Chapter 26 My Father’s Generation
When James was not working his long shifts, (first as lad pushing soap boxes off the end of a conveyor line, and later progressing to boiler man at the soap factory), he would be doing odd jobs where he could. He was not a socialiser, he rarely went to the pub with his contemporaries. Children of James(1872.80) and Caroline
1) James John(1898.80) born 1898 Poplar.
2) Caroline Mary(1900.80) born 1900 Poplar.
3) Albert Charles (1904.80) born 8th September 1904 St Olave Bermondsey.
4) Alice Rosina(1906.d) born 1906 St Olave.
5) Edith Lydia(1908.80) born 1908 St Olave.
6) Rosina Edith(1910.d) was stillborn in 1910
7) Frederick Thomas(1913.80) born 1913 S Stepney.
8) Harold(1917.80 born 1917 S Poplar.
James(1872.80), (the writers Granddad) died the year before I was born in East Ham 1943.
he had been living with his wife Rose.
James had no children by any of these marriages, but he did have a cat which he idolised. Whenever he came to visit, the cat came too – on a lead.
On his return, his platoon was called to parade where the command sergeant volunteered him as a driver. Harold(1917.80) recalls how he had never driven before, the sergeant ordered him into the cab of a twenty ton truck and told him to follow his Jeep. Harold(1917.80) dutifully obeyed and on arrival at a camp further down the road, he was told, ‘you will do’. That is how Harold(1917.80) learned to drive. Harold(1917.80) drove until he was over eighty but never had to take a test.
Ivy and Michael were quickly evacuated to avoid the London bombing. In the four years of the war they were moved to Northampton, Chichester, Shropshire, Surrey, Forest Gate, Cornwell and East Ham.
The year Brian(1944.87) was born, a combinations of untreated milk and damp air raid shelter caught up with Michael and he contracted TB. The worry of Harold(1917.80) and Ivy at the news has to be understood in the light that Harold had lost a sister to TB and Ivy had lost a cousin. There was no recognised cure for TB at the time and those that survived often suffered disability. Harold(1917.80), anxious at the news, spent one leave cycling on a borrowed bike, to see his wife and son. On the way he got a puncture. Such was war time initiative, he packed the tyre tightly with grass from the verge and finished his journey.
The war was coming to its climax by the time of his second son's birth. Harold(1917.80) would not talk about next period of his service. He was sent abroad on tour to India, Japan and other parts of Asia but preferred to block out the experience. It was just as he he was due to board the Taos Victory for this tour when Brian(1944.87) was born. “Nothing”, they say, “is certain in life bar death, and taxes”. Born on the 4th of march 1944 in East Ham Hospital, Brian's(1944.87) present to England was PAYE.372
train station he travelled to East Ham, saw his son and returned the same day. He got off the train one stop before camp to avoid being observed by the military police. Unfortunately, this adventure made him ten minutes late for curfew, so his well-oiled plan ended with fourteen days ‘spud bashing’.
The Taos Victory arrived the following day and Harold(1917.80) found himself on route to India, Hong Kong and Germany and finally, in 1947, home for the remainder of his army days. Unfortunately it did not mean he was free to go home because, on return, Harold was hospitalised due to a tropical disease affecting his stomach. Ivy and Michael were unable to visit but they wrote to him. Such letters were treasures and kept to this day. Michael's get well card produced on two pieces of paper.
On demob in 1945, Harold(1917.80) and Ivy set up home in Hackney where Harold(1917.80) went to work with British Home Stores. In 1947, with Britain now recovering from the war, a massive housing project meant new council estates were popping up everywhere. Harold(1917.80) and Ivy were offered a council house – 67 Langdon Crescent373– The paint was still wet when they moved in as Brian(1944.87) can testify. Sensing the excitement in the air, Harold(1917.80) and Ivy approached the last few yards, unlocked the door and entered, Brian ran straight into the kitchen where he looked for the new air raid shelter – the cupboards under the sink. By the time Harold(1917.80) realized the paint was still wet, the damage had been done-a cream coloured camouflage emerged from under the sink to a severe reprimand.
