I went to Myrdle street school when it was just named
Myrdle Street
Elementary School, or at least something like it.
I had lived in Romford Street in the buildings for
several years before
the war broke out. Prior to that my parents lived in
Christian
Street across the Commercial Road.
My first club was the Victoria boys club in what
is
now Henriques Street, I can't think what it's name was
then. I know it's
new name was after the well known philanthropist Sir
Basil Henriques. When
we were bombed out we eventually were given a council
flat in Hackney. I
was interested to see that you mentioned a block of
new flats near Victoria
Park. The flat we had was in Tudor Grove and
Templecombe Road it was called
Swingfield House. My bedroom overlooked Sharon Gardens
where the singer
Helen Shapiro lived. When we moved to Hackney I went
to the Hackney Boys
Club where I joined the Army Cadets. I too went to
dancing school, the one
I went to was in Amhurst Road. I used to go to the
Tottenham Royal, the
Hammersmith Palais, and the Lyceum in Drury Lane. I
remember dancing to Joe
Loss and his Orchestra, the Squadrenaires, Lou Praeger
and his band. I can
remember when Glen Miller did a season at either the
Lyceum or it may have
been the Hammersmith Palais. But, I am digressing from
the Evacuees.
I was evacuated to Cornwall, for about 18 months I
lived with the Village
Blacksmith, my two cousins who were with me were
billeted across the one
road which ran between Nancledra and Cripplesease,
with a farmer. My first
and most uncomfortable ride on a horse was on one the
farmers huge draft
horses. I was only a little fellow, and I felt as
though I was doing the
splits when my legs were first stretched across one of
the horses back. I
was billeted with another boy, I had a little trouble
remembering his name,
but I am sure that it was Alfred Cohen. The Blacksmith
and his wife's name
was Philip and Phyllis Roskelly. After I got married,
in 1951 we used to
spend all our holiday's touring Devon and Cornwall, we
did it for about
10 years and we never missed going to see Cripplesease
and Nancledra. Soon
after I left the village the Blacksmith was called up
and served with the
Airborne Red Berets. He was in the Battle of Arnhem
and was dropped into
the Dykes and developed a severe case of Pneumonia,
and shortly after
getting back to Cornwall he died. That is the story
that Mrs. Roskelly told
me on one of the holidays to Cornwall. I can remember
he seemed like a
giant to me being so slight, and he so tall and of
such big build. He had a
motor bike, and he used to take us for rides on the
pillion of the bike; we
went on alternate weekends. He would take us to
Penzance, Redruth and other
places which were fascinating to a couple of Cockney
youngsters from the
East end.
It has been great being able to remember so much, but
I am sure that I have
forgotten even more. With your forbearance I will come
back and do some
more of this remembering.
Regards and greetings of the season. Have a good new
year?
Alan Grant.
Hi Gerry
I was so amazed at the coincidence of meeting here on
the 'net while never
having met you or your family who lived across the
street. I was so
surprised that I thought I would see whether anyone of
my friends or family knew
your family. I rang England and spoke with a couple
who were courting around
1947 in the other block of flats in the same estate,
Dinmore House, I think
that is the name, anyway it was the next block on the
same side of the road
from my block. The husband who was one of my best
friends was courting a
girl from Dinmore? House, Stella Sharon, they have
since married, he was
one of twin boys, Arnold and Monty Landsberg. Monty
married my cousin who
lived in Ainsworth Road, which ran off Wells Street
and ran between Wells
Street and King Edward's Road. They are as surprised
as we are, they have
not been able to recall your family but Stella says
that your family name
sounds familiar.
What a small world it is, and the Internet is making
it even smaller.
That's it for now. TTFN
Alan.
=======================================================================
I now live in Australia, I came here with my late wife
and 4 children in
May 1965 on the good ship "Canberra," as 10 bob
tourists. It was I believe
the last trip the "Canberra" made as an immigration
transport. It was an
>absolutely fantastic journey of just over 3 weeks.
We first went to
Melbourne and stayed there for about 11 years, and
then we moved to South
Australia, which is where we have been ever since.
I only went to the Astoria dancing a very few times,
my dear wife and her
Sister often went there, before she met me, it was
where the "Yanks" went.
My sister-in-law now lives in Florida. My Sister, who
married a "Yank" now
lives in California, north of San Francisco. She is
divorced, has been so
for many years.
I went to Myrdle Street School up to 1939 when we were
evacuated.
At that time Myrdle Street School children were joined
by the Fairclough
Street School children and we all went to Cornwall.
Those of who went to
the Nancledra/Cripplesease are were gathered in the
Methodist Church Hall
in Nancledra, and we just stood around until the
locals came over to us and
said, "We will take him and him, or her if that was
the case. In my case it
was indeed "him and him" the other him being an Alfred
Cohen. Our teacher
who came with us in the train, a Miss Solomons from
Fairclough Street
School, was dismayed to find herself in the Church
Hall, she was a sweet
thing who lasted a very short length of time in that
backwater without
another Jewish adult for about 50 miles. We enjoyed
every minute of it once
we became acclimatized. All of the villagers were very
kind to us and in my
case. our host and hostess were very understanding
except when it came to
try and get me to eat vegetables. Then they became
quite frustrated with
me. I won't go on about that. I did enjoy it, in spite
of the vegetable
incidents, and was thankful that they took us in
considering that they only
got 10/- shillings a week to feed and board us. It was
one gigantic holiday.
I will write some more later on, it is great to let it
all hang out and
enjoy once again all of the memories, they do come
flooding back don't they ?
Regards and best wishes for the New Year.
Alan Grant.
