Memoirs of Henrietta Burkin

urn:iso:std:iso:639:ed-3:eng

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text excerpt

[The author begins her memoir: ‘This was to have been an account of my early youth, in the East End of London, but I think I had better commence with my Mother’s early life as told to me’. Her mother was born in 1868, in the East End of London, the ninth daughter of eleven children. She died 10 November, late 1920s. Her name is not given in the memoir]. 

Mother’s eldest sister, who was thirteen years older, lived next door […] A night my Mother often talked about, was, one Saturday night, when her Sister gave her half a sovereign to go to the market with a list of the things she wanted. This was very exciting for Mother, as there was so much to see ; it was all very noisy with plenty of stalls, lit by naptha flares like huge torches. A man and his wife were selling song sheets and shouting, “All the latest songs of the day, price one halfpenny”, and they broke into song:-

“Go and leave me if you wish it,

Never let me crorse yer mind,

If you fink me so un unwervy,

Go and leave me, never mind.

Verse:- 

A short time 'e loved me sincerely,

'e said that 'e doted on me,

our 'oneymoon scarcely was over,

When a devil 'e turned art to be. 

Chorus:

Go and leave me, etc.,

Mother bought a song sheet. 

excerpt from 'Memoirs of Henrietta Burkin' pp. 1 (244 words)

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