To Dear Daniel With Love...

2015

CHAPTER ONE

My Father’s Family.

My story begins with the most important people in my life, my parents Tom and Ivy Penn. I tell how they first met and of course I introduce both sets of grandparents who featured greatly in my early years.

My father was born in Mile End Old Town – now known as Stepney - to Charles Edward George Penn and his wife Mary Elizabeth Penn (nee Jeapes) on 06 July 1913 He was called Charles Alfred after his father but both Charles Senior and Charles Junior were known by the nickname ’Tom’– I have never discovered the reason why. So for the purpose of this story we will call him Tom.

Dad was the third child and the eldest son – three more sons were born to my grandparents after Dad.

They lived at number 12 Ernest Street and it would seem that over a period of time various members of the family had resided at different addresses in the same street.

My father left school at 14 having gained his Matriculation – which is similar to the school exams taken today. He was a bright boy so his father apprenticed him to a Carpentry and Joinery firm specialising in building shop fronts. He attended ‘Night School’ to gain his qualifications and he enjoyed his work.

My granddad worked in a sea-sponge Factory as a sponge cutter which was a skilled job, one slip of the knife and the sponge would be ruined. The sponges would be delivered into the factory where they were cleaned and it was my granddad’s job to cut them into various sizes. I believe he also worked as a Journeyman as it was known in those days which meant he was apprenticed to a trade.

Granddad Penn circa 1920

Granddad Penn Sergeant in the Army in the First World War

Granddad enlisted in the Army on the 15th May 1916 and was placed on a Reserve list as he was a married man. He was then called up on 3 March 1917 and was seconded to the Royal West Surrey Regiment where he showed leadership qualities and on 09 July 1918 he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant. During his time in the Army he was sent to France where he was unfortunate to become a victim of mustard gas. He was evacuated to England on a hospital ship the HMS St. Patrick suffering from Bronchial Pneumonia and chronic Bronchitis He was demobbed in March 1920.

My granddad was a good old East Ender born and bred and he loved nothing better than to take his brood of children in a Pony and Trap all around London visiting the famous sites. The children looked forward to these outings very much. Although granddad was quite strict I believe he loved his children very much but in those days it was ‘not the thing’ to show emotion.

My Mother’s family

Mum was one of 9 children; but unfortunately her older brother John died on the 14 January 1918 at the age of 2 years and 9 months from tuberculosis, peritonitis and measles, therefore my mother became the eldest child. She was born on 05 July 1916 to John Thomas Betts and his wife Ivy Annie Betts (nee Ward) – my mother was also called Ivy Annie. They lived at number 18 Pollard Street Bethnal Green. My grandparents then went on to have a further seven children as large families were the norm in those days.

Mum had suffered ill health from an early age so her schooling was sporadic and she had to attend what was termed ‘a special school’. A bus would collect her every day to take her to her special school. It must have been upsetting not being able to go to school with her siblings. She was often ill and suffered with a heart condition and also a nervous disease called St. Vitus Dance. During these periods of ill health she would be hospitalized and on one occasion she was taken to a hospital in Kent which made it very difficult for her parents to visit her.

In spite of her illnesses she was clever with a needle and enjoyed knitting. Nan had been a Seamstress before she married so no doubt mum inherited her skills with the needle.

As there was never much money coming in – granddad, who was a cobbler by trade, was amongst those who were out of work during the great depression in the 1920s and 1930s. So mum learned how to make her own clothes and she would earn extra money by visiting the local Jewish homes on Saturdays which was their Sabbath, lighting their fires and carrying out general chores. Their religion forbade then to undertake any of these tasks on that day.

Having spoken to my remaining aunties they told me that they were all expected to do their bit to bring money into the household. Aunties Violet, Pat and Rose also had to visit the Jewish households to light their fires and carry out menial tasks or do the shopping.

Granddad did his bit by mending shoes for the local neighbours. He would send the children to the local Leather shop with the money and a note as to what kind of leather to buy for the shoes that he happened to be mending at the time. It had to be the right one, thick leather for men’s shoes and thinner leather for the ladies. Woe betide if one of the children came back with the wrong leather, they were promptly despatched back to the leather shop to get the right one. He would sit at his cobblers’ lasts after shaping the leather and fixing it in place on the sole of the shoes with the tiny tacks which he kept in his mouth. Unfortunately this habit had the effect of turning his teeth black over the years.

