People Of Wonderful London
It is my pleasure to publish these dignified and characterful portraits of Londoners, believed to be by photographer Donald McLeish (1879-1950), selected from the three volumes of Wonderful London edited by St John Adcock and produced by The Fleetway House in the nineteen-twenties.
Telescope Man on Westminster Bridge
Old woman who inhabited the alleys off Fleet St
Breton Onion Seller
Costermonger and child
Cats’ Meat Man
Knife Grinder
Charwoman
Islington Window Cleaner
Flower Seller
Concertina Player
Hurdy-Gurdy Man
Gramophone Man
Escapologist
Wandering Harpist
Street Sweeper
Scavenger
District Messenger
Telephone Messenger
Railway Fireman
Railway Engine Driver
Carman
Railway Porter
Gold Beaters
Gas Fitters
Chimney Sweep
Telephone Cable Man
Photographs courtesy Bishopsgate Institute
You might also like to take a look at
John Thomson’s Street Life in London
William Nicholson’s London Types
What wonderful photographs. I was spellbound looking at these. My great grandfather was a gas fitter so I particularly enjoyed that one.
Thank you so much for sharing these.
Fantastic !
Wonderful photos – thank you but I’m a bit puzzled by the ‘Cats’ Meat Man’ – was there really such a person who provided meat for cats?
I’ve got one or two carmen in my family tree so it’s good to see an example. The escapologist looks like Peter Cook to me – uncanny.
The Harpist looks very nasty.
Great collection – i’d like to know though what a carman did? He seems to be with a horse. Thanks. Nicola
Love the Telephone Cable man – no safety harnesses in those days!
I wondered what some of the jobs entailed, like other commenters.
Did people have the money to buy meat for their cats? (sorry if a stupid question!)
The balancing act of the telephone cable man makes me think of the famous shots of the builders high atop New York’s skyscrapers–oblivious to the vast height!
thank you, as always, for the glimpse into the past
Yes, these are dignified portraits. Though the harpist is amusingly grumpy-looking. Perhaps wandering about with a harp was rather a chore.
What’s more amazing is the quiet smiles of pride on so many of the faces of these hard working people, like the District Messenger.
These are such beautiful photographs. I mourn the slow demolition of our city by the wrecking ball of profit, profit, profit. Oh, I know that these people are long dead, and their occupations, but music in the street was not policed in living memory, and those who got by via scavenging were not criminalised and sanitised. Thanks, again, The Gentle Author.
Even the chimney sweep wore a jacket and collar. I always wonder where did the low paid got their clothing: hand-me-downs/second hand from the middle classes, or were the garments a lower quality/cheaper version of the “real thing”?
I am not convinced that our streets have been subjected to a wreaking ball driven by profit, as much as they were subject to the German Airforce in WWII.