Joan Law (nee Evans)

My dad died in July 1942, my brother Eric died in March 1942. My brother with Fred Firth (Vera’s dad) were the ones who started the Fire Watching campaign when the war started, my brother as you know had TB and was too poorly to go in the Army so he decided he had to do his ‘bit’ for the war effort. Their headquarters was the big house next to where Cissie Minter used to live. One very bad night when a lot of incendiary bombs were dropped in our road, they were rushing up the road with their buckets of sand to put them out, Fred Firth told us and he said he would never forget it, my brother was running up the road and coughing so badly, he dumped the bucket of sand on the bombs then promptly sat down on the bucket to get his breath back, Fred said it was a wonder he didn’t go up in the air, he was just lucky; he made such a big effort.

I was very sad to hear about the Monkey Tree dying, where will the new one (hopefully) be planted? Den still has his piece with him.

Another little note about my Dad, he won a prize for the Best Garden in Tottenham, it was a lovely inlaid Tea Tray and I have still got it. There are many things and families I remember about Summerhill Road. The Martins who lived at number 36 my mum always used to go and help out when Phil or Doris had a fit, I can remember playing rounders in the street till about 10 o’clock at night during the school holidays, not many cars about then, we used to play in the road!!

I can also remember another incident when they were delivering pigs across the road and all the pigs escaped, our back gate must have been open and we found a couple of them rushing about in our back garden.

These are some of Melanie Law’s memories

The Steel Band who used to do all their practising at number 17 near Patrick and family at number 13.

The Carnival coming down Summerhill Road when she was very small and all the old ladies sitting outside on chairs watching, she remembers me putting out a chair for my mum.

Going over to the piggery with Mrs Carter to see the baby pigs when they were born also she used to go in Mrs Carter’s and see Jack (the pig!!) laying in front of the fire.

(Note: This letter has been reproduced for the internet site from the original written by Joan Law  (nee Evans)