The Avenue, Part II

The first novel covers the 1920s and 30s- the Depression, the General Strike, the rise of fascism, and so on. It also covers subjects like social life in the 20s, women having more freedom, and divorce. Edgar Frith, an assistant manager at an antique shop, a quiet little man, married Esther Rumbold. It turned out to be an unhappy marriage. She was a difficult woman who disliked both him and sex. They have 2 children, Elaine and Sydney. The marriage eventually ends in divorce, when Edgar falls in love with Frances. She is a young woman who works in his shop and who has had a daughter by a a soldier, who died in the War. Divorce was slowly becoming more common even among lower middle class people, though working class people could not usually afford it. Edgar leaves his wife and marries Frances. Elaine who is beautiful and sensuous, tries to find a rich man who can satisfy her sexual needs but also provide her with a comfortable lifestyle. She attracts Esme Fraser, but he worships her from afar. Elaine leaves home, too, as she can't stand her mother. She takes a variety of jobs, in places like circuses and cinemas and hotels. She like sex and has affairs. But Esme continues to carry a torch for her. He does not notice that Judy, Jim Carver's daughter, has always been in love with him. Edgar's son, Sydney, is his mother's favourite. He wants to get out of lower middle class life and get on. He dabbles with Mosley's Union of Fascists but does not like the violence, so he leaves very soon. Judy gets interested in horse riding and takes a job at a riding school. She is so busy with learning about horses that she begins to get over Esme. She meets Tim Ascham, a young man from a military family and they plan to marry. Esme meets Elaine again and they get married, not long before war breaks out. She settles for him, as she has not had any luck in finding a really rich husband. James is depressed during the 1930s. He has found steady work as a lorry driver and financially life is easier... but he finds that his Socialist friends are pacifists and he realises that the only way of stopping Hitler is to go to war. Over the years, he still believes in improving the world, but he is disillusioned with his comrades. He grows friendly with a middle aged spinster, Edith Clegg, a vicar's daughter, who lives in the Avenue with her sister, Becky. Becky had a breakdown years ago and has to be looked after. Edith's father left her and her sister with a little capital but not much. But she is resourceful. She takes in lodgers, gives music lessons and plays piano in the local cinema. She often asks Jim for advice and they get on well. Jim lives next door to Harold and Eunice, but he thinks of Harold as a Tory who is good natured but wrong thinking.. while Harold thinks of Jim as a nice chap but dangerously left wing.