Comments on: So Long, Audrey Kneller

By: Steal a Brainrot

Steal a Brainrot — Tue, 23 Dec 2025 09:03:45 +0000

I was deeply moved by Audrey Kneller’s vivid descriptions of Elder St in the 1950s. Her poignant recollections paint a stark picture of the harsh realities faced by her family. It’s a reminder of the resilience and strength needed to navigate challenging circumstances. Audrey’s storytelling truly captures the essence of a bygone era with such raw authenticity.

By: Yvonne Cheyney

Yvonne Cheyney — Mon, 10 Nov 2025 06:30:31 +0000

Hello Adele. This is Audrey’s sister Yvonne answering your question re. where Audrey went to school before she went to Avigdor in Stoke Newington. She went to Robert Montefiore Junior School, also known as Deal Street school. I would walk her to her school along Commercial Street, and we would turn left onto Hanbury Street. After I dropped Audrey off, I proceeded to Valance Road to Robert Montefiore Secondary Modern. I would then pick her up after school and we walked home together. Our father died on January 1, 1945 when Audrey was 6 weeks old and I was two. Consequently, my mother had to work to support us. Luckily, we were helped out by family along the way. When Audrey and I would get home from school, I would make us a snack such as baked beans on toast, an egg on toast, spaghetti on toast, sardines on toast or anything that would go on toast. That would fill up our tummies until our mother would get home from work and she then made us dinner. I am now living in Southern California. I emigrated in 1964. From Elder Street to a beautiful home with a swimming pool and a view of the San Gabriel Mountain range seems almost unbelievable. Thank you so much for your comment about Audrey’s article. She was an outstanding individual and I miss her terribly. She and her husband Alan visited us many, many times over the years.

By: Adele

Adele — Sun, 09 Nov 2025 14:54:16 +0000

So well written (and totally relatable). I wonder where Audrey went to school. She was a hop, skip and jump from my own school in Spital Square.

By: Milo

Milo — Sun, 09 Nov 2025 14:22:44 +0000

I shudder to think who are going to be left to chronicle the richer times of yesteryear. We are losing these characters daily and there are no characters to replace them. People honed and toughened by serious obstacles.

By: Bernie

Bernie — Sun, 09 Nov 2025 11:30:31 +0000

This speaks to me because it evokes my auntie Ray’s home at 60 (or was it 61?) Wilkes St. It too had a speaking tube-and-whistle between the attic workshop and the living quarters below. I knew it only slightly and between 1938 – 1943 because my parents had moved out to Stoke Newington, so visits to Wilkes St were not common. Most notable to me were the Truman, Hanbury drays and the great dray horses. One entrance to the brewery was almost opposite my aunt’s home. The smell of horse droppings was ever-present, but the back yard of the flats was a well fertilised vegetable garden. And visits to Wilkes St were always marked by the goodies we took home from the shops in Flower-and-Dean street, fresh beigels, pickled herring and salt beef. Heaven!

By: Yvonne Cheyney

Yvonne Cheyney — Sun, 09 Nov 2025 09:40:01 +0000

Thank you so much to The Gentle Author for reproducing my dearest sister Audrey Kneller’s article. She was a dear gentle soul with an enormous talent for writing articles and many poems. She will be missed by many for a very long time.

By: Lorraine

Lorraine — Sun, 09 Nov 2025 09:06:04 +0000

What memories this evokes. Interestingly I am 10 years younger than Audrey yet it seems the early part of our lives ran almost identical paths in the way she described. Did time stand still for decades in our part of the world in those days? Whilst reading I pictured in my mind’s eye the bomb sites on which we had such fun, especially on Guy Fawkes night because of the availability of the ruins on which we built our bonfires. And the streets almost devoid of cars so we could play ball in the middle of the road without any risk of harm. Our home was just off Cannon Street Road – within easy walking distance of our church, the beautiful & majestic St George in the East, our school in Chapman Street where my early learning made my future better than I could have hoped, and Hessel Street where the Jewish community catered for our every need (in particular beigels & pickled herring!). At 70 years old I often now look back to that time & realise that it was truly the only time I was genuinely nothing but free & happy & I thank my (German) ancestors for bringing me there.

By: ANDY STROWMAN

ANDY STROWMAN — Sun, 09 Nov 2025 09:02:45 +0000

Written in the use of elaborate code language and so unlike the East End shorter code , working class restricted code .
It conveys a sense of shock much like I felt out of place among the North London Jewish people and yet I feel a sense of kindness here among Audrey’s words .

I do wish her peace that passes slowly over her soul .

By: Mr Alan Kneller

Mr Alan Kneller — Sun, 09 Nov 2025 08:06:28 +0000

Thank you so much for doing this. I had no idea that Yvonne, Audrey’s sister, had been in contact with you. Audrey really enjoyed reading your emails and felt honoured that you accepted her article for publication.

Once again very many thanks. I shall be forwarding it on to many members of the family.

Best wishes
Alan