Stories Of London

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My parents evidently left Camberwell and went back to Bethnal Green where upon they went to their first home: two rooms at the top of a house just off Old Bethnal Green Road.

The house was built in Victorian times and consisted of three floors. It had no front garden, but there was a small yard at the back along with an outside toilet. The building was owned by Miss Burfield, a lady of small stature, but certainly not in demeanour. Although she had a somewhat fierce looking face, according to my mother, this hide a very kind and considerate nature. She was quite typical of her era in that she wore only black dresses that reached almost to her ankles with long sleeves and a high collar. She always wore a small Cameo Brooch and piled her long white hair high on her head, which added to her fierce look.

Ladies of Miss Burfield’s Time

Miss Burfield was a very religious lady who went to church several times each Sunday and housed a Harmonium in her front parlour, on which she would play hymns each evenings. She would often invite other old ladies (and my mother) to come and sing with her. I am uncertain whether my father attended these soirees or not.

A Harmonium

Nearer My G-d, to Thee (Sarah Flowers Fuller Adams, 1805-1848)

My mother said that she enjoyed these evenings, as she had been raised to take her siblings to the numerous Missions, Temples, Citadels and Soup Kitchens along Mile End Road, as a child. These establishments provided a bowl of soup and a piece of bread to anyone willing to listen to short Sermon. These were places where my mother was sure of finding some sustenance, since her stepfather did not believe in wasting food on his stepchildren! My mother preferred the establishments organised by The Salvation Army and developed an amazing knowledge of The Bible from her visits.

Statue of William Booth (1829-1912), founder of The Salvation Army, erected on Mile End Road

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Despite Miss Burfield enjoying playing the Harmonium and singing hymns either alone or with her friends, her most treasured possession, or rather her most treasured companion, was her Parrot.

Apparently, the parrot was aptly, but unoriginally, named Poly! My mother did not know the bird’s age, but remembers that she had been told that Poly was old ……. very old!

My parents lived at the top of the house and had no water tap. As a result, they had to carry water up in buckets from the ground floor and also to use the outside toilet in the backyard. My father did not enjoy carrying water up the stairs and then carrying it back to discard later. Apparently, he often used swear words to describe his mood when carrying out these chores.

It seems that many people have taught Parrots to swear!
(Contains strong language – Parental Guidance Advised!)

It seemed that Poly heard some of his utterances and picked-up these words very quickly. Miss Burfield was horrified naturally.  She was especially stunned when Poly came out with a string of such words when her friends were visiting!

Poor Miss Burfield! She told my mother that she had no idea when or where naughty Poly had learned such words! My mother commiserated with her, but offered no solution!

When my mother told my father of the problem, she asked him to keep his language decent and fit for the bird to hear! Apparently after this, my father took to singing as he made his way up and down the stairs!

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One of my father’s favourite singers was the tenor, Richard Tauber (1891-1948) and he now took to singing, quite loudly, one of the special pieces that he enjoyed very much: You are My Heart’s Delight (Dein ist mein ganzes Herz) from the 1929 Operetta, Land of Smiles (Das Land des Lächelns) by  Franz Lehár (1877-1948) with original lyrics by Fritz Lohner-Beda (1883-1942) and Ludwig Herzer (1872-1939).

Richard Tauber – You are My Heart’s Delight

Seemingly, Miss Burfield did not share my father’s love of Operetta and asked him to sing only Hymns or Songs of Devotion when ascending or descending the stairs! Following this rebuke, my mother said that he went back to muttered swearing!

Antrim Mennonite Choir – Rock of Ages by Augustus Montague Toplady (1740-1778)

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