Hetty

By Ginny Lee

In 1920 Hetty was working in the Tin Box factory in the east end of London, her mother had falcified her birth certificate by two years so she was at a working age of fourteen, with a father who in his drunken rages would terrify her brothers and herself,and even try to abuse her at times, she would hate him for the way he would beat her mother ,when he was killed in the docks where he worked, all their lives were to change. When she got pregnant and married Harry who she thought she loved, Hetty thought her life would be settled ,but when the baby died and left her bereft with pain,she couldn,t bring herself to feel anything ,so when Tom, Harry,s brother came home from the army and came into her life, she fell deaply in love and would do anything to be with him even to the extent of leaving her two young daughters. With Tom she had found the life she wanted ,but with her young sister Florrie growing up into a beauty and hanging round Tom, she once again found her life uncertain, she couldnt take any more heartache , when the war started in 1939,Hetty had moved to the country with her children,with Tom away all week working on the black cabs in London Hetty became paranoid with the knowledge of him being so near to Florrie..But Hetty wasnt prepared to give up that easily.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse UK
• Release date: Mar 2, 2006
• ISBN: 9781467010061

Ginny Lee

My name is Jeanette Lee, my pen name is Ginny Lee, this is the first book ive written eve n though ive often thought about it for many years , I was brought up in essex ,lived in London for four years after getting married,then lived in Australia for three years , I have three children living and one little girl that died in 1962 just two years old . I got the inspiration to write after my husband died ,my mother had died two years before and I missed them both terribly and I began to think back on all old memories and began to remember things my mother had told me about her life ,i was speaking to my close friend about it all and she told me to sit down and write about it , which I did and the outcome was Hetty my book, I promised her if I ever got it published I would dedicate it to her, my children have encouraged me all the way and probably without that encouragement I would have given up , As ime sixty six years old I never thought I would start writing at my age, I have enjoyed what I have written and hope other people will too.

Book preview

ONE

Hetty’s thoughts were far from happy as she made her way home from work, breaking in to a run every so often so as she would get home quickly, she worked at the Tin Box factory in Devon’s Road in the East End of London, Hetty had been born in Stratford in the East End, her family were quite poor ,and she was hurrying home to help her mum with her five brothers and a new baby sister, what was always lugging on her mums tits, well that’s what was in Hetty’s mind as she run along the road , she giggled to herself if me mum new what she was thinking she would probably give me a clout she thought to herself and me dad, well she didn’t want to think about what he might do if he new she had been swearing or saying anything rude, especially if he had been drinking, a shudder went through Hett, she new what he was like then. She pushed the thought from her mind as she hurried on, as she came over the canal bridge she heard a faint cry for help, she ran down the cut to the waters edge and there was a young boy clinging to an old barrel, she called out to him, can’t you swim boy? but the boy was to scared to do anything only cry out, help me help me, with no thought of the cold water or of herself off came Hetty’s boots and tucking her skirt in her drawers she jumped into the freezing cold water, swimming strongly over to the boy she grabbed him turned him on his back and started swimming back ,trying to keep his head above the water, the boy was struggling in his fright which made it hard work for Hetty, she was a strong swimmer but she was only twelve years old and not very big for her age, but she struggled on and brought the boy to the canal bank where now a small crowd had gathered, some of them helped to pull her and the boy out of the water, she heard people praising her saying ‘you done a good job there girl he could ave drowned if you addn’t gorn in there and, ‘well done from someone else, she was shivering now the wet seeping through her clothes, as she pulled on her boots a woman came over, taking the boys hand she said ‘I’ll take this boy home I know his mother, it’s young Albie Woods", .she took off her coat and wrapped it round the boy. Hett remembered she best get off home quick before her dad got home, she was sure to get belting if he saw her in this state.

Hett ran the rest of the way home not stopping until she came to the back door; once she was inside her mum said you’re late where you bin? Then Gawd elp us gel wot’s appened to yer? your soaked to the skin’ Hett explained what had happened, well get out of those wet clothes gel and get dried before your dad gets in, then get them boys washed for their tea’ Billy’s laid the table for yer, and ang those wet clothes on the line to dry you will want them in the morning.’

