The Forgotten Family of Liverpool: A gritty postwar family saga novel that will break your heart

by Pam Howes

  Sadie popped her head around the kitchen door, looking flustered. ‘Won’t be a minute. Just making Peter and Belinda some breakfast. Park yourself on a chair.’

  She hurried through with a plate of toast and hoisted Belinda into the high chair and bellowed up the stairs for Peter, who came hurtling down and took a seat at the table. ‘What’s up? Do you want a coffee? I’m going to have one. I didn’t get time before I rushed the other two up to school.’

  And although she’d just had tea at Vi’s, Dora nodded. ‘Please.’

  When they were seated in opposite armchairs in Sadie’s neat-as-a-new-pin front room, two mugs of Camp coffee to hand, Dora, suddenly feeling overwhelmed, took a deep breath and put her mug down on a small lamp table.

  ‘Right, now tell me what’s wrong,’ Sadie said. ‘You look proper mithered to death.’

  Dora’s eyes filled as she told Sadie the morning’s events. ‘I don’t know how I’m going to cope and I feel so selfish saying that because Vi deserves a bit of family time.’

  ‘She does,’ Sadie agreed. ‘I just hope Colin and his wife value her and look after her properly. I’ll miss her. She’s always been there for me. The kids will miss her too. Don’t worry, Dora, I’m sure you’ll find a way to manage. This letter you got, do they want to come and see you?’

  ‘Yes, me and Joe,’ Dora replied. ‘And they’ll take one look around this street and the outside lavs and make a decision based on that. I told them in my letter that I hoped to be rehoused in a new property in the not-too-distant future.’

  ‘Well I expect they’ve taken all that on board. Er, don’t think I’m being nosy, but I saw the police car outside last night. Was it to do with your mam?’

  Dora nodded and told her about Myrtle Carter and how they were waiting for more news on the matter. ‘I still don’t understand what she was up to though and why she attacked Mam or put that horrible message on Joanie’s grave. It’s all so muddled.’

  Sadie sighed. ‘I’m sure they’ll get to the bottom of it in time. But at least she’s locked up now and won’t be harming anyone else. Are you going into work today?’

  ‘Yes, and I’m going to take Jackie in with me. Frank said I should tell them about Carol too. I know I should have done that right away, stupid of me not to. Now it looks like I had something to hide.’

  ‘I’m sure they’ll understand.’ Sadie finished her coffee. ‘I wonder who we’ll get next door. Unless they just board it up until they demolish the street. Vi would have been going very soon anyway, like we will once this little bun is out of the oven. Did you do anything about getting your name on the list? If you do get Carol back you’ll get more points.’

  ‘Well, that’s all in the lap of the gods for now. I’ve applied and I’m playing a waiting game, like you. Can I leave Jackie with you later while we pop in and see Mam?’

  ‘Of course.’

  ‘She’s being discharged tomorrow and I’ll be staying up in Knowsley for a few days, but I’ll be back here to see Mr Oliver next Wednesday. Will you just keep your eye on the place for me, Sadie? I really don’t trust that lot over the road.’

  ‘No problem at all, don’t worry. Now go and get it over with at work. Esther and Sammy sound lovely, so I’m sure you’re worrying over nothing. Just explain that someone must have had it in for you and you’re still trying to get that sorted out.’

  Dora gave Sadie a hug. ‘Thank you. I’ll see you later.’

  Mam looked pale as Dora tucked a blanket around her knees. Although it was warm outside the house felt chilled from being closed up, so she’d lit the fire earlier. ‘Right, you stay there and rest and I’ll get you a cuppa,’ Dora ordered. ‘Frank will be back shortly from the shops with Jackie and then he’s promised to take her to the park. I’ll need to pop out to the phone box to ring Joe later. He can bring Carol over here tomorrow.’

  Mam looked worried. ‘Will you ask Maisie to come and sit in with me while you nip out, chuck? I don’t fancy being left in on my own.’

  ‘I will.’ Dora smoothed Mam’s grey hair from her face. ‘But you don’t need to worry. That woman is locked up. It won’t happen again.’

