My East End

Gilda O'Neill was born into a traditional East End family in Bethnal Green. Her nan had a pie and mash shop, her grandfather was a tug skipper on the Thames and her great-uncle was the minder for a gambling den. Her childhood was in a world most of us associate with chirpy cockneys, pub knees-ups, legendary criminals and the Dickensian underworld. Yet here Gilda O'Neill goes beyond the myths of the East End to reveal a far more complex and humane story, from the area's distant past to the strong, close-knit communities of living memory. Gathering together her own memories and the personal recollections of East Enders, she brings us stories of unbelievable hardship and devastating change; yet also of great pride, kindness, courage, resilience and humour. These tales of yesterday provide a fascinating commentary on our ideas of community today, and tell, with wit, warmth and emotion, the real story of life in London's East End

Gilda O'Neill grew up in the East End of London. Having left school aged fifteen, she later returned to education as a mature student and went on to take three university degrees. Since 1990 she has been writing full-time and has published numerous works of both fiction and non-fiction, including two non-fiction bestsellers, My East End and Our Street. Gilda O'Neill is married with two grown-up children and lives in the East End.

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