Daniel and Hannah Gorletski
Working Life
An idea of working condition in the East End at the time Daniel and Hannah were working there can be gained from knowing that a garment workers strike in 1889 resulted in a victory for the workers: their won a working day of 'only' twelve hours, with a lunch break.
.Daniel is described in his naturalisation papers as a "Hosier", and on his death certificate as a "Retired draper" It seems that from very early after he arrived in England he ran a market stall in the East End .
A QUESTION; WERE THEIR EARLY STALLS IN BRICK LANE MARKET, (OR PETTICOAT LANE?
PETTICOAT LANE MARKET 1902
Leon recalls that at the end of each day the goods were packed into cardboard boxes and hauled up the stairs to the apartment where they were stored overnight. This job was a done by a "Yok" a gentile paid a small amount for their work. Perhaps from a later period Toby recalls the goods being stored in a garage like space on the ground floor of the building.
The stall did well. Toby recalls that he was a respected businessman, known by everyone as "Mr David''; in fact as a child Toby thought that was his real name.
Coffee house nearJubilee Street 1902
Leon says that as time went on it seemed that they weren't that poor anymore. He says Daniel and Bubba were certainly always well dressed.
The fact that he chose to be naturalised in 1899, an expensive process he was under no obligation to pursue, also suggest that they were doing well. On his death in 1943 he left six hundred and sixty pounds, eighteen shillings and fifteen pence to Betty. (The will is held at Somerset House).
Click here for more about their leaving poland and arriving in London, the Jewish community, cultural life and children's education Click here to return to the index.