Mother with her first husband with two of their children.
My Mothers at the age eighteen had an arranged marriage, to a man of thirty, who was from Afghanistan, They were blessed with four children sadly one of the children died soon after birth due to an accident in their home.
Tragedy struck again when the ship that my Mother's first husband, who was a Merchant navy seaman when the ship he was serving on caught fire, it sank with the loss of many lives that included her husband. I was told by my Mother that as the ship was sinking, her husband, with other crew members stayed on the deck reciting verses from the Koran. It must have been extremely traumatic for so much tragedy for such a young wife and mother of three children to have to endure.
A quote my Mother often used was 'speak the truth and shame the devil' it is most likely the reason I was told by her that when I was born,in an attempt to lighten my skin, I was bathed in milk. It is difficult to imagine the absolute trauma my birth caused, I was black ! how could it be explained to her husband who was away at sea when I was born. When my Mothers husband did return, he named me and returned back to sea never to return.
There was another quote my Mother would used when we, the children, were causing her stress it often led her to make a prediction, by using anything to hand and make a cross on a nearby wall, to give it more emphasis, saying mark it on the wall !, Of course we as children thought it was hilarious and we would all laugh. It meant that whatever my Mother said we never gave any thought. It was a great shame because I feel sure that it would have been worth remembering and have a guiding force, just as the one mentioned above had, on me at least.
If those words were used today, it would seem that my Mother was referring to face-book ! It could be those sentiments has influenced me to put this website in the public domain. One thing that my Mother proved to be right was, when I was told by her that I was different to other family members, of course I regret asking her in what way ? One difference is that this website does not meet with their approval.
My Mother though not having a university education had an intelligence that only now I have begun to recognize and appreciate.
My father was a Ghanaian from West Africa and a Christian ! The circumstances this union was surrounded in at the time, explained above, resulted in the severing of relations of the maternal side of our family. It is not hard to imagine the turmoil that took place within the home and with the extended family. Family honour is still rife in many families even today. I know that the death of my Mother's first husband at sea was a fortunate outcome at the time.
Now in my 70s, I can account for how being born in such circumstances has influenced facets of my character, and the affect it had on older family members.
During the time we lived at 61 Cable Street, on the doorstep of where I was born. ''The 1936 Battle of Cable Street'' which my parents witnessed. It is a fact that a newspaper reporter asked for access to an upper floor window to enable him to photograph The Battle taking place in the street below. My older brother's picture was shown in a local newspaper looking up at the photographer from a lower floor window.
My earliest memories of living in Cable street was standing on a chair and watching trains being shunted into the sidings.
History made on our door step
I feel sure that 61 is captured in this picture.
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The plaque that signifies a turning point in our society.
The corruption and slease that has recently been exposed by the media of, 'The Greedy Bankers, 'The Worlds Banking Crisis,' 'The Snouts in the Public Trough', 'The rotten system' these could easily have been the social circumstances that was at its height in Iran in 1844. I belief that situation has now reached the West. There are many people who accept that we need a 'new moral compass', they are unaware that a new moral compass is in place and is now being practiced by groups of people in every country of the world.
This is possibly a picture of our home before my parents owned it
in Wellclose Square 1939
When my parents moved from their Cable Street home, to a fine residential property in Wellclose Square in East London, my Mother's marriage of choice and now the owners of two houses, there can be no doubt my parents must have felt that only good times lay ahead. My memories of the happy times riding a new three wheeled bicycle around Wellclose Square, kicking a football in the cul-de-sac, off Wellclose Square, where we lived. I can still smell the new paneled leather football, I remember the 'Ancient Lights' sign in front of our house, on a wall on the right. I have since learnt that it meant no one could build in front of our house.
Saint Paul's Nursery School I attended in 1939.
The School and Sunday school I attended were just five and ten minutes walk away. The changes and hardships my parents were to undergo just 3 years later, were unimaginable and would test their marriage to its limits. It fills me with so much pride and admiration of how they held their marriage together. The hardships were to endure no doubt helped to cement the marriage partnership that lasted till my father's death.
It is understandable that My father had heart failure three months after the war ended. Surviving the entire Blitz of London, working in such a high risk environment, Beckton Gas Works, the largest such plant in Europe at that time and a prime target for the enemy bombers. My father had also served in the merchant navy in the 1914-1918 first world war.
Merchant navy records show that the merchant seaman who were given the Silver MN badge were given to seaman who had served in the first World War, and in many cases exempt, for various reasons from serving in the 1939-45 war. I remember how proud my father was showing it to me, must have been only 10-11, I remember so clearly how he held it almost under my nose, of course at the time I did not think much of a small silver badge with a small crown on the top.
My amazing Mother met her third husband, soon after the death of my father, and this union was blessed with two more children.
Some of my Mother's children
There can be no doubt social historians will recognize the children of my parents as having spanned an important time in the social history of East London. A Mother who raised a family of eleven children mostly single handed. A family that was started before the 1939 - 45 World War, during the war and after the victory. In fact one of my brothers was named in anticipation of the victory.
It is absolutely fascinating for me to recognize the different attitudes, values and views on life, from my brothers and sisters, caused by us being raised in different social times, and how it has affected our characters in many different ways. Religion and War caused a vein of disunity in our family. On this I can speak with inside knowledge
Lily Wilson 1908-1986.
My much loved Mother was born in East London and passed away in East London, just a short distance from Watney Street Market, which was her regular place for shopping up till the time of her sudden death in 1986.
My Mother is laid to rest in The East London Cemetery.
''The earth is but one country and mankind it citizens''
Baha'u'llah 1817-1892.
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