East End Pictures, Being More Leaves From My Log

The Reverend Thomas Garland was indeed a man of some courage and physical strength. I found that such redoubtable persons as Henry Mayhew, who was meticulous in recording life in the East-End in the 1850's needed ex-policement to go in there with him in his research. Thus did the Reverend go alone.
We learn on page 63 that sympathisers of the Fenian movement came to disrupt a prayer meeting. I quote " I saw the man nearest me drawing his dagger from beneath his Jacket. I instantly knocked him down....."
It was by sheer chance that I came on one of the chapters offered on the internet.
One was titled "Good Mother Giles". Luckily and how luckily, there was a preface to the good woman. Giles being so very, very common a name. She was Hannah Baldwin who married Thomas Giles. I know that she gave of herself and tried to bring decency to otherwise sordid and violent lives. An excellent word picture is provided by the Reverend Thomas Garland- this of the peope of the abyss. Happily, I find that her daughter Ann Marie Dugall, did care for her in her last ten years as a widow.
I have purchased three copies and have two copies, the third will go to England with my wife next week, from Ontario,Canada.
Hannah Baldwin Giles was my Great Great Grandmother.