A Small Girl In Tuskar Street

A Memory of Greenwich.

In the early thirties I lived with my parents in the lower flat inTuskar Street. We safely played outside the house with local friends. Maze Hill Schoolwas in danger of closing and my Mother was asked if I could go to the school to swell the numbers. I loved it.We had to have a nap every afternoon in tiny camp beds. Before Empire Day, we rehearsed two dances around the Maypole and sang Sweet Lass of Richmond Hill and Johnny can come to tea which was really Jolly Good Company, my Mother tried persuading me.One morning she opened the front door to find I had walked out at playtime thinking it was home time. That caused a flap as I was only 3 years old! The school caretaker let me ring the school bell sometimes which was so exciting. I once wore a new beret to school and returned
home with a rather worn one. Inside were a couple of extra visitors, a couple of head fleas which caused another flap. We were regularly given a tiny bag of sweets every Friday if we'd been good and of course I was always good.. In the flat above us were the loveliest people Mr and Mrs Joseph Bell. Surrogate Grandparents of the most wonderful I adored them. I just called them "Bell"

and knew them from birth. We, like most folk had an outside lavatory and Mr Bell scrubbed the pine wood seating regularly. He wouldn't hear of my Mother taking a turn. Mrs Bell was named Hannah and she came from Norfolk and served the largest and most delicious Dumpling in beautiful gravy before the main meal, a Norfolk way I believe. We moved to the Isle Of Dogs where my Father worked to make his travelling easier and although I enjoyed that too I never forgot my dear Bells and the friends I made at that time. Miles Street I think led up to the High Road shops and I once persuaded my Mother to let me carry a very large bottle of Chop Sauce and yes, you've guessed ,I dropped it and there was a huge mess on the pavement and the stain was around for some time. They changed the name of the street to Mell or Mellish Street I believe not because I dropped the Sauce.

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