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Books Related to Battersea Girl Martin Knight - ISBN: 1845961501
I enjoyed this book - Rated
I thought this book was an interesting read and very much enjoyed it. I live in Battersea but even if you do not this would still be a good read as you get to see and understand how life was many years ago and how it changed over the decades. Parts of the book are very moving as the family go through a lot of hardships and loses. A pretty easy read but one I looked forward to picking up at the end of each day. Recommended!
Battersea Girl: Tracing A London Life - Rated
Battersea Girl is a great read about a woman who lived to be 100-years-old and stayed in the same area of London all her life. It's a fact based story, tracing the family tree of modern day author and social commentator Martin Knight with the star of the book being Nell, Knight's grandmother. It follows Nell's family as they made their way from Galway in Ireland to set up home in Battersea, South London. Theirs is not a tale of fame and fortune, rather a story of everyday struggle that the majority of those who were born in 19th Century Britain endured. As well as being an enchanting tale with much humour, it is permeated with sadness as the author recounts the poverty, the illnesses and deaths that afflicted his forbearers. Nell was born before the Second Boer War broke out and lived through and survived both World Wars, although her immediate family was affected in one way or another by all three. As well as marking out events that took place within the capital, it delves into the life of those who sought to earn some kind of living from the River Thames and gives a fascinating insight into what it was like to live alongside what was, in previous times, the main artery of London. It is an inspirational work, showing that despite life's knocks, the human spirit can overcome most adversity and is a good indicator of how the working class made the best of their 'lot' and above all, sought to shrug off their troubles by laughing. If anyone wants a reason to trace their own family tree, they should read this book and get their inspiration from it. I liked it so much, I'm now considering moving to Battersea! =
