AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY
35
From 1884 until 1904, 20 Drummond Road was my centre, and the surrounding streets, including Dockland and
Southwark Park, were my environment. It will be observed that Jamaica Road runs parallel with the river and
separated
the
district
into
two
parts,
those
running
down
to the river being exceedingly poor and squalid, and inextricably mixed up with wharves, docks, piers and smells.
Cherry Garden Pier was only about five minutes walk from Drummond Road, but to a young boy at that time, a
journey fraught with adventure and sometimes with danger. The name conjures up white blossom, orchards,
Pleasure Gardens and the like, even as Vauxhall was a place of resort and pleasure from the days of Charles ll until
abolished in 1859, but Cherry Gardens was now only a name. While in a most unprepossessing neighbourhood,
Cherry Garden Pier is in constant use; on page 28 the sketch gives some idea of the pier and foreshore.
Before proceeding further, I must hark back two years to join up with a later link in the narrative and give a word
about Flockton Street. While it is shown on the map immediately behind Dockhead, the only trace I could find
of its whereabouts were the curb stones that had resisted the blitz which wiped out this river-side turning. Flockton
Street links up with two later events which, though out of order, can best be introduced here. At the age of six, see
photograph on page xviii, I started having piano lessons practising on a spinet shaped Broadwood piano, with a very
restricted keyboard. Such pieces as `The blue bells of Scotland', or `The Fairy wedding Waltz' were about the
zenith of this first musical adventure.