Hett was quite used to rushing around when she got home from work ,seeing to the boys, dishing up their dinner and getting them ready for bed, her mum would be feeding the new baby or darning the many pairs of socks that were always full of holes, Hett ladled the stew into the five bowls for her brothers who sat round the table, clean hands and faces , their hair brushed sprucely to one side, even little Jess who was only two years old,

his pale little face hardly showing over the table top, Jess had been a sickly baby not as strong as his older brothers, who were constantly fighting and sparring about full of mischief like most young boys, but the older ones seem to know that Jess was different and never got to rough with him. It was very peaceful with the boys tucking into their stew, the baby well fed and quiet for a change, Hetty new it wouldn’t last, the fact that her father hadn’t turned up for his dinner meant that he had stopped off at the Crown pub for a drink, and Hett new he would down a few jugs of ale before he staggered home. She never new what sort of mood he would be in, sometimes so roaring drunk you could hear him singing and shouting along the road, he would come through the door eyes bulging, breathing heavily and stinking of ale. Sometimes he would maul her, pulling her close to him, his wet slimy mouth kissing her face and hair, on these occasions she was daddies little girl, "come on gell give yer ole dad a cuddle yer aint to big to be givin yer ole dad a kiss are yer?come on gimme a big smacker’,Hetty would cringe, but she was to frightened to pull away from him incase his mood changed to violence, then he would lash out swearing and throwing anything he could lay his hands on, even her mum was frightened to stand up to him, Hetty had seen it all before and gone running to hide in a corner shaking with fear as she watched horrified as her father laid punches into her mums face and body, then he would slump as if he were the beaten one, Hett would help her mum pull him onto the sofa bed where he would lay spread eagle to the morning. On these nights Hett would sleep in her mums bed, as the sofa bed was where Hett usually slept, The sofa bed was in the kitchen and Hett didn’t mind this as it was the warmest room in the winter, the old black range was kept alight all day to give them hot water and for cooking. Now Jess was in a bed there was no more room in the big bedroom for her, and anyway she was growing so fast she needed her privacy.

The boys had gone to bed; Hett went to tuck the smaller ones in, little Jess and Johnny who was four. The older ones Billy who was ten then Benny eight and Jim who was six were all old enough to take care of their own needs, she kissed them all goodnight turned down the gas light and closed the door, as she did she heard the back door slam, it was her father, she ran quickly down the few steps to the kitchen, come on gel where’s me dinner?, have I got to wait all night,? He wasn’t too bad tonight but Hett new the slightest thing could send him into a violent rage, she quickly filled a basin with stew and cut two large chunks of bread, she new once he had had his fill he would want to sleep. Hetty was very tired she was up every morning at six o clock, she started work at seven until five in the evening, and her wages was three shillings a week of which she gave two shillings to her mum. Knowing her father was settled for a while she slipped away to the scullery to get washed, to get any privacy was practically nil in this house, Hetty was very particular about cleanliness, although there was no running hot water she would boil the big old kettle and fill the sink, then wash her body down, she would do this as many nights as she could, she new she had to get through her toiletry quickly and get her nightdress on before her father passed the scullery on his way to bed ,he would put his head round the curtain that hung there instead of a door that had been pulled from its hinges long ago in one of her dads drunken rages. There had been times before when he had caught her standing there with just a towel round her tiny frame, a strange look would come over his face, Hetty didn’t understand what made him look at her like that , but it made her shudder with fear and she would shrink into her towel. Tonight she was into her nightdress and brushing her hair when she heard her father passing by the scullery on his way to bed, at least she could get to bed and get some sleep she thought to herself and went back to the kitchen to pull her bed down and spread her blanket over it. The baby was asleep in an old crib in the corner of the room, Hetty couldn’t remember when there hadn’t been a crib in that corner, all her brothers had been in it, and now it was Florrie’s turn and many a night her mum would say, ‘I wont wake the baby it’ll only disturb her, if she wakes in the night just bring her in to me", and it would always be the same a few weeks later her mum would be retching in the lavvy, and Hetty would know there was another baby on the way. So Hetty fell asleep exhausted from the days events, pulling that boy from the river had taken its toll, Although Hetty was only twelve years old, she went to work, her mum had altered her birth certificate to make it look like she was fourteen, Hetty had missed a lot of schooling staying home to help look after her younger brothers, so she wasn’t missed much at school and nobody seemed to bother, and her life went on not changing much from day to day.

A few weeks had passed since the incident of the canal, and Hetty had forgotten all about it, Until, when one night she got home from work, and as she opened the back door she could sense the excitement, she could tell her brothers were bursting to tell her something, and in one chorus they told her you’ve got a letter Hett its got your name on it said Billy ‘mum says you’ve got to wait till dad gets home you can’t open it, that came from Bennie, her mum came in from the scullery, ‘ is it true mum ? Have I got a letter? yes its true alright, and from her pocket she pulled a white envelope and yes it had to Miss Hetty Garner and her address, Hett had never had a letter before, her very own letter, she new she couldn’t open it, it was a rare occasion for a letter to come to their house and not even her mum would open it, what do you think its about mum? questioned Hett half exited but a bit worried at the same time, hope it aint about you working Hettmused her mum you aint told anybody ow old you are ave yer?,You could be in real trouble if you aveno said Hettyou know I wouldn’t mum I know what the money means to yer,

