25/02/2024
WEBSITE www.originalcockneymum.co.uk
MUSEUM PURPOSE.
TO SHOW THE CONDITIONS WHICH LONDON’S POOR IN THE 19Th AND 20TH CENTURY, TO EXPLAIN THE ORIGINS OF COCKNEY SLANG, THE HISTORY OF COSTERMONGERS AND THE SUBSEQUENT OF PEARLY KINGS AND QUEEN IN LONDON. THE MUSEUM IS THE FULFILMENT OF THE 65 YEAR DREAM OF GEORGE MAJOR THE PEARLY KING OF PECKHAM. FOR 65 YEARS HE DEVELOPED HIS UNIQUE COLLECTION OF PHOTOGRAPHS AND HISTORIC ARTEFACTS INCLUDING A WONDERFUL RANGE OF PEARLY KINGS AND QUEENS OUTFITS UNTILL HE WAS FINALLY ABLE TO OPEN THE MUSEUM.
THE MUSEUM WAS AWARDED THE BEST MUSEUM IN THE SOUTH OF ENGLAND AWARD, CHECK THE WEBSITE FOR FURTHER DETAILS OF WHEN THE AWARD WILL BE PRESENTED.
THE VISIT OF THE WRITER ON THE 19Th DAVID STEER CAME TO MY MUSEUM AND HE UNKNOWN TO ME WRITES ABOUT MUSEUMS.
THE MUSEUM IS HOUSED ON ONE FLOOR, AND IS FULLY ACCESSIBLE,THE ENTRANCE AREA CONTAINS A COUPLE OF MANNEQUINS WEARING TRADITIONAL PEARLY OUTFITS AS WELL AS A HOST OF PHOTOS OF THE EAST END FROM THE 1800S TO THE 1900S INCLUDED ARE GENERAL STREET SCENES, CHILDREN PLAYING, WORKING SCENES AND SOME FAMOUS OLD COCKNEYS SUCH AS THE KRAYTWINS.
THE MAIN ENTRANCE AREA DOES NOT IN ANY WAY PREPARE YOU FOR WHAT IS INSIDE, I HAVE TO CONFESS THAT I HAD LOW EXPECTATIONS THE INTERIOR IS SOMEWHAT UNDER WHELMING, HOWEVER IMMODERATION IPON ENTERING THE MUSEUM I WAS COMPLETELY BLOWN AWAYBY THE SIZE AND SCALE OF THE EXIBITS.
THE FIRST SECTION IS LABLED POVERTY STREET THERE ARE NUMEROUS PHOTOS DEPICTING TALES OF URBAN POVERTY AND POOR HOUSING CONDITIONS AS WELL AS THE PLIGHT OF WORKING POOR . THE APPALLING LIVES OF CHIMNEY CHILDREN IS EXPLAINED. THEY WERE PLUCKED FROM ORPHANAGES OR THE WORKHOUSE INTO AN APPRENTICESHIP AS A RESULT OF EXTEME POVERTY AND THEIIR LIVES WERE HORRENDOUS AND FREQUENTLY SHORT. THE MUSEUM CONTINUES ALONG A STREET SCENE WITH VAST ARRAY ON PHOTOS ON SHOW. REGENTS PLACE , YOUR SEE THE STORY OF AN OLD LONDON STREET SHOWING THE FREQUENTLY HOUSING CONDITIONS WHICH THE URBAN POOR WERE SUFFERING.
THE STREET SCENE INCLUDES EXAMPLES OF HOW INTERIORS OF HOUSES MAY HAVE LOOKED LIKE IN THE MID EIGHTEEN HUNDREDS INCLUDING A KITCHE, BEDROO, AND SITTING ROOM. THE PHOTOS CONTINUE WITH NUMEROUS EXAMPLES OF LONG LOST LONDON, IT WAS QUITE TOUCHING TO LEARN THAT HOW EVER POOR THE RESIDENTS WERE THEY TOOK PRIDE IN CLEANING THEIR FRONT STEPS AND WINDOWS INCLUDING EVEN THE PAVEMENT OF THE FRONT OF THEIR HOME.
THE STORY OF HOMELESS CHILDREN AND HOW SOME WERE SAVED BY CHARIT’S, THE GROWTH OF THE WORKHOUSES WHICH NEVER WORKED AND BECAME A PLACE OF FEAR AND DREAD, THE GROWTH OF “RAGGED SCHOOLS” FOR POOR
CHILDREN AND HOW FOOD PARCELS WERE HANDLED OUT TO POOREX
CHILDREN ARE ALL EXPLAINED WITH HUMOROUS.
THE HISTORY OF THE COSTERMONGERS.
THIS SECTION IS A REPLICA MARKET COMPLETE WITH FRUIT AND VEGETABLES STALLS AND A EXAMPLE OF WORKING CLASS TRADERS. THE HISTORY OF COSTERMONGERS IS EXPLAINED. THESE WERE ILLEGAL STREET TRADERS AND THE POLICE AND AUTHORITIES TRIED TO STAMP THEM OUT. THE COSTERMONGERS BRANDED TOGETHER AND IDENTIFIED THEMSELVES VIA THE START OF THE COSTER KING‘S AND QUEENS IN 1750 THIS SUBSEQUENTLY GREW INTO THE PEARLY KINGS AND QUEENS OF LONDON AREAS IN 1855 MUCH LATER, AT THEIR PEAK IT WAS 300, THIS HAS NOW DWINDLED NOW TO ONLY A COUPLE OF DOZEN OR SO GENUINE PEARLY KINGS AND QUEENS. OF LONDON LIFE IT WILL BE A SAD DAY IF THIS TRADITION DIES OF COMPLETELY
THE COLLECTION OF THE PEARLY OUTFITS IS UNQUE IN THE UK.