Granddad also worked in Spitalfields market which dealt with fruit and vegetables. His job was to take the empty crates back to the wholesalers. To enable him to carry as many of the crates as he could he would have to place a flat leather cap upon his head on which he could balance the crates.

My uncles also had their part to play in the family finances. They would visit Spitalfields market at the end of the day and grab any old crates that were lying about. These would be swiftly chopped up and sold as firewood to mainly to the Jewish community or anyone else who would buy the kindling. Sometimes they had collected so much firewood that they found it difficult to carry so they would wait for a passing lorry and cheekily grab a lift on the back, more often than not they would be caught and told to ‘clear off you little blighters’.

Nanny Betts as a young woman of about 18 years old

Nanny Betts with Johnny aged 2 and mum as a baby on Nan’s lap.

Mum and Dad’s Courtship

The following story was told to me by my mum when we would sit together and she would reminisce about her past life.

Ivy left school at 14 years old and went to work as a machinist in a factory. She had made a few friends but one special friend was a girl called June who was about a year older. One day June asked Ivy if she would like to accompany her to a dance that was being held at the local Town Hall that Saturday, Ivy said she would like to go but would have to check with her parents to see if it was ok.

The family were all sitting around the table eating their meal that evening when Ivy broached the subject of the dance to her parents. Nanny Betts was definitely the authoritarian in the family whilst granddad, well was granddad, he was a quiet man and went along with anything that his wife said. So it was to her mother to whom Ivy addressed the question and told her about the dance and asked permission to go. Her mother pondered on this for a while but realising that her daughter was now growing up and earning her own money she agreed to let her go. Then Ivy suddenly realised that she didn’t have anything nice to wear. All her clothes were just serviceable working clothes. She mentioned this to her mother and that she hadn’t time to look around the shops to buy something. Her mother, ever the resourceful woman thought for a moment then said that she had to go into the market the next day and she knew where there was a stall which sold some nice material and whilst in the market said that she would pick up a dress pattern. Then between them they could make a dress in time using her mother’s old sewing machine. That pleased Ivy no end.

The next day when Ivy went into work she excitedly told her friend June that she would love to go to the dance with her. That night when she arrived home from work Ivy’s mother called her into the parlour and there on the table was a brown paper parcel. Ivy eagerly tore the paper open and there inside was a length of lovely blue material with tiny white daisies all over it. Her mother had also thoughtfully purchased some little pearl buttons which she suggested could be sewn down the front of the dress which would finish it off nicely. She added that there would probably be enough material to even make a belt to match which would go around the waist and tie up at the back.

Then delving further into the package, Ivy brought out the dress pattern. It was very pretty with a sweetheart neckline and short puffed sleeves, and nipped in at the waist. It had a full skirt which ended fashionably just below the knee.

After everyone had eaten and the china and cutlery had been put away, Ivy and her mother retired into the drawing room where the sewing machine had already been set up. Together they laid the pattern on the material and carefully cut around it. Ivy then set about tacking all the pieces together ready to be machined the next day.

As soon as she got home from work the next evening Ivy couldn’t wait to start on the dress. She managed to sew most of the dress together when her mother came in and told her it was late and she should be getting to bed, but she promised Ivy that when she had finished her chores the next day she would finish the dress for her.

True to her word when Ivy arrived home from work that evening, the dress was almost finished. All that remained to do to complete the task was to stitch the pearl buttons down the front. Ivy tried the dress on and it fitted perfectly. She thought that the black patent shoes which she kept for best would go nicely. Her mother had thought of everything and as a surprise she produced a small black evening bag which completed the ensemble. She had seen this on a second hand stall whilst visiting the market and had haggled with the stall holder and bought it quite cheaply.

Saturday arrived and Ivy carried out her usual chores visiting the local Jewish homes and lighting all their fires and also making trips to the shops to carry our errands for the ladies of the house. She had earned some extra money to spend that evening and to repay her mother for the dress material.

She had arranged to meet June at the bus stop to catch the 7 o clock Ivy’s mother was very strict and as Ivy was going out of the door she warned her to be home by 10.30 as the last bus left at 9.45.

