Comments on: John Claridge’s East End

By: vernon phillips

vernon phillips — Fri, 28 Mar 2025 22:15:46 +0000

That lovely couple at the top of this page were from Plaistow. They were on my paper round back in ’63 either Brock Road or Chadwin Road E 13. I only saw them on the odd occasion but they were always really friendly and polite.

By: Nigel Blacker

Nigel Blacker — Mon, 20 Jul 2020 18:10:00 +0000

A haunting gritty atmosphere, invoking past hard lives, it’s fascinating to view such a unique porthole into such times.

By: Mike Armitage

Mike Armitage — Thu, 29 Aug 2019 05:28:20 +0000

I met John during an exhibition held at the RPS in Bath. There was a Q&A session afterwards and I asked John a few questions then went to ask him for a job. He simply said that he had assistants at the time so had no vacancies. I was just completing a photography course at Blackpool and had been so inspired by John’s personal and commercial work. I kept phoning him and his wife was very gracious. I later contacted him by email. He was in France but still found time to reply. His work still amazes and inspires me as much, almost thirty years on from those days.

By: Grantly Lynch

Grantly Lynch — Mon, 06 Mar 2017 18:35:26 +0000

The coarse grain of the B&W film really adds to the atmosphere of gritty smoggy London

By: Julie Marshall

Julie Marshall — Wed, 18 Jan 2017 20:41:05 +0000

I agree with all the above, most evocative, haunting and touching.

By: Annette k

Annette k — Mon, 16 Jan 2017 11:46:54 +0000

Fascinating the old industrial areas, the build up on the wharf for differing manufacturing transport in goods and or materials, shipping our products-the families tied to the area, the run down habitats for families or individuals – workers? If one compares these important photographs of old area, the same maybe said of the USA which as the Country developed the emergence of wharf, industrial area were built through the towns and cities.
I passed by Harlem NYC USA 1965 after the fires destroyed much of old section of NYC. As we drove through the heart of Harlem, men stood on top of the few stores not burned, the African American families and merchants had sawed off short guns ready to fire at arsonists. Our chaperones were a newly married couple, our age – 29-20 yrs. of age, slowed down, so we could look, but we were stared at and probably threatened? I could see the bare bones of the old tenements and homes, stores and what a singed look of sadness? The entertainment section would be rebuilt, but from what we were told the families lost old mementoes of their family’s lives.
So this set of articles about a unique section of old town area of England – touching.

By: Marilyn Robinson

Marilyn Robinson — Fri, 23 Sep 2016 08:41:04 +0000

You show an East End that survived so much , true hard working folk with little money.

I remember too the bomb sites my brothers and i would play on.

The tramps/ beggars in door ways in these amazing photos , were just as they appeared all those years ago, which really is only a blink of an eye! great big holes in their shoes, filthy dirty appearance, rotting rags as clothing, not like today’s beggars, who sit around all day usually with a well fed dog and mobile phone at hand !!

These photo show an amazing true beauty of past East End that can tell a million stories.

By: Bill Garnett

Bill Garnett — Fri, 03 Jun 2016 13:27:39 +0000

received a copy in the post today of East End…a collection of John Claridge’s photographs… an astonishing volume…beautifully put together…all 271 pages…and signed by John himself…bravo to all involved…it’s a triumph.

By: Nigel Harper

Nigel Harper — Sat, 08 Feb 2014 10:25:33 +0000

John’s photography was a huge inspiration to me for many years before I eventually turned professional. The images here are truly evocative and emotive with grainy film and gritty contrast. Amazing!

By: Michael Bacon

Michael Bacon — Thu, 19 Sep 2013 16:37:27 +0000

I’ve spent the past 3hrs. discovering scenes that have been etched in my mind and sub-conscious these past 70yrs. or so, I’m 82 now and for some reason they have never left me, I have often thought of trying to write about the characters, the pubs (I was also one of the kids
playing in the tiled doorways, hoping for the bag of crisps and lemonade, the odd penny given by strangers on their way home) the dark but amazingly safe streets to the young. Looking at the pictures, I never thought I would set eyes upon Peggy-Leggy-Steps going across the railway at the end of my home in Star Lane, just past my school Star Lane School with the view of the Cooling Towers and Glass Works leading to Gainsborough Rd. School that I used to walk to each week along Manor Way (I recognised the picture) for carpentry, and this was all in the turmoil of the 1940-45. It has so many memories for me and I still remember the names of the classmates and teachers, the boxers the images of the paper sellers wandering those streets every night, Kosky’s fried fish next the Anchor pub it goes on and on. Many, many thanks for these pics they explain so many things that words just cannot capture. I’m looking forward to purchasing the books. I also shined my shoes like your mates, what is it about that part of London?

I wish we had met, I had moved on by the sixties, although I visited my parents at least twice a month until the 80’s and was pleased when I was able to leave it all behind, I found the memories preferable, even though they were clouded by war.

My regards and best wishes — Michael Bacon.