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Ron McCormick’s Spitalfields

July 22, 2018
by the gentle author

Celebrating the publication of two books of Ron McCormick’s Whitechapel photographs by Cafe Royal Books, here is a further selection of Ron’s splendid pictures from the seventies when he lived in Princelet St, Spitalfields. Click here to order copies

A new expanded hardback edition of Chris Searle’s Whitechapel Boy, a reading of the poetry of Isaac Rosenberg including a photoessay by Ron McCormick is now available. Click here to order

Knifegrinder, Spitalfields

Fishman’s tobacconist & sweet shop, Flower & Dean St, Spitalfields

Entrance to Chevrah Shass Synagogue, Old Montague St

Clock seller, Sclater St

Dressed up for the Sunday market, Cheshire St

Maurice, Gents’ Hairdresser, Buxton St

Gunthorpe St

Club Row

Steps down to Black Lion Yard, Old Montague St

Old Castle St, Synagogue

Sunday market, Cheshire St

Corner of Gun St & Artillery Lane

Shopkeeper, Old Montague St

Inter-generational conflict on Princelet St

Goldstein’s Kosher Butcher & Poulterer, Old Montague St

Great Eastern Buildings, Quaker St

Convenience Store, Artillery Lane

Soup Kitchen for the Jewish Poor, Brune St

Alf’s Fish Bar, Brick Lane

Waiting for the night shelter to open, Christ Church Spitalfields

Resting, Spitalfields Market Barrows, Commercial St

Great Eastern Buildings, Quaker St

Rough sleeper, Spitalfields

Mother and her new-born baby in a one bedroom flat, Spitalfields

Photographs copyright © Ron McCormick

You may also like to take a look at

Ron McCormick’s Whitechapel

14 Responses leave one →
  1. Judi Jones permalink
    July 22, 2018

    Thank you for sharing a treasure trove of wonderful photographs . Who needs Photoshop when you have talent like this?!

  2. frank hadley permalink
    July 22, 2018

    Many thanks for posting these wonderful photos of the Spitalfields that i remember as a boy living in the area, i went to school in Gun st. and this is the first time that i have seen a photo of Alfs Fish Bar, also good to see Old Castle St. Synagogue as i lived in Old Castle St. brought back happy memories.

  3. Philip Marriage permalink
    July 22, 2018

    Simply great to see – thanks!.

  4. Sue permalink
    July 22, 2018

    Wonderful evocative photographs.

  5. Chris Hall permalink
    July 22, 2018

    Great to see the East End as it was when we grew up.

  6. July 22, 2018

    I just love these photographs. Thanks for publishing them.

  7. Naomi Ridge permalink
    July 23, 2018

    I remember it at this time! Getting the leftover vegetables from the market & sadly the meths drinkers nearby!

  8. Karim Ullah permalink
    July 23, 2018

    I just love seeing the photos on this site. When I see photos like this it reminds me of how wonderful life was when you didn’t need very much to be happy.

  9. July 29, 2018

    Splendid stuff

  10. Selina Motlieb permalink
    August 21, 2018

    The good old days .
    Anyone got any photos of heneage street, brick lane as we lived and born in 7 heneage street?

  11. steven harris permalink
    September 5, 2018

    Sirs,
    I have seen the first picture you show of ‘Great Eastern Buildings, Quaker street’ previously. I lived there during the 60s and I do not think you are showing the right buildings. The rear view depicted is different to the buildings I inhabited. There was another Great Eastern Buildings in Dunbridge street and I think that may be the one you are showing.

    Your second picture of ‘Great Eastern Buildings, Quaker street’ is absolutely correct however. I remember it as clear as day – my grandfather and father did the caretaker job of sweeping up – just like the person in the picture. As a child, the entrance to the buildings looked onto the Truman brewery wall. The wall is not there in the photo but it looks like the building process was in place. I would therefore hazard a guess that the photo is pre 1964.

    In any event wonderful pics and well done to Ron McCormick; wish I had spoken with him prior to writing my book on the buildings!

  12. Tom Old permalink
    March 6, 2021

    Hello Every-One out there !

    I Wonder IF any one of you has an Old photo of where I was born in 1947 ??? Tapp Street, Bethnal Green , London E2, there were ONLY EVER four Houses built in the Street, and directly facing, was Stewart Headlam Primary School, adjacent to the School , was ” The Lion ” Pub, later to be made Famous / Notorious , As the Head-Quarters of The Krays, who lived a hundred yards away, in the next Street, — Valance Road, The Lion Pub is Still remaining, But, Surprise, Surprise ! Its No Longer a Pub, And for those of you Modern ” East – Enders ” who sadly have Never Seen a Real East – End Pub, —– EVERY Street in Bethnal Green, Stepney and Poplar , used to possess One, Two or Three OR EVEN More of them !!!!! Now, quite Unbelievable , BUT, Never the Less True, So, any Photos of : Tapp Street E2, would be Highly Appreciated ,

  13. September 3, 2022

    Do you have an article on Butchers Row please my third Great Grandfather and his father worked here

  14. Robert John Chappell permalink
    September 3, 2022

    Christopher William Elizabeth and his son James Henry Gome their names were have you any information on them? Christopher Gome worked also in the Borough Market in Bermondsey and in the Clare Market in St Giles

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