IN A SMALL SIDE ROOM IS A INFORMATION VIDEO ON A LOOP, SHOWING A PATH NEWS STORY FROM THE LATE 1800S OF A PEARLY WEDDING AND OTHER CLIPS OF THE PEARLIES IN THEIR GLORY, AND A PEARLY FUNERAL OF A WELL KNOWN PEARLY KING IN THEM DAYS IT IS WELL WORTH WATCHING.
THE COCKNEY SLANG
THE ORIGIN OF THE COCKNEY SLANG IS EXPLAINED, IT STARTED AS A SECRET LANGUAGE USED BY THE COSTERMONGERS TO CONFUSE the POLICE AND OTHER AUTHORITIES. A LIST OF COCKNEY RHYMING SLANG EXPRESSIONS IS INCLUDED.
SUMMARY.
THIS IS A WONDERFUL MUSEUM BRILLIANTLY LAID OUT AND ASTONISHING IN IT’S DETAIL. THE RANGE OF EXHIBITS IS
INCREDIBLE LAYOUT WORKS REALY WELL, IT FLOWS NICELY FROM THE POVERTY STREET SECTION TO THE MARKET PLACE TO THE PEARLY KINGS AND QUEENS. THIS MUSEUM IS TESTAMENT TO THE DETERMINATION AND FORESIGHT OF ONE
MAN GEORGE MAJOR AND HE DONE A BRILLIANT JOB.
HIGHLIGHTS
THE WHOLE MUSEUM IS A HIGHLIGHT, BUT THE BEST BIT IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A CHAT WITH GEORGE MAJOR AND HEAR SOME OF HIS STORIES FROM TIMES GONE BY. HE IS 86 YOUNG AND IS A MINE OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE EAST END. HE BECAME PEARLY KING OF PECKHAM AT THE AGE OF 20 WHICH CAME FROM HIS MOTHERS SIDE OF THE FAMILY. HIS GRANDFATHER WAS THE WAS THE PEARLY KING OF MILE END IN THE EAST END OF LONDON AND ALSO WAS A COSTERMONGER ON THE MARKETS.
GIFT SHOP.
THERE IS A GIFT SHOP CLOSE TO THE EXIT WITH A RANG OF COCKNEY ITEMS AND HIS BOOKS HE WROTE ON HIS LIFE. IT IS WORTH A VISIT. ABSOLUTELY YES THIS KIND OF MUSEUM WILL DIE OUT IF NOT SUPPORTED, AND THIS MUSEUM MUST NOT DIE OUT IF NOT ND THIS ONE IS THE MOST INFORMATIVE MUSEUM I HAVE HAD THE PLEASURE TO VISIT.
SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN:
I THINK CHILDREN WILL HAVE AN ABSOLUTE BLAST HERE, THEIR IS SO MUCH TO SEE AND IT WILL BE GOOD FOR CHILDREN TO LEARN ITS HISTORY OF THE POOR AND HOW LUCKY THEY ARE TO LIVE IN THE MODERN ERA, I THINK THIS WOULD BE A GREAT PLACE FOR SCHOOLS TO VISIT.
LOCATION AND DIRECTIONS
WE ARE AT THE REAR OF 31 STONELEIGH BROADWAY, STONELEIGH, KT17 2JE BEHIND THE SHOPS IN THE SERVICE ROAD.
OPENING TIMES
TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY. FRIDAY, SATURDAY, AND SUNDAY, TIMES 10-30 AM to 3-30 PM.
COST OF ENTRY
ADULTS £7. O.A.P £4 CHILDREN. £4
THE TIME NEEDED TO GO AROUND AT LEAST AN HOUR AND HALF. WHEN BOOKING TEL 07884341897 SHOULD YOU WISH TO HAVE PIE AND MASH IN OUR CAFE PLEASE ORDER WHEN BOOKING COST OF PIE AND MASH £5-75.
THERE IS NOT MUCH OF NOTE IN THE IMMEDIATE VICINITY TO VISIT, APART FROM ALL THE LOVLEY SHOPS, BUT THE MUSEUM IS ABSOLUTELY WORTH A VISIT ON IT’S OWN.
REFRESHMENT:
THE MUSEUM WEBSITE HIGHLIGHTS THAT TRADITIONAL PIE AND MASH ARE AVAILABLE AND WHEN I RETURN I WILL DEFINITELY BE TRYING SOME OUT.
THERE ARE SEVERAL CAFES AND COFFEE SHOPS ON STONELEIGH BROADWAY, NO MORE THAN FIVE MINUTES AWAY.
FOR BEER/WINE/ FOOD THE STATION PUB IS IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO STONELEIGH STATION, IT IS A STANDARD GREEN KING PUB SELLING TYPICAL PUB FOOD.
