Lester Avenue E15

A Memory of West Ham.

I was born at home in Lester Avenue in 1947. 9 of us lived in that 3 bedroomed house, and it never seemed overcrowded. There were 2 Grandparents, an Aunt, Uncle and Cousin, my Mum and Dad, my Sister and Me. I can remember going to Gainsborough Road School opposite the park and on Saturdays going to Rathbone Street Market. We either walked, down the alleyway near Carpenters Stores, then passed by the Co-op or caught a 669 trolleybus, from opposite the cemetery, and Albert the Barber.

When we disembarked on the Barking Road, the stop after Trinity Church, by Woolworths, we turned left into Rathbone Street. On the right-hand side of the road was an area that was flattened by a bomb, during the War and on it were several Stalls, selling everything from stockings to vegetables to records. Further down on the other side of the road was a Bartons the Bakers. Then on the same side was Mrs Olley`s Pie and Mash shop. Next, on the other side was a Wet Fish Stall (I can still see the live eels with their heads being chopped off). A bit further along was our Butcher which was nearly at the other end of Rathbone Street.

I can also remember the Post Office and the Seamans` Mission on the Barking Road.

All the neighbours kept their front gardens in good order and were friendly. No parked cars in front gardens or rubbish where flower beds used to be or curtains that haven`t been washed since God knows when, like I have seen in the last couple of years.

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