Ironmonger's Daughter by Harry Bowling Read Free Book Online

General Strike lasted just nine days, and the factory strike less than one week. Joe Cooper appeared at the Tower Bridge Magistrates Court and was fined ten shillings for disorderly conduct. His bruised and battered head remained unbowed as he paid the fine and walked out of the court to back-slapping and cheers from his workmates. The next Monday morning an apprehensive group of workers walked through the gates of the factory and clocked in. There were no cases of victimisation, but the following week the management declared that working hours were to be increased by one hour and the early Friday finish would now be a thing of the past. Though they could do nothing about it, it angered the subdued workers and made Joe Cooper all the more determined to bring trade union membership into the Armitage factory.
    Another confrontation which took place during the strike was the subject of discussion at the next domino group get-together.
    ‘We was all outside the pie shop in Tower Bridge Road,’ George Baker began. ‘I was standin’ there mindin’ me own business an’ eatin’ me ’ot pie, when along comes this tram. Yer could ’ave knocked me over wiv a feavver. I says ter young Bernie Cornbloom, “’Ere, Bernie, the trams are s’posed ter be on strike ain’t they?” “’S’right,” ’e says. So I looks up the road an’ there’s this dirty great tram wiv a geezer drivin’ it who wasn’t yer regular tram driver. ’E ’ad this posh coat on wiv a fur collar, an there was a copper standin’ on the platform next to ’im. The tram was packed wiv them bleedin’ office workers from Tooley Street. This copper ’ad ’is arms folded over ’is truncheon an’ there was anuvver copper on an ’orse trottin’ be’ind. Before yer could say Jack Robinson, young Bernie grabs me pie an’ runs out in front o’ this tram. ’E aims me dinner at this geezer who’s drivin’ the tram an’ it ’its the copper instead. Right in the dial it caught ’im. Everybody starts cheerin’ an’ clappin’, an’ young Bernie’s orf like the clappers wiv this copper chasin’ ’im. Some o’ the lads jumped on the tram an’ tried ter pull this driver geezer orf. Now, the copper on the ’orse don’t know whevver ter chase Bernie Cornbloom, or ’elp the scab volunteer. ’E yanks the poor ’orse’s neck round an’ it slips on the tramlines. Over it goes an’ this Tom Mix copper can’t get up. ’E’s got ’is leg trapped under the animal. Ole Clara Cosgrove is standin’ watchin’ the fun an’ suddenly she grabs an ’andful of eggs orf of Teddy Oldham’s stall an’ starts peltin’ the copper wiv ’em. Talk about a laugh. I ain’t laughed so much since ole Knocker ’ere got pissed that night an’ mistook ole Clara’s ’ouse fer the urinal.’
    ‘I don’t remember doin’ that,’ Knocker said, stroking his thick stubble.
    ‘’Course yer don’t. You was legless. Yer made a right mess of ’er passage wallpaper, I can tell yer.’
    ‘Did they catch Bernie?’ Harold Simpson asked.
    ‘No fear,’ George said emphatically. ‘Bernie runs across the road, roun’ the corner, an’ straight frew ole fat Sara’s front door.’
    ‘Blimey! I bet she was pleased,’ laughed Knocker.
    ‘Not ’alf. She grabs young Bernie an’ tries ter pull ’im in’er bedroom. Bernie told me ’e didn’t know whevver ter give’imself up an’ take ’is medicine, or take some of ’ers.’
    ‘What did ’e do, George?’ Knocker asked.
    ‘Gawd knows. ’E never told me what ’e did.’
    ‘What would you ’ave done, George?’ Harold asked.
    ‘I’d ’ave give meself up. I ain’t too keen ter get a dose o’ the clap. Ole Sara’s ’ad ’alf o’ Tower Bridge Road in ’er place.’
    ‘Yer right there,’ Harold agreed. ‘I’ve even seen ole Ferris the chimney sweep divin’ in an’ out o’ there.’
    ‘Fat Sara ain’t got a coal fire. She’s on gas,’ Knocker chipped in.
    ‘’Ow the bloody ’ell