Stepney Words & the Stepney School Strike, 1971

On Thursday 27th May 1971, exactly 50 years ago, hundreds of East End schoolchildren went on strike. They were protesting about the dismissal of English teacher Chris Searle from their Stepney school. He’d published ‘Stepney Words’ a poetry anthology compiled from his pupils work written in his English classes. The poems were raw and direct, but the school were not impressed. The strike continued the following day with a march with banners aloft to Trafalgar Square. 

The aftermath saw a 2nd edition of Stepney Words, the student poets reading on national TV and at poetry festivals, the creation of working class community workshops and arts projects in the East End and beyond, and after 2 years the re-instatement of Searle at the Stepney school. The strikers were finally vindicated - but Searle moved on, unhappy at being ostracised by fellow teaching staff. He eventually became a head teacher in Sheffield - and still keeps in touch with the Stepney poets and strikers. 

Cover of the first edition of Stepney Words, published in March 1971

Chris Searle and students outside the school gates, 27th May 1971

Stepney school strikers and their banner held high

28th May 1971, the strikers reach Trafalgar Square

Stepney Words 2, published in September 1971

STEPNEY WORDS: A collection of Poetry by Stepney children aged 11 to 15 years. Stepney Words "is designed as a community communication and is published by Reality Press c/o 20 Princelet Street, E1. Edited by Chris Searle and photography and layout by Ron McCormick"

A selection of the poetry:

GEFILTE FISH by Mildred Rosner c/w MATZOH BALLS by Slim Gaillard

Here’s a special melt in the mouth treat for lovers of old-time home cooking, and foot-tapping rhythms that we all know they just don’t make ‘em like this anymore! The very first 7” single from JWM recordings who brought you ‘Music is the Most Beautiful Language in the World’, the much-loved compilation of Yiddisher Jazz in London’s East End 1920s to 1950s. 

On the menu is Gefilte Fish and Matzoh Balls, a double ‘A’ side recipe of two classic dishes that have graced the Jewish luncheon or dinner table for generations. Ours are the tastiest sounding Matzoh Balls - dumplings made of eggs and matzoh meal (ground unleavened bread) - that we’ve ever heard. A mesmerising musical soup concocted in New York in 1939 by the one and only Slim Gaillard and His Flat-Foot-Floogie Boys. Slim Gaillard was a hugely popular and influential figure on the jazz circuit for over half a century. He’d riff and scat in his own made-up language ‘voute-o-rooney’ – a hip scatological word play that would be celebrated in Jack Kerouac’s ‘On the Road’. 

Gaillard’s own background has always been a mystery – an African-American who even claimed Jewish ancestry, hence his love for Jewish food (his repertoire also included the ditty ‘Dunkin’ Bagels’). In his Matzoh Balls, we discover that Slim likes his balls with a kick: “now you put a little horseradish on it, and it knocks you right out…” 

For the record, accompanying Slim and his guitar on Matzoh Balls were Al Killian (trumpet), Kenneth Hollon (tenor saxophone), Loumell Morgan (piano), William Smith (string bass) and Hubert Pettaway (drums) 

Cover of JWM002 / Gefilte Fish

Playwright and song writer Isadore Lillian’s Gefilte Fish passionately declares a love affair with this slightly sweet but savoury ancient dish – patties made up of a poached mixture of ground deboned white fish. Served boiled or fried. Yiddish singer Mildred Rosner is backed by Mendelsohn’s Orchestra to deliver the finest ever version of Gefilte Fish on the market. The band put down a roaring and infectious dance tune – they’ve clearly played a Jewish wedding or two. Mildred Rosner’s delivery on her only known record is an utter joy, and listen out for the punky call and response of the tune’s title. All together now GEFILTE FISH! 

It’s the first ever re-issue of the original 78rpm 10” that was issued for the speciality American Jewish market in 1947 by The Sun Recording Corp. of New York. The Bronx-based label’s motto was “the brightest thing on records” - and it pre-dated a rather more famous Sun label - Sam Phillips’ Sun of Memphis, Tennessee. We’ve packaged our food-themed single in a glorious card cover with a tasteful tactile matt finish. The image on the front shows just how many of us may remember what those portions of boiled Gefilte Fish topped with sliced carrots looked like, laid out for hours on the buffet tables of those functions of yesteryear… 

78rpm UK issue of Gefilte Fish on Melodisc 5017

                        Mildred Rosner in The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Friday 27th December 1946                           
Courtesy of Henry Sapoznik

As a special treat for this individually numbered special edition of just 200 copies, we’ve included an illustrated double-sided flyer complete with recipes to make your very own Gefilte Fish and Matzoh Balls to eat while you listen… 

**The label artwork features the owner of the last genuine Jewish food delicatessen in the East End of London: Barry Rogg. Barry served up delicacies from hand-picked suppliers and his own home-made produce, the recipes of which are now lost to time.

In a dedication to Rogg's deli, JWM records dish up a two sided smorgasbord of culinary music lovingly remastered from original 78s

Barry Rogg by Irv Kline, 1983

For all enquiries please contact: jwmrecordings@gmail.com https://jwmrecords.bandcamp.com/album/mildred-rosner-gefilte-fish

Back cover JWM002