They arrived at the town centre and alighted from the bus and walked across the road to the Town Hall, entering the large wooden doors they paid their entry fee at the kiosk then carried on to the hall itself via the glass swing doors. At the end of the hall there was a stage on which the musicians were tuning their instruments. Chairs and small tables had been placed on either side of the hall which was filling up quite quickly. Ivy and June made their way over to a group of their friends from the factory where two seats had been saved them.

There was a refreshment bar at the opposite end of the hall where they sold non-alcoholic drinks and snacks. June asked Ivy if she would like a drink and she replied that she would like an orange juice, so whilst she sat down and chatted to their other friends, June went over to the bar to get their drinks.

Ivy had never been in this hall before and she was taking in the sights. Above the hall in the ceiling was a large round crystal ball and as it gently turned it threw prisms of light all around the hall which bounced off the walls like so many rainbow stars.

The band began to play and couples were getting up to dance. A couple of lads who had been standing near to the girls, walked over to them. One was dark haired and wore glasses and the other had fair hair. The dark haired lad asked June to dance and the fair haired lad came over to Ivy. Would you like to dance love? he asked, Ivy said she would, although she wasn’t very good at dancing having not had a lot of practice and she felt quite awkward. However they got chatting and she soon relaxed. The lad told her his name was Tom Penn, he was 18 years old and that he was an apprentice Shop fitter from Mile End Old Town. She in turn told him her name and that she was 15 years old and lived in Bethnal Green and worked in the local dress factory as a machinist.

During the evening Tom claimed most of the dances with her and all too soon it was time to leave. Ivy motioned to June who was enjoying herself dancing with various boys. She was quite a popular girl and very outgoing compared to Ivy who tended to be quite shy until she got to know people. Come on June we had better go now if we are to get the last bus. So they put on their coats and then said their goodbyes to their friends and the lads who had joined them. Tom then took hold of Ivy’s arm and said he would walk her and June to the bus stop. She thought that was very nice of him. Then Tom’s friend Reg came over and joined them and together the four of them left the hall with Reg holding June’s arm. Tom and Ivy chatted away and he asked if he could see her again. He said that there was another dance next week and he would love it if she could come. Ivy said she would love to. They didn’t have to wait long before the bus arrived so saying goodbye to the two lads June and mum got on and sat down.

On the way home Ivy thanked June for asking her to go to the dance with her and said she had had a lovely time. She then excitedly told June that Tom had asked her out again the following Saturday. June replied that Reg had also asked her out again so the two girls decided that they would be at the dance next Saturday.

When Ivy arrived home her mother was waiting up for her and wanted to know how the evening had gone. Ivy told her about meeting with the young man called Tom and that he had asked her out the next week. Her mother was pleased that she had met someone, but warned her to be careful, but didn’t enlighten her as to what she meant. Her mother was quite old-fashioned in that she had never discussed sex with any of her daughters nor did she really explain about periods or having babies suffice to say that when Ivy or her sisters did start their periods, all she would say was Don’t go near any boys. Perhaps she should have followed her own advice, as I found out after she had passed away that she had been 8 months pregnant with John when she married.

So Ivy and Tom continued to see each other over the ensuing months, until one day her mother suggested that it was about time that she brought this young man home to meet the family. Why don’t you bring him round to tea next Sunday? she said. Ivy met Tom as usual that evening and passed on her mother’s invitation which Tom accepted.

Ivy had warned her younger brothers and sisters to be on their best behaviour as she didn’t want them to embarrass her in front of Tom.

Sunday arrived and Ivy helped her mother with the tea, there were homemade cakes and fish paste sandwiches her mother had laid on a really nice spread.

There was a knock on the door and Ivy went to open it and Tom stood on the doorstep. He wore a check jacket over a white shirt with a yellow tie; a mustard coloured waistcoat and a pair of beige trousers which had been pressed to perfection with sharp creases down each leg. On his feet were highly polished brown shoes. He explained to Ivy much later that because his father had been in the army he was a stickler for smartness and had instilled this in his son.

He made a very good impression on Ivy’s parents and they liked him straight away. Even her younger brothers and sisters were all on their best behaviour which of course, pleased her.

After that first visit Tom was a regular visitor to the Betts household. Then Tom took Ivy to meet his family who had invited her to tea