East End Photographs and Drawings

[Archaic]

Originally Posted by lynn cates

Hello Bunny. Wasn't "cheapjack" also a slang term for "inferior goods"?Cheers. LC

Hi Lynn.

Yes; you're right. It's not hard to see how the slang terms for an itinerant peddler and for his wares could come to be the same. Impoverished peddlers must have sold very cheap and most likely "inferior" goods, because it would have been the cheapest stock for them to buy in the first place.

I suppose this would be especially true of the peddlers who traveled around, because once they had successfully disposed of their low-quality merchandise they could just move on. They didn't have to worry about developing customer loyalty or a regular customer base.

Cheers,
Archaic

[Archaic]

Originally Posted by Bridewell

Wasn't "Poor Jo" a character in Bleak House?

Hi Bridewell.

I suppose the show "Poor Jo" being advertised really could be about Dickens' little crossing-sweeper! Pathos certainly appealed to Mid-Victorian audiences, and small-time theaters were quick to cash in on popular topics or popular works.

I don't know if any of you saw this news story last month, but it appealed to me because I'm a Dickens fan. The oldest known Dickens film has been discovered; it's 111 years old and guess which famous Dickens character it features?

Poor Jo from Bleak House! It's only one minute long and well worth watching. Rob & Monty might like its portrayal of a policeman on his beat, shining his lantern in dark corners. Good article too.

1901 Dickens Film: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/c...-was-made.html

Cheers,
Archaic

[Beowulf]

That film was really interesting. Thank you for the upload. Wonderful to see something so early, gee, 1901.

For some time now I've wondered if there are any very early films of London that might show Whitechapel in earlier times.

Does anyone know if there are such ones? Of any sort?

btw, going to California for couple of days, my greatest regret is that I will not be able to sit here at my computer and pour over all this very interesting stuff on JTR.

But I will bring my book, Autumn of Terror.

[Archaic]

Hi Beowulf.

Here's a few old films from YouTube.

"Blackfriars Bridge (1896)": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fABILtla_lE

"Petticoat Lane (1903)" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smXKyg0Qk0g

"Old London Street Scenes (1903)": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-5Ts_i164c

Enjoy sunny California!
Archaic

[Beowulf]

Wow. Petticoat Lane was my fav, sure was interesting to see the faces of those who lived in that area at that time. Thank you.

and everyone of them mugging for the camera, lol.

Going to Morro Bay to see Hearst Castle, no castle by English standards but impressive all the same. I hear it's haunted (..) lol.

Wonder if there are any more films that people could find of Whitechapel itself...!

[Simon Wood]

Hi Beowulf,

Hearst Castle is a monument to obsession.

Orson Welles had it nailed.

You will be fascinated.

Regards,

Simon

[Bridewell]

Originally Posted by Archaic

Hi Bridewell.
I don't know if any of you saw this news story last month, but it appealed to me because I'm a Dickens fan. The oldest known Dickens film has been discovered; it's 111 years old and guess which famous Dickens character it features?

Poor Jo from Bleak House! It's only one minute long and well worth watching. Rob & Monty might like its portrayal of a policeman on his beat, shining his lantern in dark corners. Good article too.

1901 Dickens Film: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/c...-was-made.html

Cheers,
Archaic

Thanks for posting that. Did you notice that the light source for the policeman's torch beam wasn't the torch itself, but a spotlight shining onto the set? That must have been quite difficult to synchronise. The actor playing the policeman appears to have the leather stock (or a representation of it) which was worn around the neck to protect the officer from cut-throat attack.

Regards, Bridewell.

[Bridewell]

Originally Posted by Archaic

Hi Beowulf.

Here's a few old films from YouTube.

"Blackfriars Bridge (1896)": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fABILtla_lE

"Petticoat Lane (1903)" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smXKyg0Qk0g

"Old London Street Scenes (1903)": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-5Ts_i164c

Enjoy sunny California!
Archaic

Thanks for that.

It's quite astonishing to see how dependent we were on the horse, little more than a century ago. What must the horse population of London have been in 1903?
I think there was one car towards the end of the "Old London Street Scenes" clip!

Regards, Bridewell.

[lynn cates]

Hello Bunny. Thanks.

That kind of merchandise was made notorious through the sweating system.

Cheers.
LC

[lynn cates]

Hello Simon. Indeed. Cinema at its finest

Orson Welles knew precisely what he was about.

Cheers.
LC