West Ham Lane

The two little girls with their Nan walked through Stratford, past Queen Mary’s hospital and along West Ham lane, as they reached the shop doorway they could smell and feel the heat. There was sawdust on the floor, tiled walls and long benches either side of the long marble tables. Nan told us to sit down while she queued up and was served by the short dark haired woman with bright lipstick and then she placed two large plates in front of us, pie, mash and liquor, it was lovely, Nan had mash, eels and liquor, not so appetising. After the pie mash we would cross the road to go into West Ham Park for an hour on the swings, the park was always tidy with its neat flower beds and cut grass. Our poor little legs would just about last for the walk home, where we would sit in large orange armchairs with tea, and a bag of broken biscuits.