Comments on: Mark Jackson & Huw Davies, Photographers

By: Helen Kinsey

Helen Kinsey — Sat, 09 Jan 2021 05:38:32 +0000

My Dad worked in the market starting at 15 as office boy over the shop for Louise Reece, came back after the war and stayed till retirement. My mother and Dads sister also worked for them. I loved the market and the porters the old buildings in their disrepair that surrounded the market. The earthy smell of fresh veg and the sweetness of the fruit. The fruit exchange that Dad would take me when he went on business there. Im glad they have kept the market and some of the surrounding buildings, but hate all the new impersonal high rise office buildings.

By: Allan Grice

Allan Grice — Fri, 18 May 2012 14:13:35 +0000

I was a young fireman back in the early 1970s and served at several East End of London stations.These images of Spitalfields are some of the most evocative and atmospheric scenes of the night life of inner London I have seen.Many were the times we would respond in the night and wee small hours to fires in and around this area, more than a few involving the “down and outs” of the district.The images with Christchurch in the background remind me of the back of that church and the bit of land known as “Itchy Park” where unwashed vagrants would congregate, along with huddling around the charity soup trailer which always seemed to be there in the dark and often cold nights.

These are superb documentary records and need to be highlighted more as they have frozen in time an age that will never return. Simply magnificent and congratulations to Mark and Huw.

By: ROY TYZACK

ROY TYZACK — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 08:12:33 +0000

These photos bring back so many memories. Leman Street Police station was my first posting as a Police officer in the early 1970’s. Sptalfields was part of our ‘ground’ and I have spent many hours either plodding through here on foot patrol or responding to calls in a Police vehicle. Frequently, after a leaving do in the canteen we would take all the left over sandwiches nd ckes down to the vagrants gathered round he bonfire and hand them out. I investigated the murder of a vagrant, Alfred SHAFTOE in 1976 when his body was found in the underground car park of Denning Point. Two teenage youths were found guilty of killing him. Later, whilst running a crime squad, I would challenge any young officer to go to Spitalfields market and come back without making an arrest! Between the time that suppliers unloaded their goods in the middle of the night and the time that the wholesalers opened, vans would sneak in and people would emerge in the shadow to steal the goods. It was a very good source of work for trainee officers . We also used the market pub on occasions, going there straight ff night duty at 6am .

Thanks for some great photos and great memories.

Former PC 467 ‘H’ / Acting Detectve Sergeant ‘H’

By: Michael Stopher

Michael Stopher — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 22:29:39 +0000

FANTASTIC PHOTOGRAPHY……….spent a lot of my early years going there with my old man and mingling with the cart minders who were all great characters. These pictures capture the vibe completely……………..superb .

By: Rob Merson

Rob Merson — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 08:44:14 +0000

Excellent work Mark – redolent with the character and atmosphere of the Spitalfields market – well done!

By: James Knowles

James Knowles — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 10:53:55 +0000

I just love the feeling and the bustle you have Captured with the B&W pictures of Spitalfields.
A very good record of images of the characters and the everyday running of Spitalfields market in the yester years. WELL DONE…

By: Ann D

Ann D — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 12:48:09 +0000

The clarity and detail in each photograph is incredible. I particularly like the way the artists have focused on a particular element in each scene yet our eye is still drawn to explore other aspects of the pictues: This is a real tallent. These photographs would look fabulous expanded and printed onto canvas. Thank you for sharing them with us.

By: Georgia

Georgia — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 21:21:51 +0000

These photos are fantastic and Mark Jackson and Huw have done some fabulous work here capturing a very special moment in time. The men captured look like they would have had some very interesting stories to tell.

By: Anne

Anne — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 23:20:25 +0000

A lifetimes’ work is etched onto these expressive faces. It is the people that stood out for me in these photos and yes, I agree that they could have been from the 50s. A time now long gone.

By: susan

susan — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 18:37:44 +0000

The photos are remarkable. I am particularly taken with that cart, which reads (spitalfields) & Co. Fainter writing of an early age is painted along the base and etched into the wheel rims. It looks like it had been going to market for 100 years, and I hope that it still is, somewhere. I hate to see all such useful, older pieces becoming just prettified flower holders in front of a quaint cottage or museum displays.