Spotlight on Heritage – Modern Cockney Memories
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In this edition of Spotlight on Heritage, recorded for the Modern Cockney Festival, John Coster is joined by his mother, Joan, for a thoughtful conversation that traces their family’s East End roots and reflects on how Cockney identity has evolved across generations.
Recorded as an informal but deeply personal oral history, the episode explores memories of life in Stepney and Poplar during and after the Second World War. Joan recalls her childhood experiences of local markets, cinemas, and tightly-knit neighbourhoods, alongside her late husband’s vivid recollections of the Blitz, street parties, and the impact of post-war displacement. The conversation touches on the physical and emotional aftermath of the war, including bomb sites that remained playgrounds for decades and the long-lasting changes to family life as communities were rehoused and dispersed.
Together, they consider the changing meaning of what it is to be a Cockney—once defined by geography and accent, now shaped by broader questions of identity, culture and class. Referencing the Modern Cockney Museum’s card collection, they reflect on how diverse communities have contributed to East End life, and how popular representations often reduce Cockney culture to stereotypes. Yet within these stories are moments of resilience, humour and quiet transformation, offering a richer picture of London’s working-class heritage.
The episode closes with Joan reflecting on how, despite leaving London, many of her most enduring memories are still shaped by a time and place where everyday life was shared, resourceful and full of character.
This conversation is part of Spotlight on Heritage’s commitment to recording and sharing lived histories that bring overlooked experiences into focus.
