A Wonderful Lady - Chapter 1 The Early Years

The Order of service, for the Celebration and Thanksgiving for the life of Evelyn Eliza Fuller


Brian Fuller with "Auntie Eva" on her 100th Birthday

On Monday I went to a funeral. We were celebrating the life of a wonderful lady, Evelyn Eliza Fuller, who was known to me as Auntie Eva. She had lived for a remarkable 104 years.When she was in her 90's she started to write down the memories of her life, and in this blog, I will record word for word what she wrote. I have included the Foreward written by her daughter Mary Gardner, and I will add a postscript of my own at the end. The "memoirs" were published within the family in 2004, to mark the celebration of Evelyn's 100th birthday, and with Mary's blessing I reproduce them here.

Foreward

Mum was approaching age 90 when she decided to write about her early life in the East End of London. We affectionately called the writings 'Mum's Memoirs!'. Suddenly, she realised that she had written quite a lot - up to the 1940's in fact- and wondered what to do with them. Some of the detail relates to life almost 100 years ago, and hopefully will make interesting reading for family and friends to enjoy. A few family members will identify themselves in Mum's recollections even though they probably won't remember the events described!

I should like to record special thanks to Derek Leach for his kindness, time and expertise in producing this booklet that we can share with you to help celebrate Mum's 100th birthday today, 5th October 2004.

Mary

Evelyn Fuller Remembers

I was born in 1904 in a draper's shop in Rathbone Street, Canning Town, and we lived there until I was about three years old. I was allowed to play in the shop after it was closed, but my sister Doris was not allowed as she mixed up the buttons, which were all sorted into little boxes in drawers under the counter: they were sold loose however many customers wanted. The shop was full of lovely things including hats and all the trimmings. Customers used to come in, choose the hat they wanted and ask my mother to trim it with their choice of pretty bits and pieces. As we grew older my three sisters and I always had nice hats to wear on Sundays although we were not living in the shop by then.

I have been told that the potman used to come from the local pub - I think it was the Balmoral Castle in Rathbone Street, Canning Town - and he used to say " Miss Mabel says, can she please have the baby?". That was me! I do not remember being taken there, but I have a vague vision in my mind of a lot of mirrors and shiny glass. I was told I cut my teeth on Miss Mabel's gold locket. A teacher also used to call and take me to a nearby school where I was Bo-Peep in a play; I cannot remember what the school was like, but I can recall seeing lots of little coloured glass holders lit up with candles inside and railed over the first floor windows to celebrate some victory I think.

Siblings

I was one of four sisters. Ada was the eldest and very placid, although I do remember once, when she was left to give us our tea, she wouldn't let me have jam as well as butter on my bread. She obviously new more about finances than I did! Doris was next, then me, then Floss the youngest. I suppose we spoilt Floss as she always had to have the first pick of everything we were given: if it were an apple she would have to have the biggest. However, we were a team and all lived each other. If one of us got told off for something and sent upstairs it wasn't long before the rest of us had a little cry and found a reason to go out too. We all slept in one bedroom when we were small and used to have high jinks jumping on the beds ans such like. Our windows had blinds, the cords of which hung over one of the beds. One of our best games was all to stand on the bed, hold the cord and pretend it was a maypole, running round it singing! That was fine until Mum caught us!

Our first vehicle was a bicycle that cost five shillings, which we all shared. I don't know who paid for it, but I learned to ride on it and used it quite a lot. We were having ago on it one day and a tyre was punctured. The boy next door said, "Have you got a puncture?" Floss replied, "No , it's only the air coming out!"