The Sisters of Battle Road by J.M. Maloney

Author:J.M. Maloney
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Transworld
Published: 2017-03-09T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 6

Christmas Tear

Anne (centre) is flanked by Kath (left), and Pat. Feeling pretty in the dresses Mary made for them.

IN THE RUN-UP to Christmas, back in Bermondsey, Annie would always take her daughters ‘down The Blue’, the term that locals used for Southwark Park Road, named after the Blue Anchor public house. The road was lined with shops and market stalls which stayed open till late; the pick ’n’ mix sweet counter at Woolworths drew young children like iron filings to a magnet and the stalls outside sold a variety of goods, including linen, fruit and veg, and clothes. The children’s hearts would thump with excitement as people bustled about, preparing for the upcoming celebrations, but the festive period always brought extra financial stress for Pierce and Annie.

The older girls, Mary in particular, were acutely aware that money was, in fact, in short supply all year round. One of Mary’s jobs was the weekly visit to the pawnbroker, which she hated. Every Monday morning, Annie would wrap up a parcel for her to take along, which would be exchanged for a loan of a few shillings. Jewellery, ornaments, clothes and shoes were all viable and Pierce’s best suit was a favourite item to pawn, as he had no occasion to wear it during the week.

Mary would dash along the street with the parcel, hoping to avoid her friends because she felt so ashamed. The following Friday evening she would be back there, clutching whatever Annie could spare, usually one or two shillings. Once the interest was taken out of that, she would use the remainder to pay off all or part of the loan and would retrieve as many items as possible, always starting with the shoes. Next Monday she would be back again, often with the same bundle, and she’d tell the pawnbroker, ‘Mummy says the same as last week, please.’ This time he would hand over slightly less cash, because the goods were a week older. If the full repayment, plus interest had not been paid by the end of the month he kept the belongings – that was the rather brutal deal.

In a rare act of kindness, the aunts had made their nieces red and white spotted dresses for Easter. The children were delighted and loved them. They didn’t have them for long, though, because grudgingly, a desperate Annie pawned these too, intent on getting them back but despairing when she was unable to come up with the money. Mary would never forget feeling the mixed emotions of shame, resentment and indignation when she’d seen two local girls wearing the dresses. Their dresses.

Living in such financial difficulty meant that every penny helped. Uncle Jack, Grandmother Kate’s brother, lived opposite them on Abbey Street and every week he would visit Kate. If the girls were there too, he would give them a penny between them. It wasn’t much but it was something, and Annie used to make sure that her daughters were there in order to receive the gift.

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