent off into the unknown. We departed from the school early in the morning and eventually arrived in Cornwall in the evening.

NEXT CORNWAL

Early Memories

Once upon a time there was a dog-called Spot. Spot lived downstairs under the settee on his rug. Spot believed he was in complete charge security wise that is. His first job on waking up was to go to great Grandma who opened the garden door, Spot ran into the Back yard to do his chores and have a grand sniff to tell if or what had visited his domain over night. Spots next task was to lay on his mat and watch while Grandma made breakfast for the entire family including himself.

SPOT COUNTING

Spot knew everything that happened in the house the noises from up stairs told him I was awake and seated in my high chair having rusks and milk in an egg- cup. Spot sat watching venturing a quiet woof the half eaten biscuit dropped towards the floor; not a chance the dog had a quick gnash and it was gone. Spot tried two soft woofs for a second biscuit but my mother heard him and sent him running down to his mat. Spot lay on his mat listening it was about time to sit by the front door footsteps and the different smelling square packets came through the letterbox spot snapped at the hand but was too late he then sat growling hoping for another chance but the postman was already on his way.

SPOTS NATURAL TENDENCIES.

On a Monday Grandma did the washing and the kitchen was filled with soapsuds and hot water. If it was summertime Grandma would shut Spot out in the yard and then when the washing was put out Spot would be locked in. when the garden was free of washing Spot was aloud to roam at will.

On the mornings when the dustmen were due Grandma would try and keep Spot inside, and Spot knowing full well the reason for his confinement tried to escape Spot barking furiously. On one occasion when Spot was already in the garden and the dustman came in there was complete pandemonium a snarling, and barking. Spot tried for a taste of dustman’s- leg but the trousers and boot tops were too thick to make much impression. Grandma was on hand very quickly to resolve the situation by directing Spot to his mat; there he lay watchful but complaining with growled utterances

FIND JIM.

Grandfather was mostly at work when not earning was still gainfully employed at other pastimes, betting was his main stay, i.e.; two up on a stick, dogs horses cards; darts fishing and anything that might turn a profit, Grandfathers nickname was monkey.
Which really meant he was a smart operator he also spent a lot of his time” Pigeon
Fancying and racing”, he liked his ale (no spirits) and was often in a pub but which one!
This was Spots job! When Grandpa was needed. Spot would be taken to the front door and told find Jim. Now, we never knew the method that Spot used to locate Grandpa but it was definitely foolproof. It seemed as if every one in the district knew Spot. If he received any tit-bits on the way we do not know but when he arrived Granddad would give him a special biscuit and perhaps a small drink before proceeding home. In my memory Spot was never on a lead, he thought he was top dog and in away he was, but he was also the lowest member of the household, as we will explain later.

SUMMER GAMES ECT.

Sunday was a different day events happened at altered times barrel organs played in the street, church bells would ring Grandfather would spend the morning at the pub my Uncles played games in the garden, or the park football in the winter cricket in the summer, at these times Spot was under strict supervision, mainly because he wanted to join in and by doing so cause disruption, believing that the game was about ball possession his!. The next stage of events was delayed while Spot was persuaded to relinquish his grip on the ball this was not easy as he was a determined player. The ensuing banishment to his mat in the kitchen did not please him and he growled but became pacified on receiving a bone to gnaw.

One day the local boys were playing football in the alley next to the garden the ball landed with a thump in the disused flowerbed. I was so surprised that I stopped peddling my tricycle to watch as a small boy climbed over the wall to retrieve his possession. I gave a shout the back door opened as Grandma came to see the trouble but. Spot quicker than a flash, and seeing a strange backside disappearing with a ball took a bite and would not let go. Fortunately only the material of trousers was involved as a large piece came away in Spots teeth. Spot retired triumphant to his mat with his trophy, leaving Grandma to sort out the diplomatic question with the boy's mother. Spot however had no worries he knew he was in the clear.

