Comments on: Syd Shelton’s East Enders

By: william Ball

william Ball — Mon, 31 Aug 2015 17:18:55 +0000

Loved the atmosphere these photos captured . I used to work in North London . I was born in 111 Culford Road N.1 . Caught the times . The optimism . The fight against oppression . Everyday life really good .

By: Martin

Martin — Fri, 24 Oct 2014 23:47:32 +0000

I grew up in Stepney in the 1970s and of course, times may have been hard, but my friends and I certainly weren’t frowning and grimacing all day long. Perhaps because we were common-or-garden, happy-go-lucky kids, growing up into teenagers (neither Bengalis nor skinheads), we were somehow deemed not photo-worthy. We were normal kids, having a normal, good time on our council estates. It wasn’t all bad and some of us have even lived to tell the tale!

By: Moy Peralta

Moy Peralta — Sun, 23 Mar 2014 16:30:51 +0000

“Taking photos is what makes my heart beat.” Wow!
I personally love the strength of feeling behind the b/w portraits, which certainly mitigates the bleak surroundings. Dispiriting these sitters certainly aren’t. Liked too the unexpected framing of the David Widgery shot… which shoots me straight back in my now-hazy mind’s eye to his book, ‘Some Lives!’, a most realistic and humbling read.
(I should add the above plug is only in lieu of an available book by photographer Syd Shelton!)

By: Phil Maxwell

Phil Maxwell — Sat, 22 Mar 2014 16:25:01 +0000

Wonderful photographs!

By: Joe

Joe — Sat, 22 Mar 2014 06:53:03 +0000

I lived around East London and North East London for years, and experienced it from the bottom up — I worked in sweat shops and warehouses and I lived in run down squats and appalling flats, and I spent years with no home of my own, living on the charity and good will of friends.

It made me a better, stronger, more sympathetic and dare I say, more humane person — but it broke me down first, and I saw much I’d rather forget.

These are excellent pictures.

I hope the people in them survive — and thrive.

By: Alan Gilb ey

Alan Gilb ey — Fri, 21 Mar 2014 15:14:12 +0000

These pictures were mostly taken across my teen years and I know some of the people in them. Life was not in black and white and grainy. Only in photographs. Life had high and lows and all kinds of colours. There was nothing sordid about, for example, the Bangladeshi community finding a voice and decided they would no longer be a punchbag for the NF. There was nothing shabby about the many community festivals we organised – or football leagues – or even our every day life. But these happier days are just not as well documented as the desolate streets around Brick Lane and tramps of Spitalfields Market.

By: Joe

Joe — Fri, 21 Mar 2014 06:31:06 +0000

Agreed with Brian on every point — these are fantastic pictures, full of character, personality and fighting spirit. But there is a danger of idealising the grim struggle — I lived and worked in the area for some years in the early 80s, and it was a tough tough rough place to survive in, with much sadness, bleakness and dysfunctionality in every day life. I look back on those years as having formed a deep resilience in me, and developing my respect for the struggler ( amongst whose ranks I counted myself in those days ) but easy and idyllic it was most certainly not.

By: Brian

Brian — Thu, 20 Mar 2014 22:13:20 +0000

What sad pictures these are. Everything looks so dirty shabby and might I say sordid.

I’m Cockney grew up in London during the war and looking at these pictures taken so long after is saddening to see that nothing has been done to improve the inhabitants lot.

There is no pride in any of these photographs they are just so depressing.

Nevertheless I shall never lose my pride in being a Cockney of the mid/pre 50’s 20th century even after the many years I’ve lived in Australia, I’ve retained my English nationality; people of my era, though fading fast, had something to feel proud and to smile about, a smile is sadly lacking in any of these pictures and obviously for good reason.

By: Gary Arber

Gary Arber — Thu, 20 Mar 2014 21:41:07 +0000

It was good to see the picture of Dr. David Widgery, he was an interesting man.
I had to print a set of anti Christmas cards for him every year until his tragic death.
His wife Juliet was in my shop a couple of weeks ago.
If you can find any of his books they make an interesting read, sadly missed !
Gary

By: Elam

Elam — Thu, 20 Mar 2014 20:25:57 +0000

Intense and striking photos.
Happy to know about this photographer now!

Look forward to checking out more of his work. Had to show my mum these photos to see if she recognised anyone, and she did; the man in red on Ridley Road Market. Where is he now? In fact, whenever I see photos like these I wonder where the people are now and what would their reaction be if they came across their picture now.