Memories of Childhood
by John Appleby

~ 26 ~

It was a traumatic year, a time of ragged children and idle men, their livelihood taken away from them, wandering the streets looking for odd jobs. I saw men playing handball against the gable of one terrace. Quite a lot of them were assiduously busying themselves in their gardens or gathering driftwood or sea coal from the beach. Like fish out of water, sometimes getting under their wives feet, to be ordered out to walk with the children. Strangely to say, it impacted very slightly upon us. I only remember the good things I suppose, but our parents must have suffered with all parents. There we were, with wretchedness and poverty all around. There were people seeking parish relief, and there were soup kitchens set up for children.

The Co-op was supportive and extended credit to the more needy. I think there must have been a surplus of Savoy cabbages in our garden about that time, because it turned into a profit-making venture. My sister Winnie and I were recruited to hawk these cabbages from door to door amongst more affluent homes. We carried them in a wicker clothesbasket. My mother patched and darned, and clothes were handed down. I remember having to wear a girl's coat with big celluloid buttons, buttoned up the opposite way. We ran barefooted in the summer to save shoe leather. This state of affairs dragged on, and Dad's allotment of vegetables, berries and eggs, served us in good stead, and we children never went hungry or were neglected.

© 2003 John Appleby, New Zealand

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