SPRING CLEANING &BATH TIME

As the weather improved activity in the house quickened Spring-cleaning was under way all the carpets were moved into the garden and were draped over the clothesline. Charley who was a keen tennis player practised his strokes with the carpet beater knocking a year's dust out with forehand and backhand strokes. Meanwhile the house was cleaned brushed and polished by my aunts and uncles, walls and ceilings were painted where necessary. Spot became more and more wary as his familiar smells were replaced his nose did not adjust and he became edgy. After the entire house was spick and span, all the dirty things were smelling clean, the grownups still in the housework mood noticed the dog needed a spruce up, Spot who had become discom-forted by the new smells had made himself scarce. Uncle Tom and cousin Dink placed a zinc bath in the garden with a large bar of Sunlight soap the doors were all shut; and hunt the dog was on. Spot thought all his friends had disappeared, as each room was vacated the door was closed I stood in the last open doorway legs and hands apart in a vain attempt to stop him he dived under my legs the clearance was not enough and I fell forward, I was soon stood up, and Spot caught and hauled way to his watery encounter. Spot was thoroughly wet and soapy but so were my young relatives. When bath time was over spot was dried off with an old towel, the house was then comparatively quiet, Spot smelt clean! His mat was beaten free of bone and other home smells as soon as possible he would escape to the garden to have a nice roll in the dirt.

SUMMER TEA & WINKLES

On Sundays in good weather cricket in the garden was started again spot was tied up much to his disgust, teams were drawn and the game started, by this time I was the next in line to disrupt play; both Spot and I had the same obsession with ball games. One time I was removed and my braces hooked over the clothesline where I hung until bursting into tears, another time I was removed from the game and placed out of the way on the dustbin. After a while I started to I yelled until retrieved by Uncle Tom, who said” know wonder he is creating this dustbin lid is red hot!" At tea time on Sundays we always had winkles for tea with bread and butter pins were provided to extract them from the shells, I was not allowed such tools but was assisted by a grown up to my share of the seafood. After the meal Spot lay on his back on his mat while Uncles and Aunts flicked empty shells at the growling dog, who actually enjoyed the game when he managed to catch the shells, spitting them out on the ground to sniff, and lick, they had a nice salty taste.

THE WRONG LEG

Uncle Charley was in his teens and very good at most ball games, and on Friday or Saturday nights would either play snooker or darts, or go to a whist drive; this meant he would be late home. All my relatives had a front door key, but on this occasion Charley forgot his. Arriving home after midnight with everyone asleep caused a problem. Not wanting to wake up the house Charley decided to climb in through the area and unlocked door in the basement. Wrong move spot was on the prowl and had the intruder by the trouser turnips, Charley shouted out and Spot let go immediately, recognising the voice. Was Spots sense of smell impaired or was he just caught out by the surprise.

The old London River Counters Creek ran down through Notting dale and although it had been confined to a sewer pipe in a very wet season it overflowed. This caused flooding in the district including our basement. I remember seeing Grandma's furniture nearly afloat. Every thing moveable was rescued then when the water subsided everything was placed in the garden to dry. After a few days things gradually returned to normal,

My father said that in the summer Grandfather would hire a horse and cart load it up with food and the family, and journey up what is now the Western Avenue towards Park Royal and Greenford, for a day out in the country.

THE LAUNDRY TROUBLES.