  She made Mam her cuppa and then busied herself in the kitchen, washing the things Mam had worn in hospital. The district nurse would be calling in the morning to check her wound and hopefully take out the stitches. All being well, her mam would be on the way to recovery and her confidence would come back. The shaky old lady in the sitting room was a shadow of the independent woman she’d been. Bloody Myrtle Carter had a lot to answer for. What had she been thinking? Dora hoped the police were making some headway with their investigations. Surely it wouldn’t take long.

  Yesterday she’d taken Jackie into work for a couple of hours. She’d spoken to both Esther and Sammy and explained the situation with Carol and that she had lost her regular child-minder for Jackie. She’d said that if she was given custody of Carol again it might be difficult to work as many hours as she had been doing, but that she would happily take work home and do the running about to the theatres while Carol was at school. They had both been extremely understanding and Dora had never felt such relief. They said they would work around her available hours. They didn’t want to lose her. Esther insisted that Jackie was no trouble to have around and had cleared an area off the kitchen and put a small table and a couple of chairs in. Jackie could sit in there and draw and do her jigsaw puzzles while she and Esther listened to the wireless. Next year Jackie would be starting school, so there would just be the holidays to worry about.

  The only problem to overcome now was telling Joe about Wednesday’s visit from Mr Oliver, although he’d no doubt have read the letter by the time she rang him. Dora knew Joe wouldn’t be very happy and would put as many obstacles in her way as he possibly could. He and Carol were as close as she and Jackie were.

  16

  Ivy Bennett swanned into work half an hour early on Monday morning, a wide smile on her chubby face. She busied herself getting the frying pans on the gas hobs and tossing several rashers of bacon into each in readiness for the hungry nightshift. She cracked two dozen eggs into bowls and sliced two large loaves of bread. She liked this bit of peace and quiet before Flo, her assistant, arrived. It gave her time for reflection.

  She’d just enjoyed five days in Morecambe with her lovely friend Joe and his little girl, Carol. They’d taken her landlord’s dog Roly as company for Carol and the pair had played on the sands while she and Joe had relaxed in deckchairs. The weather had been fine and she’d caught the sun on her face, giving her a healthy glow. It had been too good an opportunity to turn down when she’d been offered the chance of borrowing the caravan from someone her landlord knew, and thankfully Joe had accepted the offer when she’d asked him to accompany her.

  She’d told Joe there were two bedrooms in the caravan when in fact she’d known there was just the one, and they’d settled Carol into that each night while they sat and enjoyed a couple of drinks outside on the lawned area. She’d feigned surprise at the lack of bedrooms and told Joe they’d have to make do with the seating area, which, when pulled out with the table folded away, made up into a double bed.

  Joe had avoided intimacy with her since their one and only time together years ago, telling her they should just remain good friends as it would cause less hassle if he decided to get a divorce. Ivy had been supportive and patient, helping him with Carol, while all the time plotting to win his love. A few drinks, a relaxing atmosphere and close proximity to each other’s bodies, even though she’d placed a pillow between them, did the trick. Joe had said very little on the drive home and he hadn’t invited her to stay over on the Friday night, but dropped her and Roly off at their home. All day Saturday she’d worried herself that he regretted making love to her again. But on Sunday he’d come over to see her and, while Carol took Roly into the garden to play, told her that Dora had applied for custody of Carol and that there was to be a meeting on Wednesday. He hadn’t been happy about it,
but she’d reassured him that maybe it was time Carol spent at least a few days a week with her mother and sister. There’d also been mention that someone was being held in custody for attacking Dora’s mother, but Ivy hadn’t taken much notice as she wasn’t the least bit interested in anything to do with Dora and her family. He’d given her a real kiss as he’d left her, not just a peck on the cheek like she used to get before the holiday.

  She was keeping her fingers crossed now that if Dora did get custody of Carol, it would leave Joe at a loose end and he’d hopefully spend more time with her, especially at the weekends when she could accompany him to shows with the band, instead of babysitting for him and having to be grateful for ten minutes of his company before he put her in a taxi home. Being lovers again put a whole new perspective on things as far as Ivy was concerned. And if she and Joe did make a go of it, the last thing she wanted was to be lumbered with either of his kids on a regular basis. Once a week would be more than enough. She’d waited long enough and wanted him to herself.

