A Review of East End Tales by Gilda O'Neill

An Upbringing in 1950s London, From the Quick Read Series 2008

Jul 6, 2009

Life in London's East End was not always easy, but a strong sense of community runs through Gilda O'Neill's affectionate portrait of her 1950s childhood.

Gilda O’Neill’s background and the hardships of life in 1950s London did not encourage education. Earning money to support yourself, or the family, was a much greater priority and she left school at 15 to do just that. It’s only later in life that she’s come to relish her ability to recreate 1950s life in the East End of London through her writing.

The material for this book is partly derived from her experiences but also draws on interviews with fellow East Enders and the book is peppered with powerful accounts. Each chapter concentrates on some aspect of London life: food, education, entertainment, community, crime, or health.

1950s London

London after the Second World War was a shadow of its former self. The East End was littered with bomb sites that nowdays would provide a wealth of material for the Health and Safety police. Then, they formed a rich playground for Gilda O’Neill and her friends.

Childhood Entertainment

All year round children played on the streets and bomb sites. The range of games was huge although none involved any expensive toys. Rims of old bikes were turned into fishing nets or hoops. Girls had hours of fun making ‘grottoes’, arrangements of pretty objects that they would display for half a penny. Ingenuity was called for and East End children rose to the challenge.

Health

In common with many families at the time, the O’Neills had no bathroom. A little dirt was certainly not viewed with horror. The weekly wash took place in front of the fire and in summer the bath doubled up as a paddling pool.

Free healthcare for all was in its infancy in O Neill’s childhood. Money was tight after the rent and food bills were paid for. Home remedies were regularly used: breathing in hot tar from repaired road for whooping cough and bread poultices for boils. With the advent of the National Service in 1948, free health care for all revolutionised the health of the country, not least in the provision of vaccines for common childhood illnesses.

Making Good

Much is made in this account of the recycling nature of their family life. Gilda O’Neill recounts how everything was mended or used for something else. Saucepans with holes were patched up with circles of metal held in place with nuts and bolts. When shoes were outgrown, the toes were simply cut off and the shoes used again. Nothing went to waste. Throughout the book, Gilda meets East Enders who although impoverished, felt well off in comparison to the extreme poverty of the 1930s and the Great Depression.

Hard to put Down?

Gilda O’Neill writes simply but convincingly about her childhood. Her memories are vividly evoked and the reader is left with a real sense of a time that seems a world away from childhood experiences of today. Yet this was only 50 years ago.

The necessary reserves, both physical and intellectual, that yesterday’s children had to draw on are a nostalgic reminder of how much the world has changed. Many families, but not of course all, are much wealthier and healthier, but Gilda O’Neill clearly feels this is to the detriment of community spirit, enterprise and family life. There are many that would agree.

Although East End Tales illustrates life in 1950s London, the book produces no great surprises. One omission that many might notice is the lack of discussion of siblings. Perhaps the author didn’t have any?

About the Author

Gilda O’Neill has published extensive memoirs of her East End life. She has also written 13 novels that draw on her experiences.

Quick Reads Series

Quick Reads are aimed at people who’ve either lost or never developed their reading habit or just want simply that, a quick read. They are short, often only about 100 pages long, and are written in an accessible and appealing style.

There are 32 books in the series including 10 published 5 March 2009, to coincide with World Book Day. Learning resources are provided to develop reading skills.

Reviews of 2009 Quick Reads

Gilda O'Neill's East End Tales (ISBN: 978-0-141-03494-2) is published by Penguin (UK) – 2008.

The copyright of the article A Review of East End Tales by Gilda O'Neill in Biographies/Memoirs is owned by Catherine Whitlock. Permission to republish A Review of East End Tales by Gilda O'Neill in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.