Another story Dad told was concerned with the time before Uncle Tom was born, Grandfather always dressed in a shirt with a silk muffler (scarf) which took the place of a collar and tie, the wearing of which he positively hated. The only time he wore such thing was at his daughters or, family weddings, and even then under great protest including swearing and cursing, by him while the female side of the family, insisted that he had to look smart for the occasion. Anyway during the time that Grandma was unable to do the washing it was sent out to a local Irish family that took in washing. Now come Monday. Night Grandpa Jim was hunting for a clean shirt and could not find one. He sent one of the boys, perhaps Uncle Will, as he was the eldest around to Murphy's to inquire the where-a-bout’s of his shirts. Will came back with the news his shirts were not available. Grandfather Jim said he was going to sort it out and off he went. Uncle Will collected Uncle Fred and my dad Ernest with the idea of stopping him. By the time they caught up with Jim. He had already been knocked to the floor twice! Mr Murphy was a prise fighter and had-fought in the ring at Battersea. Give it up dad the boy's said. Jim said, “If he knocks me back one more time I will be sober then I will pay him”. That was exactly what happened. The following day Mr Murphy came to the door the boy's thought for a replay. But in fact it was to apologise, and deliver the shirts. Owing to the fact that the Murphy's were short of cash and that Mrs Murphy thought Jim would not be wanting his shirts until the end of the week she had porned his shirts for a few day's.

ANIMALS

Jim seemed to collect animals. He did raced pigeons, but there were Ducks,
Geese, and of course chickens, but there was also a Goat. The goat was perhaps a gambling debt However it was parked in the garden, and grass turfs bought to feed it .My Aunts and
Uncles were fascinated with what the goat could eat. If they pushed it through a certain set of railings and then fed it some turfs of grass its stomach would swell and it was unable to get back through to the right side of the railings. The goat was very well fed but could not resist anything that came its way. Grandfather wore long under pants in the winter they must have been left on the line with the other washing, unfortunately the long john’s were to great a temptation, flapping about within easy reach two pair of Grandpa's best descended to the goats gut. Needles to say the goats stay terminated shortly afterwards

The ducks, I was amused with them, but so were everybody else; all visitors wanted to know was, "have the ducks been fed?”. The ducks were fed too often. They were supposed to be fattened, up for Christmas, but they were definitely over fed although the sunken bath was available for them to paddle and float, when on the ground their bellies touched the floor. Needles to say by the time they should have been prepared for the table nobody had the heart to do the job. They were passed on to neighbours and so did not escape their Christmas fate.

FETTLING THE GEESE.

Now the geese were another Christmas proposition. Three of them were to be fed until they were needed for the table, One day after a drink up with his pales it was decided to fettle the geese. Three brave men went into the shed to do for the geese after a short battle the geese won, and the men retired hurt. I do not remember if Spot was still with us at the time, I do know that at some stage he was retired to the country, weather it was an increase of traffic on the roads, or just that he was getting old and perhaps a bit snappy I do not know.

PARTY TIME.

Christmas was a time when all the family and friends congregated. Everyone would contribute to the funds a week at a time, proper records were kept, and just before the holiday the money was spent. The passages and hallways were piled up with creates of beer. Grandma prepared lots of food, while carpets were taken up to facilitate dancing; two rooms were laid out with mattresses, one for men and one for ladies. The piano player was a local lad John Morrison he played continuously, tune after tune he churned out as long as his beer was lined up on the piano top. After a few hours of playing and drinking he got a bit tired and drunk the tunes got erratic and finally he slipped off the piano stool to the floor. He was then removed to a mattress room by two uncles holding feet and shoulders. The cry then went up for a stand in piano player.

THE PIANO TUNER.

