A Child of the East End: The heartwarming and gripping memoir from the queen of saga fiction

(Paperback, Main)

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One of my first East London memories is lying in bed, listening to the low boom of thebarges as they nudged each other on the Thames, just half a mile away from ourestate . . .

Life in Cockney London was tough in the post-war years. The government's broken promiseshad led to a chronic housing shortage, rampant crime and families living in squalor. But onething prevailed: the unbeatable spirit of the East End, a tight-knit community who pulledthrough the dark times with humour and heart.

Drawing on both family history and her own memories of growing up in the 1950s and '60s, aswell as her working life as a district nurse and local police officer, Jean Fullerton vividly depictsthis fascinating part of London - from tin baths, to jellied eels, to tigers in a Wappingwarehouse.

***Includes a bonus 8-page photo plate section!***

A Child of the East End is an eye-opening, heartfelt and atmospheric portrait of life inthe East End after the war from 'the queen of saga fiction', perfect for fans of My EastEnd by Gilda O'Neill and Call the Midwife by Jennifer Worth.

Reviews

Vivid, unsentimental and very funny. An extraordinary celebration of a bygone era by the Queen of the East End ... a cracking read and a golden nugget of 20th century history. * Kate Thompson, author of The Stepney Doorstep Society on A Child of the East End *
Funny, stark...grimly fascinating. (...) A Child of the East End offers a powerful corrective to a romanticised, nostalgic way of looking at a past that was (...) often regressive and oppressive * The Independent *
Richly-textured and engrossing... Jean Fullerton's meticulous research and background knowledge enable her to create a wholly convincing and engaging wartime novel... Completely immersive. With humour to lighten the mood as well it can be laugh-out-loud funny as well as deeply poignant, but it is the emotional richness and heart to the book that draws the story together and makes this such a rewarding read. -- Nicola Cornick * Historia, on A Ration Book Childhood *
Food for the soul, it's simply deliciously readable and enjoyable * LoveReading on A Ration Book Christmas *
Charming and full of detail... You will ride emotional highs and lows... Beautifully written * The Lady on a Ration Book Daughter *
A delightful, well researched story -- bestselling author Lesley Pearse * on All Change for Nurse Millie *
From jellied eels to tin baths . . . a richly evoked portrait of a bygone world * The Lady *
A vivid portrait of the privations of the post-war years, but also a unique community spirit that is in danger of being lost forever * Choice Magazine *

Author Bio

Jean Fullerton is a native East Londoner and authentic cockney. Born within the sound of Bow Bells, as a child she lived in a derelict one-up one-down cottage by London Docks before being rehoused as part of the post-war slum clearances.

Because of her love of history, Jean hoped to become a theatrical costumier, starting out as a general dog's body in a local clothing factory before working her way up to being a pattern cutter at Jaegers. 'Clearly not the next Mary Quant', Jean decided to take a completely different career pathway and, at twenty-three joined the Metropolitan Police Force, 'an eye-opener even for a streetwise East End girl!'. After taking time off to have children, Jean trained as a Registered Nurse once her youngest went to school and spent most of her working life in the East End of London. She is also a qualified teacher and has lectured on community nursing at a London university. The author of nineteen historical novels, including The Ration Book series, Jean now writes full-time. Find out more at www.jeanfullerton.com