Comments on: The Fly-Pitchers of Spitalfields

By: Christina Gregoriou

Christina Gregoriou — Sat, 26 Sep 2020 08:36:43 +0000

It’s such a shame that the local people are being pushed out of this area. Brick lane/ Cheshire at had so much character and characters! I remember the area was full of stalls all the way down Cheshire St. Buzzing with life and people. We enjoyed having our stall and collecting and making cloths from old vintage curtains. It’s an area that almost sanitised and gentrified out of all its spirit and love of people. Lovely to see these fantastic photos.

By: ron kingsnorth

ron kingsnorth — Sat, 28 Dec 2019 10:34:43 +0000

I notice that the illegal games of the three card tricks, crown and anchor, and the spinning jenny are not mentioned in any of the markets I have photos of the Spinning Jenny being played at Epsom Racecourse and I used to be the operator of the spinner as it was called, I played for Old Man Spinks and his son Boy Spinks and I played for some of the South London Teams as well we played all the Markets and Race Courses and Dog Tracks.

By: Saige (formerly Jane) Vendome England

Saige (formerly Jane) Vendome England — Sat, 09 Jun 2018 00:16:50 +0000

I hope you can keep on going Susan Stevenson and I hope the fly pitchers will stand guard in old London and prevail against the developers who fail to develop the soul and spirit of the place and instead seek profit after crushing profit. Those who only care about the corporations and who bypass community fail to see that their actions are counterproductive. Tourists like me will no longer wish to visit East London because London will be like any city anywhere, coldly devoid of passion and difference.

By: susan stevenson

susan stevenson — Tue, 18 Apr 2017 11:46:10 +0000

As one of the last flypitchers in London I would like to make a few comments.
Firstly Marks and Spencer started off as flypitchers. As you have said Brick Lane has had a culture of flypitching for centuries. But then its getting more and more corporate. And then I only saw a few flypitchers near to Ginas Café selling rubbish.
In Camden Passage Islington people used to flypitch. They had a purge every week. Until everyone was afraid to flypitch. The antique dealers on the stalls and the shops used to buy antiques from the flypitchers and resell the items. As soon as the flypitchers were moved the market went downhill, antique shops closed,Then recently the small market opposite the pub was bought by a corporate developer. Now theres no buzz down there. And its even difficult to rent a council stall unless you go on a waiting list. So if we don’t allow fly pitchers and no one ever tripped over a street full of flypitchers then the corporates will move into Brick Lane too.

By: AZ

AZ — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 20:22:55 +0000

what i love in one of the pictures is the evidence of how the corporate hoarding dressing is fine but people seem to not be any longer – such a crazy world, with Avant Guard tower taking over Brick Lane and the people who are alive are pushed off the streets to become show flat mannequins….

By: Miriam Delorie

Miriam Delorie — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 09:40:13 +0000

Dear Gentle Author,
My heart goes out to all those people – how lucky we are to have our comfort and our homes and no worries about the next meal. All those people are very brave and actually I think that in the early 1900’s when my family was living in the East End, it was probably tough, but more liveable than it is now for those depicted in your pictures above.

By: Chris

Chris — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 18:28:54 +0000

I’m a local, and I’m scandalised by your story. Like Ros, above, I’ve written to Tower Hamlets via the contact form on their web site, and included all my contact details; name, address, phone etc. I’ll report back any contact/outcomes.

http://webforms.towerhamlets.gov.uk/AF3/an/default.aspx/RenderForm/?F.Name=JkKOxYv6zOR

Yours is a great publication, btw, gentle author.

By: helen

helen — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 01:52:45 +0000

this is something i don’t understand – how come there is no legal flea markets in london? i have tried to sell few times but after being told to leave by the officers i actually went to tower hamles market office and asked their advice, how can i sell my things around brick lane? so i was told i need to buy a yearly licence plus pay per day as well… this doesn’t make sense… i don’t even expect to make that much money in a day as much the licence costs… there are flea markets everywhere in europe – france, germany, finland, sweden… but not in london? i think its absurd, it’s what makes east london, why people come here etc… the council told me that they are not allowing it for our own safety! i think they should put their effort in catching the dealers and bike thieves i see every day and not harrassing people who are trying to sell maybe few pieces of clothing! or artist selling their paintings or handcraft… instead the same officers who take photos/write reports/confiscate items – they should be just patrolling to make sure that every one is safe (as they are worried about safety)

By: Ros

Ros — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 21:08:53 +0000

I have just written to Tower Hamlets Council on the standard form provided by their website, and will let you know if my letter seems to have reached the right people, and what, if any, response I get. It is a powerful piece, gentle author, and I so agree with the points made by Alice, JerryWh, Rowena, Jill and Peter. Gerard Manley Hopkins made some good points too!

By: Margaret

Margaret — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 20:21:55 +0000

The fly traders are part of a much larger problem in the country as a whole. Many local markets have been obliterated by town councils who fear the ´downmarket´image of local people selling useful things to local people. They often discover too late that the shopping malls which replace them have no appeal to the local population, who visit even larger shopping malls in big urban conurbations, and have to learn to source with some difficulty those goods they used to buy cheaply and easily from market stalls