  She nodded at Flo, who lurched in and took off her coat, put on her white overall and black and white check pinny like Ivy’s and washed her hands at the sink.

  ‘Did you have a good time, Ivy?’ Flo asked as she slid slices of bread under the grill. ‘You look like you’ve caught the sun a bit.’

  ‘Yes, it was lovely, thank you. Beautiful weather.’

  ‘And did Joe enjoy himself?’

  ‘Oh, I can safely say that Joe really enjoyed himself.’ Ivy lifted the bacon rashers out of the pans and dropped the eggs in. The fat splattered over the sides onto the gas flames and she wafted a tea towel to dispel the rising smoke. With a bit of luck she could pack this job in and become a lady of leisure soon. Making a nice home and looking after Joe’s needs would keep her occupied and happy.

  Dora got the bus and tram home on Wednesday morning, leaving Jackie with her mam and Frank, who had taken another few days’ holiday to look after her. Sammy and Esther had been kind enough to let her take the day off, but she was calling in to see them later and to drop some work in. As she neared her house a little shudder ran through her to see all the windows in Vi’s had been broken, including upstairs. A man with a handcart filled with pieces of wood was busy hammering slats into place across the frames, watched by a smirking Lenny Smyth and his mother.

  ‘Morning, Dora,’ Gloria called. ‘Been stoppin’ over at yer fancy man’s again?’

  Dora ignored the woman as Sadie called from her doorstep and beckoned her inside. She stepped through broken glass that crunched beneath her shoes and went into Sadie’s house. ‘What’s up, well apart from that lot out there?’

  ‘I’m glad you’re back. Those bloody lads of Gloria’s have smashed Vi’s house up. She’d not been gone more than two hours and they were inside. Stan tried to get them out but they threatened him so I told him to come back in. Can’t afford for him to get injured with our lot to look after. The sink is out in the yard. They chucked it through the window. Stan said it was lead piping they were after. He’s been inside since and turned off the water at the stop tap, otherwise we’d have had damp coming through the walls. That man boarding up said the scuffers had arranged for him to come and do it. Someone must have been on the phone to them.’

  Dora sighed. ‘I can’t believe it – the man from the welfare is coming this morning and there’s glass all over the pavement. I’ll get my brush out when that fella’s finished and sweep it towards the wall for now. So, looks like we’re not getting another neighbour.’

  Sadie shrugged. ‘I doubt it. The landlord won’t want to be replacing windows now when it’s so close to him offloading to the council. In a way it might be good in that the welfare man can see the houses are getting close to being demolished. He’ll be able to work out for himself that you’ll be out of here soon.’

  ‘Maybe.’ But Dora wasn’t convinced. ‘I’d better go and light a fire in the front room, so it looks at least half homely. Then I’ll sweep the street and get myself ready for the visit. Joe’s coming at eleven. He’s not happy about it, but we’ll see.’

  Dora rubbed her sweaty palms on the skirt of her dress and looked at Joe for reassurance as he sat next to her on the sofa. Mr Oliver took the armchair under the window. Joe gave her a half-smile, which didn’t quite reach his eyes and did nothing to quell the butterflies leaping around in her stomach.

  Mr Oliver shuffled a few papers around on his knee and looked at the two of them over the top of his glasses. ‘Mr and Mrs Rodgers,’ he began, ‘I’ve given this matter a great deal of thought. I know you’ve been building up a relationship with your daughter, Carol, Mrs Rodgers, while she’s been under the supervision of Mr Rodgers.’

  Dora nodded, clasping her hands together around her knees to stop them shaking. She was terrified that he’d say something like she couldn’t keep Jackie either now.

  He continued. ‘However, we are not certain that it is in Carol’s best interests to remove her from Mr Rodgers at this time. She is settled with him and in her school, although I have a report from her teacher that expresses a bit of concern about her behaviour. Now, if we were to uproot her, she would need to change school to one closer to this address, but as you will no doubt be rehoused away from here shortly, Mrs Rodgers, it is likely she will need to change schools again. For a child already showing signs of being unsettled, that isn’t a good thing.’

