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Gaslight in Page Street
Page Street, a shabby, cobbled and gaslit Bermondsey backstreet is home to a diverse and close-knit community fighting an ongoing battle against poverty, hunger and the devastating effects of the Great War.George Galloway owns a cartage business; his right-hand man is William Tanner. William's loyalty has worn thin over the years but he cannot break the ties with Galloway because times are hard and the house in which he lives belongs to him.Carrie Tanner grows up in the heart of a poor yet loving family, but as she becomes a young woman she becomes involved in the Suffragette movement. The times are changing - and quickly. Will this close-knit community be able to pull together or will it be torn apart?
640 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 1991
About the author
Harry Bowling
39 books21 followers‘I suppose most people would see the ability to tell a story as a talent to entertain, but where I was born and raised, being able to spin a yarn was considered an asset of survival and, at times, it became a necessity…’ he said.
Harry was born in 1931, in Leroy Street, a back street off the Tower Bridge Road, the second child of Annie and Henry Bowling. His older sister Gladys died of meningitis before her second birthday. Harry’s grandfather worked at a transport yard as a carman-horsekeeper. He used to take Harry there to watch him and to pat the horses. He spent his youth hanging around the Tower Bridge Road market or hunting through Borough Market, a wholesale fruit and veg market near London Bridge, exploring the docklands and wharves, and swimming in the Thames.
Harry’s first contact with books began at the local library encouraged by his father, who was permanently disabled after being wounded during the First World War. Henry Bowling was often unemployed and struggled to support the family. Harry was only ten when the Second World War broke out. He could remember the day when Surrey Docks was bombed. His father helped him with his early education and he and his younger brother passed scholarships to Bermondsey Central School. He left the school at the age of 14 to help the family income by working at a riverside provision merchant as an office boy.
Only when his own children began to ask questions about the war, did Harry realise how many stories he had to tell. He started gathering scribbles and notes and wrote his first book. It was a factual account of the war and Harry realised it would probably have only a limited readership. He became aware that historical fiction was very popular and that there was no one writing about the East End of London, and the war, at that time. In his fifties, he was given early retirement from his job as a brewery driver-drayman, and was at last able to devote his time to writing.
He became known as ‘the King of Cockney sagas’, and he wrote eighteen bestselling novels of London life.
Harry was born in 1931, in Leroy Street, a back street off the Tower Bridge Road, the second child of Annie and Henry Bowling. His older sister Gladys died of meningitis before her second birthday. Harry’s grandfather worked at a transport yard as a carman-horsekeeper. He used to take Harry there to watch him and to pat the horses. He spent his youth hanging around the Tower Bridge Road market or hunting through Borough Market, a wholesale fruit and veg market near London Bridge, exploring the docklands and wharves, and swimming in the Thames.
Harry’s first contact with books began at the local library encouraged by his father, who was permanently disabled after being wounded during the First World War. Henry Bowling was often unemployed and struggled to support the family. Harry was only ten when the Second World War broke out. He could remember the day when Surrey Docks was bombed. His father helped him with his early education and he and his younger brother passed scholarships to Bermondsey Central School. He left the school at the age of 14 to help the family income by working at a riverside provision merchant as an office boy.
Only when his own children began to ask questions about the war, did Harry realise how many stories he had to tell. He started gathering scribbles and notes and wrote his first book. It was a factual account of the war and Harry realised it would probably have only a limited readership. He became aware that historical fiction was very popular and that there was no one writing about the East End of London, and the war, at that time. In his fifties, he was given early retirement from his job as a brewery driver-drayman, and was at last able to devote his time to writing.
He became known as ‘the King of Cockney sagas’, and he wrote eighteen bestselling novels of London life.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
March 8, 2022
Cant remember read it in 1991.
February 19, 2014
Very good historical novel charting the fortunes of the residents of a street in the East End of London during the early 20th century. I liked the fact that this was all about working class characters and the way they coped with day to day life as well as covering issues like mechanisation, women's rights and WWI. I managed to cope with the cockney accent and enjoyed the women's gossip that moved the plot along. It is full of characters and whilst giving a delightful surface sheen to most of them I felt the need for greater depth. It felt like me something that was written for TV adaptation with plenty of visuals and action. It drew me along despite being fairly long.
August 21, 2026
An absolutely fascinating read that brilliantly captures post-WWI life in the tight-knit community of Bermondsey. The historical research is flawless and the characterisation is deeply captivating. I truly felt like I was living in the neighborhood, experiencing the exact types of stories my Nan used to tell me. The atmospheric writing completely draws you in, though readers should be prepared for the heavy use of authentic London colloquial language and slang. I cannot wait for the next instalment and highly recommend this book to anyone who loves immersive historical family sagas.
July 9, 2026
I read The Girl From Cotton Lane first, the second in the trilogy. I found that book in a charity shop and loved it. I was happy when I found out there was a trilogy and that Harry Bowling has done more books.
This was another brilliant read, the characters are so interesting and I really like the fact that real historical events are built-in to the story. I am moving straight on to the third book after getting a bundle of his books off eBay!
RIP Harry Bowling and thank you for the great books.
This was another brilliant read, the characters are so interesting and I really like the fact that real historical events are built-in to the story. I am moving straight on to the third book after getting a bundle of his books off eBay!
RIP Harry Bowling and thank you for the great books.
September 25, 2025
Brilliant book again from Bowling.
Absolutely love his writing
Absolutely love his writing
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews