Philip Cunningham’s East End Shopfronts
It is my pleasure to publish more pictures from Photographer Philip Cunningham‘s astonishing archive of images from the seventies and eighties, seen publicly here for the first time
Shop in Bow, c.1972
“In 1970 my partner, Sally, was a student on the Foundation Course at Hornsey College of Art. They taught her how to use a camera and process film and, in turn, she taught me. When we moved to the East East in 1971, the Council and GLC were still emptying and demolishing streets. People were being moved into tower blocks, which mostly had poor insulation and were physically alienating. By this time, the mythology of ‘streets in the sky’ was already discredited yet they continued anyway. There was still a lot of bomb damage but the remnants of previous communities could be seen, and I was determined to try and document what was left. I was also interested in the buildings themselves which had their own character. Taking at least a film a month, I built up a large archive. We were customers of some of these shops but others were already derelict. They represented a different life.” – Philip Cunningham
c.1972
Roman Rd, c.1976
Mile End Rd
Mile End Rd, c.1979
Mile End Rd, c.1979
Mile End Rd, c.1979
Mile End Rd, c.1979
Mile End Rd, c.1979
Mile End Rd, c.1978
Mile End Rd
Mile End Rd, c.1981
Mile End Rd, c.1985
Mile End Rd, c.1985
Malplaquet House, Mile End Rd, c.1976
Mile End Rd, c.1976
Mile End Rd, c.1979
Mile End Rd, c.1982
White Horse Lane, c.1979
East End India Dock Rd, c.1978
Roman Rd, c.1977
Stepney Way, c.1971
Antil Rd, c.1980
Hay Currie St, c.1978
Upper Clapton Rd, c.1983
Globe Rd, c.1976
Unknown location, c.1976
Brushfield St
Off Brick Lane, c.1976
Off Brick Lane, c.1976
Quaker St, c.1976
Off Cheshire St, c.1976
Cheshire St, c.1976
Photographs copyright © Philip Cunningham
You may also like to take a look at
Philip Cunningham’s East End Portraits
More of Philip Cunningham’s Portraits
Very atmospheric photos, and a great one of Spiegelhalter’s. Valerie
Amazing collection – especially like the last photograph – almost poignant. Wish I had taken more photographs when I was younger. Thanks for posting.
The shop J.Galley & Sons was in Roman Road
The ‘unknown location’ Galley was in Roman Road.
These are superb. I have so much enjoyed Philip Cunningham’s photos. Could a book be in order?….
Beautiful but simple scenes photographed make one feel as if they are stepping into history on the streets and in the buildings witnessing life.
Love love these pics – u remember my ex bought my wedding ring from. Spiegelhalters
Looking for any shop fronts Cheshire street it scared street with bane Maezell. Cheshire street was a sweet shop and sclater street a timber yard
ThsnjsJ
I love looking upstairs of these shops and imagining the lives of the people who lived above. I wonder about the sounds and smells that come upstairs, the children who grew up there, or the single gentlemen or ladies of doubtful age. Thanks for sharing!
Galley’s in Roman Road was an amazing shop. Started well before my time by J. Galley, when I first started working in Roman Road it was run by Ebeneezer Galley with his sister only known as Miss Galley, and with his daughter Ethel. In the days before the B & Q’s etc. Galleys was the only store that the local builders could buy their supplies. Old Galley had the reputation of being a bit of a miser, he had stocks dating back many years but you always paid the latest price. He had a yard opposite the shop in Medway Road for sands and heavy stock, two men, Alf and Tom worked for him, during the time that the shop was open old Galley was behind the till. If you bought anything from Galleys it was of the best quality. When the store finally closed after the deaths of galley and his sister the sale of stock was amazing, historic tools, even horses harness chains an bits. I bought many tools from Galleys in my time and they are all in my workshop in prime condition, such was the quality. If Galleys was still trading during the days of the Gentle Author they would have featured in his blog more times even than Gardeners.
Gary Arber
I know so many of these places but found it so sad to see how they have been neglected, my shop was round the corner to burns and Harris stonemason.
In the late fifties / early sixties I used to buy shoes from Blackmans Shoe Shop in Cheshire St, and a few years earlier we would buy from the same people trading from a stall outside on Sunday mornings. They’re still there! A sign above the shop a few years back read “Buy your shoes where your Dad bought his”!
My father was a cab driver and he told me tat he has once had Mr Blackman as a passenger, who told him he would take a thousand pounds on a Sunday morning – perhaps an exaggeration, as I seem to remember their Hush Puppies (all the rage!) were about a pound a pair.
Another wonderful, bittersweet collection. So many things to think about. Thank you once again Phil Cunningham, for your evocative collection. Hope there’s more to come!
Fascinating, evocative photos. Nice to see that Verde & Co are still at the same address in Brushfield Street, although their premises look much smarter these days!
looking at the last picture of cheshire st. looking west towards brick lane,after sunday market.
i used to go to school in cheshire st. the area seemed to decline by the early 70s,
what was once a busy and vibrant area is now unrecognisable , only the new brick lane is worth visiting now. and that goes for petticoat lane too. people looking at these photos couldn’t
imagine what a great place this once was. all we seem to see are photo’s of the decaying east end
admittedly there were a lot of building’s that needed pulling down a lot due to war damage, believe me we kids growing up in the east end didn’t know it at the time. as it was such a happy place to live, and i would go back in a heartbeat,as i have fond memories of the dear old east end.
Would you happen to have any photo’s of Cohen’s grocers, I think in Wentworth Street? In the 50’s I was a gofer boy there on a Sunday. The manager was Fay. My uncle was Jack Abrahams, a baker at Kossoff’s nearby. thank you.
Terry Abrahams
Kesgrave
Suffolk
Great pictures
my family use to own Barretts Store and I use to go there with my Grandmother in the school holidays. The shop was on Stepney Green and not Stepney Way. It was next door to the old Red Coat school building on Stepney Green. Thanks for sharing these pictures, especially the one of my Uncle Tony in the shop.
Regards
Roy Clarke
Is there a single building left out of all these marvellous photos ,it’s a good job you took these photos as youngster would never believe what the east end used to look like
My aunt had a shop at number 1 hessel st selling pillows feathers down etc.any photos?.