  Dora pursed her lips. Before she could control herself she blurted out, ‘You enforced your stupid rules on me and unsettled our daughter who was just fine before. What you did caused her and my family a lot of harm. It’s taken ages to build up our relationship again.’

  ‘We only do what’s best for the children we believe to be at risk, Mrs Rodgers.’ Mr Oliver shuffled the papers on his knee again.

  ‘Really?’ Dora got to her feet, her eyes blazing. ‘So who’s responsible for kids who are neglected, who go hungry and walk around in rags? Whose mother is a whore by night and leaves them alone with a drunken father? Eh? Go on, answer me that if you can, Mr-bloody-Oliver!’

  Joe grabbed her hand and pulled her back down beside him. ‘Dora, stop it. That’s not helping.’

  She snatched her hand away and glared at Mr Oliver, who now had two small red spots high on his cheeks.

  He cleared his throat. ‘If you have reason to believe that children of your acquaintance are being neglected then you should report it to the authorities, who will investigate further.’

  ‘You should already know about these kids. Check with the health visitor for this area. I’m not grassing on anybody. Look what it’s done to us. But you, Mr Oliver, need to do a bit more of your so-called investigating and get your facts right before you ruin people’s lives.’ She stopped as someone hammered on the front door. Joe got up to answer and let in a flustered-looking Frank.

  ‘Oh God, Frank, is it Mam? What’s happened? Where’s Jackie?’ Dora gasped.

  ‘It’s okay, Maisie’s sitting in with Mam and I’ve taken Jackie round to Agnes’s. I’ve got something very important to tell you and I wanted to make sure he was still here. Er, I’m Dora’s brother.’

  He nodded in Mr Oliver’s direction and sat down on the arm of the sofa next to Joe. ‘This is something you all need to hear,’ Frank said, all eyes on him. He took a deep breath. ‘The police have been to see me and Mam again this morning. Turns out that Myrtle Carter has confessed all. After Jack was sent to prison she couldn’t pay the rent and was evicted. Her kids were taken into care and she was on the streets. She started drinking and was arrested for disorderly behaviour and it was decided she was going off her rocker, so she was sent to a mental institution. While she was in there she plotted revenge for when she was allowed out again. Once she was free to go she wanted to make someone pay for losing her kids who she couldn’t get back, having no home or money to take care of them.

  ‘She was angry that Jack had been arrested for Joanie’s death, but blamed Joanie for being on site the night of the fire, and sh
e blamed you too, Dora, for daring to have a business that needed Joanie to be using Palmer’s over-lockers. Joanie died but you were still around and she assumed you were living the perfect life. She didn’t know that you had two kids, just thought you had Carol. It was her that reported you for neglecting Carol. She knew about your mental health history from Jack and she played on it, wanting Carol to be taken into care just like her kiddies had been. It was to punish you for all that she lost.’ Frank paused again. ‘She moved recently from the rooming house they put her in, made her way to the bike shed at Palmer’s, lived rough and stole food to stay alive. And the rest, as they say, is history.’

  Dora, Joe and Mr Oliver stared open-mouthed at Frank. Mr Oliver spoke first. ‘This woman, this Myrtle Carter, you say the police told you all this?’

  Frank nodded. ‘Yep, you can get a report from them. I expect this throws a new light on our Dora getting Carol back now, Mr Oliver?’

  ‘Well, the case will certainly need to be reinvestigated now.’ Mr Oliver placed his papers inside his briefcase and stood up. ‘I’m sorry for all the upset you’ve been through, Mr and Mrs Rodgers. What I was about to suggest, before Mrs Rodgers’ outburst, is that Carol spends weekends with her mother and sister, no need for supervision unless you feel you need the help. I’ll be in touch shortly when I have spoken to the police and filed a new report. I bid you all good day.’

  Dora saw him out, her legs shaking so badly she could hardly walk. She couldn’t believe what Frank had told them. Myrtle Carter. She couldn’t even feel sorry for the woman who’d caused such pain. She didn’t think she’d ever forgive her.

  17

  MARCH 1954