On one, occasion the piano had to be moved; up stairs (perhaps the basement was still damp from a flood). As many of my uncles as were available. Assigned themselves to the task. Unfortunately the piano got stuck on the stairway turn, between the wall and the banister. They removed the piano lid then parts of the casing, to no avail, and then someone removed a part, which held the piano keys in place. All the keys fell out on the stairs. Grandfather was very unhappy; no piano no music no dancing Grand father hired a Jewish piano tuner to put things right. It took a while. A the night wore on Guest’s retired to a mattress room to sleep or just fell asleep where they were Meanwhile the party carried on with games, and puzzles. One of the games was to balance on an empty quart beer bottle sitting cross legged so that only one heal touched the floor with a candle in one hand and a box of matches in the other The trick was to light the candle without touching the floor with your hands. Another game was to sit sideways on a chair with a sweet placed by the feet up against the back leg without touching the ground at anytime the trick was to swing around the back of the chair and pick up the sweet in your mouth, slim persons were better at this the fatter ones usually un balance the chair and fell to the floor with a crash. In latter times At Gypsy Corner I remember the awaking on Boxing Day morning. Grandma made breakfast in relays; Cold brisket of beef eggs and bacon toast or fried bread cornflakes, mainly for the children. After breakfast the children were taken for a walk to the local park to let off steam, while the house was given a quick tidy up, then card, games for small stakes were played or droughts' or monopoly in later times, also remminisance’s especially after the second world war, then after lunch it was off to a football match for the men and boys. To the pictures for the ladies and girls.

ENTERTAINMENT.

On the evening of Boxing day the beer was getting a bit low so the grown ups proceeded to the local pub to both replenish and augment the supply's on one occasion when my great aunt and uncle were with us (Aunt Harriet and Uncle Vick Grey) the publican did not want us to leave because. But this was after the war and I was about 15yrs. Uncle Vick played the piano accordion and Auntie Harriet had been a dancer and singer, one of their best performances was the American folk song" Frankie and Johnny.”

Back in the past there was Stan and Rose on leaving after one party Stan stood near the doorway and kept going on and on about what a good time they had had. Until everyone was getting upset with him. Then about three alarm clocks went off together he opened his coat to reveal the alarm, clock pinned to the lining. At that moment the entire cutlery he had collected clattered to the floor. Everyone cheered.

My very earliest memories were first being in one of those big old fashion perambulators, which had, a large hood, which was up. I was in a park we had been trundled down a long path there was a smell of grass and it was quite cold. I remember sitting on the kitchen table by the window, suffering the riggers of a wet flannel and complaining while Mum-did her best to clean mouth nose and ears, then clothes on arms and especially head which always seemed too big for the neck hole allotted to it. Then my hair was parted brushed.

I had a liking for opening cupboards and opening tins and boxes, I had coughed into one tin and I had turned into a brown child having been covered in cocoa or coffee, this merited another wash, and the cupboards being tied up with string. I remember playing on a bear rug, shiny fire tongs, cloth books a painted submarine for bath time which had a horrid taste, apart from the soapy flavour, afternoon sleeps between to arm chairs, pushed together to stop me falling on the floor, also on the chair coverings, mainly blue plus an overall small flower pattern.

Sitting on the kitchen floor I saw a mouse shouted to mum, who screamed. The mouse ran to escape out of the door and down the stairs. Grandfather came up stairs and as the
Mouse jumped down the treads clapped his hands together the mouse in-between them,
flat and dead.

The local grocer's was a very different shop in those days. My pushchair gave me a good view of all the merchandise on display. Large tins filled with biscuits, special cheap broken offers, new bread and stale bread, eggs new and cracked. Milk dipped from a milk churn with a measure, butter weighed and patted into a regular square shape with wooden paddles then nicely wrapped in grease proof paper. Shrimp paste sold loose by weight tea sold by the quarter and half-pound, jams and marmalade sold a penny worth at a time. The bacon and hams were a fascination as the slicing machine had to be used. It had a large cutting disc and a sliding bed on which the ham or bacon was clamped and an adjustment to produce thick or thin slices. Salt was bought in blocks. One job to keep me occupied and to assist mum was to chop up the salt, which was then placed in a wooden box by the cooker. I was usually given a blunt knife to do this with and preceded drilling holes through the block in an artistic manner; but after a given time mum took away my sculptural endeavours saying "1 need the salt now".

