Comments on: A Few Diversions by John Claridge

By: Jeremy Rogers

Jeremy Rogers — Sat, 19 Sep 2020 06:38:51 +0000

I remember the house in the first photo (WE ARE NOTHING WITHOUT UNITY) I think it was on Coburn Road up towards the girls school. Apart from the placards there were always flags flying. We often walked past this house as it was on one of the roads which took us from Saxon Road under the railway if we wanted to get up to the Mile End Road and the tube into town.

By: Sasha Devas

Sasha Devas — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 10:23:47 +0000

What fabulous photos.

By: paula claridge

paula claridge — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 18:47:59 +0000

having been there when a lot of these images were made, i say it is taking too long for an important document such as this is to be published in a book of substance great pictures and lots of memorys here for me “do it bigger john ” love paula

By: graham cornthwaite

graham cornthwaite — Sun, 18 Nov 2012 13:53:29 +0000

J C = Friend and Guru, The Pearly King of Smudgers, a cockney sparrow with the eye of an eagle. He opened my eyes two stops.

By: Henry James Wilkinson

Henry James Wilkinson — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 13:32:14 +0000

These photos are brilliant,they remind of my childhood in Shoreditch. I wonder if anyone has a photo of Norfolk Buildings Curtain Road, Shoreditch?

By: Sara Waterson

Sara Waterson — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 12:26:29 +0000

Immensely poignant and sympathetic. Many would consider these sights and these people really ugly, but John captures them with infinite understanding and tenderness

By: john edwards

john edwards — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 13:00:21 +0000

All in wrestling be the theme ….. As in Laocoon/ Life – Thing that strikes me is that JC grabs the pitiless grit of the East End via the printing – which though hard contrast/grainy, is softened and express a kindness of the heart we are touched to consider. 1] a splendid concert of chaos, ‘we are nothing without Unity [ Mitford?] – China is now in 5-7 – Heinz? – see the subtle sub-texts? No, just chaos. Can’t think what the view was like from the front room. 2] Luftwaffe aircrew felt lucky to be parachuting down to internment, until they realised they were held aloft by four wedding dresses & there was a howling mob of 50 women with scissors below them. 3] Chirico/Bergman. Hope they all
chimed in sync. 4] The Human Octopus with the [in] Human Lamprey – 5] Chef. There’s one in the Roman rd. still and some wag has torched it. 6] That’s a sad one. Lovely 5 row – all that amazing marbled bakelite… probably half tone down so very [blues] mournful. 7] Serious All In Wrestling here. Ahab & Moby as he bounces the beef bayonet lashed by passion’s storm off the whalebone girders. 8] Bell. Black hand of fate – cast iron notice seems unwell too. 9] Elegant Elfs! 3rd on right so Lean’s ‘Oliver’ & the far right is young Indiana Jones – Lovely catch. 10] Sweets – trapped in that kiosk like a catacomb window. Headscarf/Queen Eliz. – 11] Old boy as battered & fried as the sign.
12] Savage – You just want to save the poor little Minotaur – trapped. 13] Bet there was some slapback in those bare walls. Like the black obelisk in 2001 ‘ It’s full of Stars’! East Berlin barren. 14] Mary Poppins – Later …. Much. 15] Poor old chap. wearing that vile NZ butter box with that scratchy rotten sisal string. HATE that butter it goes rancid in hours …. looks like he’s undergoing sadistic
humiliation. 16] Girfriend was giving you warning Johnny. That line reads “England Expects” & you end up with seven in one room, with ma & pa down the ‘Whippet & Ashtray ‘ … 17] Albert Hall – Boxing. More Grappling! Shame of it … Constant Lambert wrote a 15 minute ballet ‘ Boxing Match ‘ [ Shoreditch Town Hall sort ] couldn’t get it staged. Note the truncated Duchess Argyll posters showing the working parts featured in the infamous ‘headless man’ snap. 18] Yes. Piercing shrieks as the spirit lamp smoked needle goes through little Elsie’s earlobe into the old champagne cork the other side. 19] GRIM. The Pits! Can’t stand iron ‘kettling’ fences, horrid granite & false happy bells
selling lips&rear end dogs. 20] Man looks very contented with his tea and his lot. Perhaps the classic
French sofa he’s buting/selling. Shoreditch bumfreezer/pipecleaner Henry Holland clones would fight to the death over such. Great Stuff Johnny Boyo….

By: Roger Owen

Roger Owen — Fri, 25 May 2012 22:09:10 +0000

What amazing pictures! Can’t actually get my head around the fact that these were taken in the 60’s & 70’s by a solo photographer. Try to recreate this now would be totally impossible. Again, Monsieur Claridge – thank you so much for capturing these magic moments.

By: Jan Davis

Jan Davis — Fri, 25 May 2012 17:28:22 +0000

The images are wonderful John and need to be in a book that we can all keep as with Japanese prints taken out at special times to look at and love – I hope that this is the end result of this amazing portfolio.

By: marie james

marie james — Wed, 23 May 2012 21:55:50 +0000

Love these photographs. Compelling.