Yesterdays Child….. Chapters 2 and 3
For those who have read the first chapter of my book I am putting up chapters 2 and 3 because they are my childhood days before W.W.2 started.
I hope it does not bore folks to death and you enjoy the trip back in time. Remember this all happened well over 70 years ago and many things have now changed.
CHAPTER TWO
THE TUPPENNY RUSH
This incident happened when I had been living back home with my family for about six months. It would be early 1938 the year before WW2 started.
My brother who was four years older than me and at the age of 12 had the responsibility of looking after me and making sure that I came to no harm.
Unfortunately he resented the fact that he had to look after a GIRL of all things and was afraid of being called a cissy by his mates.
He would very often get his home-made roller skates on and make me run at the side of him. I think he wanted to tire me out so that he could dump me in the house and leave me.
He sounded dreadful, but deep down I think he did care for me because he would NOT let anyone say anything about me or bully me.
He could bully me but no one else could. LOGICAL in his mind ???????
One Saturday morning he asked my mother if he could go to the tuppenny rush because Flash Gordon was on.
The tuppenny rush was the kid’s cinema session on Saturday mornings. It was tuppence to get in.
I was fascinated by this bloke called Flash Gordon. I had heard a lot about him from my brothers mates but I had never seen him albeit from a nearly blind eye.
My mother told –Johnny- my brother that if he went he could take me but to look after me. He was not overly excited about this idea but consented to it so that he could get to see the episode of Flash Gordon and the Spider Woman.
I was rather excited at this prospect myself and I could not wait to meet Flash Gordon. I thought he was real. LOL
After being shoved and pushed to get in the flea house door as the kids kept calling the Grand Cinema we finally got in and I was overawed with the size of this big place.
It was quite dim in there but with straining my eye I could make out massive lights above the seats that had what looked like candles in the upturned shades.
Remember that my good eye was still covered up and the one I had to use was NOT a good one and I was trying to take in this vast building.
My brother took me right down to the front row of seats and said NOT to move or he would bash my brains in. He loved me really I think.
I had no intentions of moving anywhere because it had been explained to me that a big screen would come up on which I could see the famous Flash Gordon.
Johnny had said that he would be a few rows back with his mates and for me NOT to move and when it was time to go home he would come for me. I took him at his word and settled down to see this bloke they kept on about.
Suddenly the lights were being dimmed and a big cheer went up from the children who started stamping their feet and chanting ‘Gordon’ ‘Gordon’.
All very bewildering to me, but exciting nevertheless. I too decided to start chanting Gordon’s name.
I was enthralled with seeing this blonde haired Adonis called Flash Gordon but was rather scared of the Spider Woman and her long nails. I cowered down into the seat and it wasn’t long before all the excitement had been too much for me before I fell off into a deep sleep.
When I woke up it was pitch dark. Not a sound to be heard and I was in that cinema all on my own. I had slept through the stampede evidently of the children as they all charged out. It was eerie but at the same time I was used to the darkness with being put in a broom cupboard if I had committed a small misdemeanour in the home so I just pretended that was where I was instead of a massive place that kept creaking.
My brother had completely forgotten all about me in his excitement of discussing how Flash got away from Spider Woman. I MISSED IT with falling to sleep.
Suddenly the heavy doors flew open and my mother was marching down the aisles holding my brother by the ear. The janitor and another person holding oil lamps calling my name followed her.
That was the end of ever going to the tuppeny rush again.
As I grew older I realised that I WAS quite a burden to a 12 year old lad and I DON’T honestly think he left me there on purpose because he had been a great brother over the years although we never saw each other all that often.
Funnily enough Johnny became the Second-in-Command of the traffic Division in the Metropolitan Police.
When he died his funeral was escorted by police cyclists although he had been retired for some time from the force.
It was very moving.
CHAPTER THREE
THE BIKE
This incident/accident happened on a Sunday afternoon in the July in 1939. As you can see from the date that it was a couple of months before WW2 broke out.
We lived in a rented terraced house in South East London. We were not very well off and every halfpenny had to be accounted for.
It was a hot humid day with rain coming down in buckets full.
Our front door was wide open to let what breeze there was come through.
The house had a long passageway that had the front room ( this was out of bounds to the children and we were only allowed in when visitors came ) leading off halfway down, the kitchen was next and the scullery was at the end of this long passage way.
My father was in his favourite position sitting on the stairs with his rolled up cigarette dangling from his fingers. My 16 year old sister Amy was reading a book in the kitchen my younger brother Johnny ( the one that forgot about me in the tuppenny rush cinema) was upstairs.
My mother was in the front room brushing her beautiful knee length flaxen coloured hair. Her hair was my father’s pride and joy.
Meanwhile, Billy my 18 year old eldest brother had his bike turned upside down in the passageway doing something to the chain.
I sat playing with a tea-set that my eldest brother had bought for me the week I was born out of his meagre pocket money which at that time I was told cost 3d from East Lane Sunday Market. I was turned 7 years of age by the time I first played with that tea-set because of being in the home.
I was 9 years of age when this incident/accident happened.