I did not go to school until I was 5years old and that was after we had moved to Horn
Lane. The first school was” Acton wells.” which was a Montessori system school .It stood near a rubber factory, the smell of rubber and the singing of scales eight notes up and eight notes up and down meant it was nearly time to go home. Mum took me and collected me, and I had to hold her hand or hold onto my sister's pram. At this stage I remember Walls Ice Creams i.e. stop me and buy one. Shops selling bread pudding sweets, rides on trams with Grandma and the tram drivers operating their two handles one brakes and one power. Many things I remember and among them all I remember Spot.

SPOT

Breakfast in a highchair
Milk and rusks were mostly there,
Black and White beneath my feet
Spot sat watching as we eat
Crumbs at first and then a woof!
As Spot devoured a crunchy cake
Woof again meant two had gone,
Mum heard three woofs and with a song
Song followed with a kick
Off went Spot at quite a lick
Down the stairs in time, was quick.
Under couch his wounds to lick.

North Kensington

The move to Kensington may have been caused by a number of things perhaps money perhaps over crowding. There was also the incident of Granddads tomatoes Mary was just beginning to walk about and inquire into things, Granddad doted on his tomato plants he fed and watered and watched them growing and noticed that the little tomatoes were missing. When he tried to get Mary to open her hand she would not, but when we prized it open there were the tiny tomatoes in her little left hand. I do not think this caused the move but it could not have helped the situation. We moved to a tenement house at 13 Apple ford Rd. it was two rooms on the top floor there was a garden in the basement but seeing that the basement was not occupied we did not use it much, there was only one toilet on the ground floor and everyone in the house had the use of that we only had cold water, Hot had to be boiled in a kettle or a bucket if a bath was needed and that was in front of the fire in a galvanized bath tub. The oven was gas there was also a gas light with a white mantle, which cost 2 ½ pennies. There would also have been a gas meter high upon the which took 1/- coins only adult could reach it.

Middle Row school was very different from Acton Wells we learned by repeating things. The infants school Head was a Miss Carter, and she was very interested in singing and on Friday afternoons we were all lined up in assembly to sing, I was tapped on the shoulder and told to stop singing as I was a growler. This meant that on all other Friday Afternoons I would be put into the art room to draw and model with plastercine, I got to be very good at drawing and using coloured pencils and pastels and paints. I was also interested in Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck and devised a way of drawing them from memory. I remember when I was three or four hardly able to speak I would push pencil and paper into the hand of any available adult in the household and say “Drawdy” When my speech improved I would guess the name of the item as soon as I recognised it.

The streets of North Kensington in those days (before World War 2) were almost devoid of cars and Lorries; horse and cart did most of the transport. The coalman for example had two large shire horses arranged in tandem. The coal could be shot into the cellar through a round metal covered lid in the pavement. The horses were very knowing and knew that at a certain house they might get sugar lumps if they could attract attention by knocking on the door this they did although it meant climbing up the steps to do it. Small boys tried to get rides on the back of carter’s carts; lampposts were lassoed with long skipping ropes and swung around until they rocked. It is a wonder there were no explosions. We played games in the street; football and cricket in the summer, the wicket was a soapbox and if a policeman came we threw the box down an area basement and ran. Other games were tin can copper man, bat and cutty. Releaso, then there was always marbles. Whip tops, peg tops all forms of leapfrog and tag. There were also crazes for paper aeroplanes and other amusements, which rotated with the season. There was also a season for sweats like gob stoppers jelly baby’s lolley pops ice cream. The stop me and buy one Walls ice cream tricycle as usually waiting outside of the school when we dashed for freedom after school. Some evenings it was a dash straight around to Conlon Street to witness a fight which had been generated in the playground. Usually a bus driver or conductor from the bus garage refereed the fight, and was there to see fair play, also to make us shake hands, after the fight.

