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I was 8 years old when 'The Big Freeze' gripped Britain in 1947, wrote Bob Margetson. I was living in Union Street, Stratford, London, E.15 at the time, in a small 2-up, 2-down house, which my parents, 3 brothers and 4 sisters had to share with my aunt, uncle and my two cousins.
I remember my younger brother, George, and I having to go down to the gas works at the bottom of the street with an old pram and queue up for hours to get 28lbs of coke. We couldn't afford coal!
Each customer was only allowed 28lbs of coke or coal. After several hours of queuing, George and I were frozen stiff, as we had very little warm clothing to wear due to the hard times my parents were going through.
Anyway this did not deter us for as soon as we got our 28lb of coke home we would knock on a neighbour's door and offer to go back down to the gas works and queue up once again to get their coke, or coal.
We were paid 3d each for doing this errand but we felt it was worth it as 3d was a lot of money to us at that time. We sometimes would manage to queue up again for yet another neighbour, which meant that we earned 6d each!
One chore I hated was on a Monday. This was when my mum would do the week's washing. She used to wash the clothes in an old copper boiler, which was in the scullery. When she took the washing from the boiler she would take it out into the back yard where the mangle (wringer) was situated. My chore was to turn the handle of the mangle whilst mum was threading the clothes through. It was hard work and I would ache for the rest of the week.
If mum had 1/6d to spare she would put the week's washing into a pillowcase, or bolster case, and send me to the 'Bagwash'. I didn't mind taking the dirty washing around to the 'Bagwash' but I dreaded bringing it home, as the washing was soaking wet, making it very heavy for me to carry. Apart from this I still had to turn the handle of the mangle to assist mum in getting the said clothes dry.
On reflection, this makes me appreciate today, as we enjoy central heating and the modern washing machine and spin drier!
Several years ago I paid a social visit to my youngest daughter, (Debbie) We were having our usual natter when in my conversation I mentioned a funny experience that had happened to me whilst in the army doing my National Service, which was in May 1957 to May 1959.
Debbie was amused and started asking me what did I get up to in my younger days as she was very interested to find out more about her dad. I promised her that one day I would write my life story. My other two daughters (Donna and Diane) and my son (Denver) also wanted to know about my past.
True to my promise I started writing my life story in 1998 and have just completed my first book, which covers the years 1941 to 1962. My second book will continue from 1962 to the present day. (I am now writing it at my time of this e-mail.)
I've given the title to my first book, 'The dog in the sky' as this relates to a very special memory that I have. This memory I will submit to you at a later date.
The said book is crammed full of my memories as a young boy living in the East End of London. Some sad and some happy times are recorded all of which I would like to tell you about.
I know that many people of my age can and will relate to my stories and hope they find some happy times in reading my memories. I will be 63 years old in July 2001. My 3 brothers and four sisters are all still living.
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