Nellie and Bessie Williams, two elderly sisters living in Revesby Avenue (and before that in the New Street area) were known by everyone in Boston as Gert and Daisy. I remember they were teased a lot by the children and teenagers of the town but always gave as good as they got.
They were almost always seen together on their walks around the town but sadly, one night in February 1964 Nellie, aged 70, failed to arrive home. When she was reported missing Boston Police began a widespread search and brought in Police dogs to help them, they concentrated part of their search on allotments and questioned children leaving school.
Her description was issued, slim build, grey hair, wearing a black coat, hat and boots, and only five feet tall. Nellie and Bessie had lived together at 12, Revesby Avenue for a little over two years. A neighbour said, "They were always going out for walks, often after dark. Almost always Bessie, who's even smaller than Nellie, used to walk on in front of her sister, and if she was vexed she used to walk home on her own"
Another neighbour said, "They never seemed to have much to eat at home, they often went for meals at the Cherry Corner Cafe. Sometimes their windows were screened by blankets, and often they could be heard from the street arguing inside". He went on, " I think they were born in Boston, but I've never heard that they did any work apart from a short while when, Nellie once told me, she scrubbed floors at the White Hart Hotel"
Unfortunately, a few days later, poor Nellie was found dead in the the River Haven and her sister Bessie was taken into Frampton House old folks home until other arrangements were made.
Gert and Daisy, two true characters of Boston who should never be forgotten!!
Its a long time since we've heard those names billy, my dad used to work on a fishing smack called the Gert & Daisy ( i wonder if it was named after them). Tez
ReplyDeleteYes Billy I remember Gert & Daisy they lived at 13 Chapel Street up to their house being demolished and always went passed the shop where I worked on their way home going at it hammer and tongs, I think that they worked on a veg stall in the market place on market days.
ReplyDeleteAnother town charactor was an old lady called Gin Bottles real name Louie Thorpe the kids always used to shout out gin bottles at her all the time but I dont really know why?
Dr Baxter was the Fenside doctor his surgery was his front room at 41 Argyle Street, he was said to be the highest qualifed doctor in the town at that time and was known to like a drink or two, us boys were all scared to death of him when he was in drink and he would chase us up and down the street but of course could never catch us.
Rob
Wish there was a photo of Gert and Daisey. i remeber them but cannot picture them . the witty thing was 'the gert and daisey" were a musical hall and radio comedy duo . so the old dears got the nick name . the cherry was the meeting place for we bikers and we were well known for it . so we saw the ladys quite a lot .
ReplyDeleteThe two great Boston charactors Bessie and Nellie Williams aka Gert & Daisy lived at 13 Witham Street for many years up to the old terrace being demolished.
ReplyDeleteSorry billy I should have put 13 Chapel Street not 13 Witham Steet, I must be getting old.
ReplyDeleteDon't worry, we're all aging!!! ha ha. I think the original Gert and Daisy were Elsie and Doris Waters Tez, sisters of Jack Warner of Dixon of Dock Green fame.
ReplyDeleteI remember them too but cant picture them i too wish someone had a picture of them .. saddly they did get teased by the young ones , but they gave as good as they got ...
ReplyDeleteYou got it folks so Elsie and Doris Waters (spot on Billy ) became Gert and Daisey , who became a fishing smack , who became Bessie and Nellie . simple really . wasnt the Blue lion shawed up for some time ? I think most of the towns characters frequented the chez (cherry corner )not least Alf Bell himself .
ReplyDeleteGert and Daisie had a brother Fred Williams who worked for May n Hassels as a checker. He lived in Willoughby Road.
ReplyDeleteAnother character was Sam Dennis, us lads would shout after him, "who push the bull in the river"
rumour had it he was driving cattle up High Street once when one ended up in the river.