A Coventry Kid's Tale

Chapter 4: Approx 8 years old

Round the back of Hertford Street was Union Street, Cow Lane and Greyfriar's Lane. These were a bombed out waste land, but his father had found one building still intact. It was a Barber's shop. This was no ordinary barber's shop as the barber only charged half price. This was because he lived in the middle of the bomb site and there was no passing trade. Also the child's father thought it was fairer in price as he did not have much hair and what he had got was only an inch long. So for a long time the father remained one of the barber's easiest customers for a haircut!!!

At this point, Hookie comes to mind. Down in the back entries of Alma Street, in the dead of winter when it turned dark early. The dare would go up to walk to the bottom of the entry that was overgrown at the back of the B.T.H., for down the bottom of that entry everybody knew that Hookie lived there. Everybody also knew that if Hookie caught you then he would disembowel you with one swift slice of his hook. Many children had been dispatched this way (so we were told by other children that knew). It was a nerve racking time when it came your turn to go. Down the entry you would creep, trying to make no sound. When at last you reached the bottom you would turn and run back the way you had come, screaming all the way, for you felt sure Hookie was just behind you. It would not have been too bad but when all the children in front of you started to scream and run away from you, you KNEW Hookie was just behind you. When at last you got to the street so you could see in the gas light, it made you realise how fast Hookie was for he had gone. Not for years did the child realise that poor Hookie had more than likely lost his hand in the war.
At night time the child was allowed to roam the streets of Hillfields. It did not take him long to find out about the ladies of the night? Strange ladies these were. The ladies would leave their homes and wander around on a corner. Men would speak to them and they would retire back to their homes. A strange eerie light would appear in the bedroom and the lady and man would collapse onto the floor. This was very strange to the child but the child being wise knew what was happening (he had learned all about this at school. Considering the school did not teach this sort of education, where did it come from?)