East End Photographs and Drawings

[John Bennett]

A couple of stills from the 1954 film 'A Kid for Two Farthings', in glorious technicolour:

Petticoat Lane from Aldgate High Street


And Goulston Street with Wentworth Dwellings in the background.

[John Bennett]

Two from the 'JTR:The Final Solution' documentary, 1980.

Wentworth Dwellings (again), entrance to 108-119


Mitre Square, looking towards Mitre Street with Mitre House being built on the right.

[Archaic]

Video: Tower Bridge Road Market, 1931

Here's well-detailed film footage of the Tower Bridge Road Market in 1931; places mentioned include the Bricklayer's Arms,
the Horseshoe, and Bermondsey Street.

I was a bit surprised to see so many horse-drawn wagons still in use. I also noticed that the clothing of the men had changed very little over the past 40 or 50 years- dark suits and tweed caps were still standard. The women's clothing changed much more.

The crowd seems very curious about the camera-man... It's amusing that many of the pedestrians are so busy staring at the camera that they walk right into each other!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EE0LeBLB9lQ

Enjoy, Archaic

[Limehouse]

Great film Archaic, interesting indeed to see people's reaction to the filming. However, remember, at this time people would only have seen moving film at the cinema and would rarely have seen scenes actually being filmed. The camera was probably mounted on a platform on the back of a slow-moving vehicle so that would have drawn attention too.

Re horse drawn vehicles, my father delivered milk from a horse-drawn cart until well into the 1950s and even in the 1960s, in our part of London (north east) it was not rare to see coal, milk, bread, vegetables and other goods being delivered by horse. Also, the 'rag and bone man' collected unwanted junk from people using a horse drawn cart until the mid 70s!

I understand also that when the wholesale fruit, veg and flower market was still based at Old Covent Garden, horse drawn vehicles were comman into the 1960s.

[Archaic]

Horses In London

Hi, Limehouse, I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed the video; thank you for telling me.

Sometimes I figure you guys "must have seen it all", but then I decide to post something on the off-chance that maybe someone other than me hasn't seen it before.

Rob Clack told me that he remembers seeing horse-drawn vehicles used by "totters" in the 1970's, which really amazes me... I love horses and have 2 of my own, so I'm quite curious as to how your father managed to stable & keep his delivery horse in London in the 60's?

And do you remember what kind of horse it was? Maybe a big Shire?

Best regards, Archaic

PS: My horses could do with a real job; they're spoiled lawn ornaments & household pets more than anything!
-that's a Horse Laugh, by the way; I just couldn't find the right emoticon

[George Hutchinson]

I can trounce that, Archaic.

When I was at drama college in Wandsworth in the 1990s, I passed a brewer's yard on the way each morning and there was usually a horse and cart being filled up.

PHILIP

[Limehouse]

Hi, Limehouse, I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed the video; thank you for telling me.

Sometimes I figure you guys "must have seen it all", but then I decide to post something on the off-chance that maybe someone other than me hasn't seen it before.

Rob Clack told me that he remembers seeing horse-drawn vehicles used by "totters" in the 1970's, which really amazes me... I love horses and have 2 of my own, so I'm quite curious as to how your father managed to stable & keep his delivery horse in London in the 60's?

And do you remember what kind of horse it was? Maybe a big Shire?

Best regards, Archaic


PS: My horses could do with a real job; they're spoiled lawn ornaments & household pets more than anything!
-that's a Horse Laugh, by the way; I just couldn't find the right emoticon

Hi Archaic,

I don't remember the horse my father used because I was not around until the late 1950s and by then he was using an electric milk cart. He worked for the Co-op (Co-operative Society) and they had a depot in north Chingford (about three miles from our home). I guess the horses were stabled there. Although in north east London, Chingford is right on the edge of London and is, even now, quite rural in its north end so room to keep horses is no problem. In fact, there are several riding schools based there and the plenty of room to ride on Chingford Plains and in Epping Forest.

Actually, if you look around the streets of London now, you can still spot buildings that have space beside and behind them that was once used for stabling horses. As hose power was so common for so long, space to stable them was part of the planning of various buildings. I can remember as a child in the 1960s a local bakery that had a large entrance at the side (still with a cobbled yard) and space at the back for horses. You have to note, however, that these horses were 'nags' - relatively slow-moving creatures used to strolling from house to house and street to street at a leisurely pace. They were quite different from the horses I saw (and still see when I am down that way) thundering across the plains and commons with thrilled young riders on their backs!

Best wishes

Julie

[coral]

Hi Philip

You could still those shire horses delivering to the local pubs as recently as 2006. It was then that Youngs brewery sold its site in Wandsworth for 69 million pounds.

Coral

[WARSPITE]

WARSPITE -

Thanks for posting these; two questions:

What year?

Got any more?

All from 1988. Got a few more, and will post em just as soon as I learn to upload them within size.
Pete

[Archaic]

Equine Evolution?

Thanks for sharing your London horse stories, everyone; I enjoyed them.

Of course in the old days my horses would have worked hard for me...


But now the tables have turned, and I work hard for them!



Best regards, Archaic

[Rob Clack]

Robert Linford put me onto a 60s T.V show called 'Gideons Way' some of which was filmed in the East End. I managed to get some DVDs of the show and got these screen captures from one of the episode.

Whitechapel High Street


Commercial Street Police Station






Cheshire Street


Frostic Place off Old Montague Street


Old Montague Street


and again


Fashion Street

[Robert]

That was quick, Rob. I reckon the police polished up that name plate specially for the show.

[Archaic]

Q: What Year Was Last Horse-Drawn Cab In London?

Hi, guys, I have a London trivia question for you:

In what year did London grant the last license for a horse-drawn cab?

No peeking......???...


The answer is 1947.

Here's the article, in a nice history blog called
"For the First Time or Last Time: When Things Changed In Society"
(I love this guy's personal photo!)

Best regards, Archaic

For the First Time: http://4thefirsttime.blogspot.com/20...in-london.html

A classic Victorian Hansom Cab:

[Rob Clack]

That was quick, Rob. I reckon the police polished up that name plate specially for the show.

Hi Robert,

Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised. I've watched a couple of episodes. Not to bad but there were quite a few well known actors in there. John Hurt Derren Nesbitt, Donald Houston, Ray McAnally, George Cole to name but a few.

Rob

This I believe is Kings Arms Court looking towards Old Montague Street.

[Rob Clack]

Hi, guys, I have a London trivia question for you:

In what year did London grant the last license for a horse-drawn cab?

No peeking......???...


The answer is 1947.

Here's the article, in a nice history blog called
"For the First Time or Last Time: When Things Changed In Society"
(I love this guy's personal photo!)

Best regards, Archaic

For the First Time: http://4thefirsttime.blogspot.com/20...in-london.html

A classic Victorian Hansom Cab:

Thanks for that, that's very interesting. I'd have thought early 1920s and not late 1940s.

Rob