Alfreda

I was passing a pub in Tooting when I saw this woman sitting by the window. I went inside and took this shot. I loved the way the scene looked so art-directed with the flower and the dark padded seats. The back of the magazine showing a model's face was an extra piece of luck. I took several shots before she noticed and beckoned me over. I expected this lady to be a typical South Londoner who was probably born and bred locally. As usual, I was wrong. Alfreda was born in Austria in 1932 - not long before it became a part of Nazi Germany. She said it was a scary time, but less so for her than the Jewish family that she worked for as a Nanny. Her father was a soldier in WW2 and was killed in action - she didn’t say what side he was on.

After the war, she married a Royal Navy Officer who later became a policeman and so ended up living in Portsmouth. He died several years ago and she proudly told me that she still has his uniform and police notebook.

Alfreda's life long passion is Archeology. She spent many years in Luxor, Egypt studying the Pharaohs. She speaks fluent Arabic, has worked as a belly-dancer on cruise ships, and knew the screen legend, Omar Sharif. She said that he was a charming man but had a real sadness about him because he couldn’t find true love.

The thing that Alfredo wanted to talk about most though, was the ancient Egyptians. She told me that they invented beer, chess, make-up and that Cleopatra was not remotely attractive. She told me lots of other stuff but to be honest, I couldn’t take it all in - I wasn’t expecting to get an ancient history lesson from an 87-year-old in a South London pub.

I asked her about the magazine that she was reading. She said ‘I’m just reading this shit to pass the time’ and then thanked me for listening to her stories ‘It’s just so good to have someone to talk to’ she said.

It was sobering meeting someone who has lived such an eventful life, sitting all alone reading a trashy magazine in a pub with nobody to share her life of learning with. She seemed content enough though. As we parted she thanked me again for talking to her and said ‘I’ve had a good life - I haven’t done anybody any harm’.