I can remember when looking out of the front door and watching the rain falling down SO heavily it reminded me of dancing men. DON’T ask me why I thought that because I have no idea.
Meanwhile my brother had set the wheels of his bike going at a great speed. I would imagine that he was testing it to see if the chain and the brakes were working properly.
My mother after finishing braiding her hair and putting it up like two ear phones each side of her face walked out of the front room and my brother said “Can you stop the wheels for me please Mum?” Instead of getting something to stop the wheels with, she put her hand there.
The top of her finger flew through the air right past where my Dad sat on the stairs.
He in fright dropped his cigarette down his shirt and mayhem broke loose.
Mother ran to get the top of her finger that had landed two steps past Dad’s head which she firmly plonked back on as she ran into the scullery to run the water over it and Dad finally got the cigarette that was singeing his hairy chest.
My Gawd what a to-do.
Mum got a newly washed sheet to put round her hand where she had stuck the top part of her finger back on while telling Amy my sister to get her coat and to go with her to the doctors surgery. Amy went with my mother and Mum’s finger was stitched back on but it was always crooked after that.
The next day my mother came in with an Eton cropped hairstyle. I could not get used to her with short hair like that and I wondered what my father would say when he got home from work.
I did not have to be on pins for long because he went ballistic when he saw her.
My mother finally got through to him that she HAD to get the money for the doctor for stitching her finger on and she sold her tresses to do it.
She got 15/s for her hair. That is 75 pence in today’s currency. Out of which she had to pay the doctor 7s/6d for stitching her finger back on plus aspirins to ease the pain.
There was NO NHS in those far off days and each visit to the doctor cost 5s.
It was lucky that the doctor lived on the premises but it was still a 20 minute walk for my mother to get to his place. How she did it I will never know.
She was not very big in height, in fact she was less than 5 foot tall but she had the strength of an ox and the temper that could get the better of her when she got riled. My father bore the scars.
I never got on with my mother but I had deep admiration for her courage both in this incident and others that happened over the years.
I felt embarrassed by her many times but looking back I realise how many folk loved her, even if I couldn’t.
Incidentally my tea-set was wrapped up very well during the war and although it suffered minor damage to the tea-pot spout and a cracked saucer it is now sitting in pride of place in my daughter-in-laws unit.
Its ironic to think a 75 year old tea-set survived the horrors of WW2.
Another great glimpse into the past, May, and you make it all come alive! There’ s so much detail here, about the characters and the ‘feel’ of the time. I remember going to the Saturday morning movies…..but I think it cost a good bit more. I was the elder sister, so had to drag the younger Anne with me everywhere, and I didn’t like it one bit!
Looking forward to the next chapter!
Love,
Mxx
Many thanks Maize,
It seems to have brought back memories for you too.
I hope you enjoy the rest of the book.
God Bless.
xx
Oh Maisie ,I can’t stop thinking of that top of the finger flying through the air ! And how painful it must have been to have it re-attached ,as I don’t think there was anesthesia in those days , was there? How brave she was ! And what a quick thinker she was !
It’s interesting to hear you say you couldn’t love your mum …I wonder if the lack of bonding with her had something to do with it ? As you mentioned in the first chapter that you were put in a home since you were a baby … Did you ever resent her for that ?
I’m asking this because , I had a similar relationship with my mum when at the age of about 7 I was placed in foster care ,after she walked out on us all six children taking only the baby with her .
I know that my sentiments towards my mum changed to that of love /hate …as an adult ,now I understand why she did it , but deep down it left scars that still have not healed …
Great read THANK YOU !
I would also like to add that I’m delighted to hear that you’ve decided to stay with us ! xx
I’ll never forget about Mum’s finger!! A really vivid scene! I think it’d be a bit early for anaesthtics…..think they came a bit later. Makes you realise what a grim life people led!
Xx
hey may,another good read,u have caught my interest, loving the story looking forward to reading the next chapter,u also have a great memory,ur mum must have been terrified when the top of her finger flew off (ouch) I think when children r put in care homes, there were obviously feelings of resentment, must have been so hard back then,i mean u read about it now too, so it still goes on today,thank you for sharing ur stories again may……cath xx
Many thanks folks for getting back to me.
To answer your question nmod about the bonding with my mother, it could well be because she had no choice but to put me in the home until things started to get better for folks in the way of living.
Perhaps because I never knew what it was to be cuddled as a baby.
Just something missing between her and me but I did not resent her doing it because of the situation that had arisen through the lack of work and the Great Depression.
Funnily enough my mother was greatly respected by many although she was known for her fiery temper she still had a good heart and would help anyone.
You will see what I mean in Chapters to come.
SO sorry to know that you too had a disrupted childhood and if you do like I have and write things down it does help any bitterness to dissolve.
Glad to know that folks are interested in an old biddies ramblings. LOL
A very good blog ,May, and the fact it is a real life experience makes it more exciting to read on my side. You had such a loving brother and a caring mom ,thank you for sharing xxx
Many thanks for getting back to me Beatrice.
I hope you enjoy the rest of the book.
Cheers xx
Very good, May. I’m really enjoying your stories.