Lisa Horner Writer & Artist

I have been posting pictures and the stories behind them that have been featured in both of my books Basildon Through Time and Lost Basildon .  I thought to myself what could I give in these hard times of coronavirus lockdown and this is what I have come up with.  To view the daily posts you can look at my Facebook page and like it if you want to keep up to date with the posts-  https://www.facebook.com/lisahornerauthor2020/ I have been doing this since 25th March 2020. https://lisajanehorner.wixsite.com/lisahornerauthor

My dear mother has moved nearer to me and is living at a beautiful assisted living residence in Billericay.  I've been sorting things out for her back at her flat and I came across a letter she wrote back in 1994, she's approaching 78 this year so she must have been 52 when she wrote this.  It just brought back memories of what she used to say to me and the stories that my Nan used to share.  She has allowed me to share it with you. 1st November 1994 Dear Sir, There was once, at about the beginning of this century, a part of London that was alive with Italian and Irish emigrants.  It was known as 'Little Italy' and was largely in Clerkenwell, slap bang in the middle of the city.  It must have lasted about 50 years before they all moved out. It was poor but there was a colourful and vigorous rapport between the people, the like of which I don't think this country will ever see again.  If it was skillfully investigated and made into a series, it would put Eas