Haggerston Park? Yeah it’s literally the other side of the Hackney road about 3 streets down. The manor was still there last time I was up that way but you’re talking about 7 years ago now. Been in the area once or twice since I moved but only really in passing, I don’t much like it these days, that’s the reason my family moved. Used to be a proper little community, you knew everyone whether you liked em or not, but it’s nothing like that now. I always remember my old man saying to me “If you ever have any trouble, get the fuck away and find out who knows the guy, then get them to have a word”. but nowadays if you get in any shit, you’ll have people who know who you are just walking past cos they don’t know you personally. I think I grew up during the final remaining straggles of the fabled “east end spirit”.
Woolwich turned out to be just as bad if not worse, especially up by the dockyards where you’re nigh on surrounded by estates. Only good part about it was me and my brother used to drink in the pub Arsenal were founded in (the Pullman) but that got ripped down last year unfortunately.
But yeah does make me laugh. Everytime I tell people where I’m from originally they just assume you know at least 5 people like the mitchells, sing Knees Up Mother Brown as a nightly ritual, and have a friend whose always fencing something. Thank you and fuck you BBC.
