As Time Goes By

by Harry Bowling

Carter Lane is an ordinary backstreet in Bermondsey and home to Dolly and Mick Flynn and their five children. Whilst the war threatens upheaval to all they love, the street provides a safe haven. But as the Blitz takes its toll, the Flynns must endure the sorrows which they dread above all else.

Genres: Fiction

320 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

‘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.

Reviews

[Elinor · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel by Harry Bowling, billed as "the king of Cockney sagas," on the back cover, tells about the lives of the residents of a particular working-class street in London during the Blitz. It was a pleasant read but not particularly compelling. I also found the fact that the dialogue was written with an accent (fink instead of think, for example) to be difficult to follow sometimes.

[LAURA JONES]

a real good Eastend neighbourhood story Harry Bowling being one of my favourite authors. it makes you wish you could live in such a street!
Carter Lane Bermondsey is home to Dolly and Mick Flynn. their boys volunteer for the Armed Forces and to their dismay their daughter insists on throwing her self away on a married man. Their neighbour Liz Kenny is there with advice and a shoulder to cry on.
Charity and Cynthia are two elderly sisters who have lived together since Cynthia's husband disappeared. But then a bomb blast uncovers a skeleton at the Leather works which throws confusion all round.
The Blitz starts and the people of Carter Lane band together to cope with losses and any good news. Relationships start and end as is life.
a really good novel

[Daryl Dixon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book indeed, But with a happy ending and ending seems to be rushing.Author has very well expressed his ideas related to old England, society, the war and how nice the old fellow villagers to each other back in the day.Im hoping to read his other books as well. Finally I could say the author is a great story teller.

[Bert Christie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this easy to read, down to earth book - will be definitely reading more from this editor.

[Travelmaven · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed the story, history, characters. The written dialogue between characters took a few pages to get used to, as it is written like this, ‘Ann’s favver did a runner wiv a lot o’ cash…’

[S · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the characters and context but there was no flow between the different stories and no story arc so some plotlines with a lot of potential instead came across as lackluster.

[Johanna Cogbill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love all Bowlings books, another absolute gem.

[Em · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the idea of this book so much more than the actual book. The elderly Lockwood sisters were absolutely my favourite characters and the love Bowling has for London came through loud and clear, but this didn't make as much of an impact on me as I'd expected.

[Joanna Warrens · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this WW2 drama set in London. I will definately read more of his books.