Hetty was clearing away the evening meal when the back door opened making her jump, it was her dad early and sober for a change, Hett couldn’t believe her luck, she new if he had been roaring drunk her mum would have kept quiet about the letter, kettles nearly boiling dad, you’ll have your tea in a minit, her dad hung his coat on the back door, then playfully cuffed at the boys sparring up with them for a minit or two, then sinking in his old armchair asked Where’s your Ma then? seeing to Florrieanswered Billy and in the same breathe Hetty’s got a letter all to herself with her name on it Hett looked over to her father and watched the surprised look on his face, what’s all this then Hett? Where is it then? this letter mums got it mums got what, said her mum coming thru to the kitchen, the letter of course, said Hetty her legs beginning to tremble she didn’t know if it was excitement or fear or both, Her mum pulled the letter from her pocket and handed it to her dad, he slit the envelope and pulled out the folded paper, Hett thought her heart would burst in anticipation. Well! Well! When did this all happen then my girl? Saved a boys life then did yer, saved him from drownin in the canal ?, why wasn’t I told about this big event then eh, Oh dad it was nothing honest, cried Hetty he just got out of his depth that’s all and I helped him to the bank, ‘Wasn’t nothing eh replied her father , well the Town Hall think it was they want you to go up there , your goin ter get an award for bravery, Hetts face had gone beetroot red, then she turned very pale, it was all just to much, her Hetty Garner was getting an award for bravery, was it money she would get she thought to herself, no that was reward, she came out of her thoughts to hear her dad saying next week fifteenth of October at ten a.m. that means in the morning! went on her dad ,you will have to tell them in work you wont be in that morning and why, you can go back to work after you’ve been to the Town Hall. Well mother what do you think of that then? Said her father our Hetty getting an award, wait till I tell them down the Crown, Hetty could hear the proud note in her fathers voice and new he was pleased. Although her dad drunk a lot and they were terrified of his drunken rages and violence, she new deep down he cared for them all, he worked hard in the docks all day and they had never gone hungry, they also had new boots every year which she new a lot of local kids never had.

When everyone had gone to bed Hetty curled up on the sofa bed and pulled the blanket round her, took the letter from under her pillow where she had hidden It, brought the candle nearer so she could read the letter over again. What should she wear she wondered, Hetty didn’t have many clothes, just one good skirt and a couple of dresses her mum had bought her of the second hand stall at the market. I’ll go to the market on Saturday she thought to herself maybe she could get something off the stall her mum went to, she had a bit of money saved, Hett hardly ever spent any money, she was allowed to keep a shilling a week out of her wages of which she put a sixpence away, and she must have at least twenty sixpences put away now that she had saved, She would take one sixpence with her on Saturday, she could probably get a good outfit for that. Hett blew out the candle snuggled down and in less than a minit was sound asleep.

Hetty still got up at six o’clock even though she didn’t have to go to work today, Today was the day she was going to the town hall to collect her award, She helped get the boys ready for school while her mum got her dads breakfast, she put the kettle on to boil, opened the vent on the wood burner, raked over the ashes then built the fire up with wood from the wood box stacked in the corner. Her mum came in with Florrie draped over one hip and a pile of washing balanced on the other, Take her for me Ett she wants to be on er feet that one said her mum she wont be still for a minit, Hetty took the chubby wriggling baby from her mum ,yes she was growing fast and getting quite heavy, little Florrie grabbed for Hetts hair and gurgled happily, No you don’t you little tyke said Hett laying the baby in the crib, placing a little rag doll in the tiny hands, seeing the baby was content she went to hurry the boys along.

The morning sped swiftly by, and soon Hetty stood neat and tidy in the navy skirt and jacket she had bought of the second hand stall in Rathbone Street market. It had been a good fit and only cost threepence, so she had enough money left to buy a little white embroidery anglaise blouse she found on the stall to go with her jacket. Hetty had polished her boots the night before and they were peaking out from under her freshly pressed and brushed skirt, Hett had brushed and fluffed up her bobbed hair and with her face clean and shiny she felt very pleased with herself, she had told herself so many times now that she was fourteen, she really believed it and felt very grown up. Soon Hetty and her mum were waiting outside the Mayors Chambers at the Town Hall, they were shown in to the Mayors office given a seat and sat in awe of the grand surroundings, and then through a door at the far end of the room came the Mayer and his assistant following close behind him.Hetty and her mum stood, up the Mayer shook hands with both of them and told them to sit down , Hetty was to exited to take all in what he was saying, and when they came out ten minits later she was on cloud nine grasping in her hand the small box with a bravery medal inside, and another box slightly bigger witch held a watch