COSTER LOYALTY.

Hawera Star, Volume XLIX, 13 August 1929, Page 7

COSTER LOYALTY.

QUEEN IN THE EAST END. SCENES AT SHOREDITCH. When tlie Queen opened the new Girls’ Hostel in Hoxton Street, Shoreditch, on June 13,. it was revealed that Her Majesty hud given more than half the cost of the institution. The total cost of the hostel, said Lady Bertha Dawkins, at the opening, was £16,000, and of that sum the Queen had contributed £BIOO.

•‘The Queen,” said Lady Bertha, ‘•was the first contributor to the building when she gave £IOO, and then she gave £6OOO from the proceeds of the exhibition of her doll house at. Wembley. Last autumn, when we did not know which way to turn for further funds. the Queen gave its another £2000.” .Tim ceremony had originally been arranged for a Saturday, but .as Roxton Street is one of the biggest -street markets of this part of the East End, it had been postponed till a Thursday. Saturda-v is naturally the coster’s 1 busy day. and a royal visit would mean tlm temporary closing of the market. I? ep re sen tat ions were made on behalf ,ol : the < esters, with the result that the ceremony was held on the early closing day. I The costers’ gratitude was without hounds (savs the “Daily Telegraph”). Early in the afternoon thev cleared their stalls away and washed the street so energetically with hosepipes that not a trace of a street market "■as to he seen The officers of the Sbo'cditch Street Traders’ Association out on their resplendent 'badges—or. more precisely, sashes —of office, and waited in a, body at the hostel door for the Queen. Among them were a)

j >mle of “pearlies.” one of whom was labelled ‘‘The Pearly King.” though his dvnustv anw.rs not to he recognised l)v the mo”° democratic society of street traders, who are eon tent to he more secretaries and committee men. PRINCESS MARY’S ARRIVAL. When Princess Alary, who is patroness of the hostel, arrived, she was presented with a bouquet by the five-year-old daughter of a Hoxton Street greengrocer. The Queen arrived a few minutes later. Her Majesty, who was received by the Princess, was presented with a bouquet by a small boy, who was the son of the local butcher. Across the street there was stretched a banner hearing the words. '‘Hoxton shopkeepers and street traders [thank Her Majesty.’' and the traders themselves turned out in full force to give thanks in person. The streets of ■ this part of London are only too ! crowded always ; on this day they surpassed themselves. To stand in the crowd among the older costerwomen was to get an insight into the wann. old-fashioned loyalty of the East End; a loyalty with a curiously vivid and personal element in. it. something vital and beyond formality. After the Bishop of Stepney had blessed the new hostel the Queen opened the door with a, silver key. The Queen, with Princess’ Mary. Lady Bertlm Dawkins. Airs Sara Rae (founder and president of the guild), Viscount Knob-worth (who was “the master of ceremonies’') made a tour of the hostel.

The. hostel, which has accommodation for between oO and 60 girls, has boon” a- project of the guild for over 11 rears. Princess Alary sot the foundation stone last year, and Miss Estelle Stead set a- stone in memory of her father. V. T. Stead, wl rose ‘Afaiden Tribute to Abidem Babylon’ inspired the founding of the" Girls’ Guild.” !