Swing Bridge 1904
My mother's parents were George and Eliza Deeks who lived in Millwall for many years. Grandfather had a "Wet and Dry" fish shop in Westferry Road and, after going to Billingsgate to collect the fish daily, he would go on to his work as a cooper at a nearby brewery. Outside the shop there was always a basket of small fish for anyone in need to help themselves. The fish shop was on the corner of Spratley's Row, which was an alley leading to the riverside and the pony was stabled somewhere around there. We were never allowed along there. Mum had one sister and nine brothers and she was kept busy knitting all their socks. If caught by father reading a book, which she loved to do, he would say "Havn't you got knitting to do?".
Mum attended St. Luke's School and left when she was 12, obtaining a job as a cashier in a butcher's. Most of the brothers lived nearby in Byng Street, Alpha Road and Mellish Street and we saw quite a lot of them. They were great fun and we all loved them. My sisters and I got very excited when we were promised a visit to Millwall. We used to take a tram to a public house called The Eastern and from there we took a horse bus to Millwall. The money for the fare had to be passed through a trap door in the roof. The noise of the horse's hooves and the clatter of the wooden wheels on the cobble stones was terrific. If it happened that one of the uncles was with us, we might be taken up to sit with the driver; this was a great thrill. There were two bridges on route. At times we would get caught with what was called a "bridger" and had to wait while the bridge was lifted, enabling a ship to go through.
Sometimes we were taken to Greenwich Park, which was lovely, I think we had to go through a tunnel to get there. Grandma Deeks used to visit people who were in need and help where she was able, in particular making large bread puddings for the hungry. I believe there were many German refugees, probably Jews, in the East End at that time. One family she visited was Father, Mother and a couple of children. The parents were suffering from bronchitis and had been putting linseed poultices on their chests. When Grandma went round one morning she found the children were so hungry they had been eating the linseed from the poultices!
My mother took me to see her Uncle Joseph Deeks who had fought in the Crimean War and was given some sort of position at Rochester Prison. He was a very handsome old gentleman with a white beard and he crocheted antimacassars. His room was very comfortable and well furnished. I fancy someone called Aunt Lottie was related to him in some way, I think she was named Mrs Leguette and lived around Lewisham.
Another thing Mum told me was that her father would suddenly announce that his holiday had been fixed for a certain date and there would be a mad scramble to get all the clothes packed in a large tin trunk. The railway tickets would be purchased and Carter and Robinson, the hauliers, notified who would pick up the trunk and deliver it to relatives in Walton on Naze or Great Bentley; then off they would all go. Gradually the family moved away from Millwall, especially during the 2nd World War when the docks were blitzed.
My mother's parents were George and Eliza Deeks who lived in Millwall for many years. Grandfather had a "Wet and Dry" fish shop in Westferry Road and, after going to Billingsgate to collect the fish daily, he would go on to his work as a cooper at a nearby brewery. Outside the shop there was always a basket of small fish for anyone in need to help themselves. The fish shop was on the corner of Spratley's Row, which was an alley leading to the riverside and the pony was stabled somewhere around there. We were never allowed along there. Mum had one sister and nine brothers and she was kept busy knitting all their socks. If caught by father reading a book, which she loved to do, he would say "Havn't you got knitting to do?".
Mum attended St. Luke's School and left when she was 12, obtaining a job as a cashier in a butcher's. Most of the brothers lived nearby in Byng Street, Alpha Road and Mellish Street and we saw quite a lot of them. They were great fun and we all loved them. My sisters and I got very excited when we were promised a visit to Millwall. We used to take a tram to a public house called The Eastern and from there we took a horse bus to Millwall. The money for the fare had to be passed through a trap door in the roof. The noise of the horse's hooves and the clatter of the wooden wheels on the cobble stones was terrific. If it happened that one of the uncles was with us, we might be taken up to sit with the driver; this was a great thrill. There were two bridges on route. At times we would get caught with what was called a "bridger" and had to wait while the bridge was lifted, enabling a ship to go through.
Sometimes we were taken to Greenwich Park, which was lovely, I think we had to go through a tunnel to get there. Grandma Deeks used to visit people who were in need and help where she was able, in particular making large bread puddings for the hungry. I believe there were many German refugees, probably Jews, in the East End at that time. One family she visited was Father, Mother and a couple of children. The parents were suffering from bronchitis and had been putting linseed poultices on their chests. When Grandma went round one morning she found the children were so hungry they had been eating the linseed from the poultices!
My mother took me to see her Uncle Joseph Deeks who had fought in the Crimean War and was given some sort of position at Rochester Prison. He was a very handsome old gentleman with a white beard and he crocheted antimacassars. His room was very comfortable and well furnished. I fancy someone called Aunt Lottie was related to him in some way, I think she was named Mrs Leguette and lived around Lewisham.
Another thing Mum told me was that her father would suddenly announce that his holiday had been fixed for a certain date and there would be a mad scramble to get all the clothes packed in a large tin trunk. The railway tickets would be purchased and Carter and Robinson, the hauliers, notified who would pick up the trunk and deliver it to relatives in Walton on Naze or Great Bentley; then off they would all go. Gradually the family moved away from Millwall, especially during the 2nd World War when the docks were blitzed.
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