Ah, Hoot, but the whole point is that he couldn't see to 'Ackney Marshes, even with a ladder and some glasses, becoz of the 'Ouses in Between.

Not even clear anyhow which peal "Bow Bells" referred to; Bow Church out eastward beyond Mile End, or St Mary-atte-Bow in the City? The question is moot.

In fact, Gus Elen was an actor, whose natural speech, when being interviewed late in life for radio &c, was not cockney at all, but a sort of middle-class RP.

My maternal grandparents, tho born in Lithuania, spent most of life in Hoxton, which is real cockney-land, and had cockney accents. But he prospered as a grocer and they sent their children to schools {Mary Datchelor's or Central Foundation for the 6 girls, I think} which more or less ironed their accents out to standard. Only my Uncle Dave retained much cockney:~ he was good with a cockney song ~ would sing Harry Champion's A Little Bit Of Cucumber at family parties, I recall.

A drift, but perhaps of interest: Grandpa's name was Schneiderman. I have a photo somewhere of his shop wrecked and looted by a mob in 1914 at beginning of Great War, because he had a German name: which, as he was a Lithuanian Jew, was rough luck!...

~M~