Mary went to school at the age of three, Mum picked her up after school and probable asked the usual question but the unusual reply was I am leaving at the end of the week. Mum said that’s what she thinks. Soon after this we were playing in the street. Mary was rolling herself along the railings but there was a missing one and she fell through. Uncle Harry was walking by and when she came up the steps crying he did not realise what had happen until I told him. And there was blood and an inch and a half gash on Mary’s head. I had screamed for my parents and they came running down the stairs. The Doctors was not open so Dad rushed Mary straight to the chemist shop, the chemist said it seamed ok but to visit the doctor to be on the safe side. The doctor. Doctor Ross. Advised Ex-rays. And gave sleeping pills, for the night. At that time each visit to the doctor cost Five shillings, (that at a time when wages would have been about two Pounds a week. In the end we got compensation of £100 off the Landlord. When I was seven Mum went to work to get a little extra money, I was given a key to the door and Mary was to go to the Lady across the road a Mrs Nivesent to stay until Mum got home. At school I was moved up into the junior school, our teacher was still a Lady a Miss Rolstrom. She was very strict but we did like her she taught us arithmetic and how to add up £-s-d. And also joined up writing i.e. Post Office style. After Miss Rolstrom, I was moved to Mr Chilterns class he was into Nature study, we had several fish tanks around the room with football bladders for air to help keep the water clean. In the appropriate season we watched frog spawn turn into tadpoles and then frogs. There was an art class but I never managed to get in that class. We moved into a flat in Octavia House Southern Row, The Councils policy was for children of a certain age to have separate bedrooms, we also got a front room and a bathroom at the same time. At first we were in a bottom floor flat No 45, and staid there before being sent to Brimpton then eventually to Cornwall.

Grandma Cotton lived in a converted pub, which stood on the corner of East Row. Davis’s had a cleaning factory which stretched from Middle Row up to and past the corner of East Row, on the corner was Alfred Holindale’s grocery shop, he sold everything in small amounts i.e.; Two pennyworth of jam sliced bacon and ham, biscuits and eggs tins of peas and beans etc. (While we were in Cornwall he got the George Medal for rescuing people from their Anderson shelter opposite his shop which was also demolished.)Then there was the Hemsey Horniman Park with its Spanish garden and water feature. Stan Joan and I used to fish for mino’s in there with small fishing nets and a jam jar to keep the fish in .If the keeper spotted us we had to run quickly. On the park side opposite the church was the Veda Bread Company, at 1 penny for a stale loaf it was good filler for some children at dinnertime. The Catholic School was opposite the park entrance. Outside Davis’s was a fire alarm. The glass had to be smashed to operate it children sometimes set off the alarm to see some action. It rang loudly until the brigade arrived to sort it out. The local policeman would also ask a few questions but without much hope of catching anybody. Opposite the end of Middle Row the Davis’s Boilers were situated where hard men continually fed the furnaces with shovels of coal and coke. We all rather fancied the job but of cause had no idea how hard it was. Uncle Alfred had a motorbike and sometimes would give us a ride around the block, He worked in a fish and chip shop he was a good worker, I always remember his big shock of ginger hair. Grandma was ginger and her hair was very long and came down passed her waist when not rolled into a bun. One morning we heard very bad news grandma called around very early to tell us that Alfie had been killed on the new north circular road. He had hit a stationary car, we always clamed it had no lights on, and that the occupants were up to no good. It was never proved.

The Kennedy’s were a well-known family in the area and when a marriage took place a large number people were invited and the party was held in the Foresters Arms. By this time we were in the top flat in Octavia House and could look down on all the proceedings. Well apparently the best man was caught having a private kiss with the bride, a fight broke out and the street was soon filled with brawling bodies. When there was signs of the police arriving all the wedding guests fled up the street in double quick time. The Foresters Arms was on the corner of West Row and Southern Row Our balcony looked straight down on it. When the locals had had a good time one summer evening they borrowed the children’s Fairy cycles and freewheeled down West row as many as four on a bike. The Pub also had a gymnasium up stairs which had been used by John Sullivan the Olympic wrestler and Ken Richmond the wrestler and the man who appeared in the Rank Film Trailers banging the gong. When Dad got the job in the Library we moved into the flat above the N Kensington Library.