Comments on: Wonderful London’s East End

By: Geof.C.Carne

Geof.C.Carne — Tue, 26 Jul 2016 06:17:58 +0000

Thanks again for another glimpse into the fascinating past of dear old London where I lived for a while in the 1970’s.

By: Mick Lemmerman

Mick Lemmerman — Wed, 20 Jul 2016 09:26:32 +0000

The pawnbroker photo shows the shop on the corner of Preston’s Road (left) and Poplar High Street (right), formerly named simply High St.

By: Joan

Joan — Wed, 20 Jul 2016 08:59:34 +0000

Good to see the reference to the famous Eagle from Pop Goes the Weasel.

I agree with Caroline about the semi-patronising tone. A bit like those wartime news reels.

By: Shawdian

Shawdian — Wed, 20 Jul 2016 07:33:26 +0000

Magnificent collection of sepia photographs that makes those times look even more full of and full of character. Thank you Gentle Author, made my morning to wake up to these. All the people shopping in Petty Coat Lane is a sight you just do not see now, so many fish in that sea
like sardines. People were glad to get out of their tiny slum dwellings where up to 20 people could share one room, so now we know where they used visit. So much to view in these photos, I am going back for a 3rd look and probably a 4th and a 5th. It is so good to see pictures, I will look out for more by William Whiffin, my mission for today and for the Wonderful London. Not so wonderful. But an astonishing collection saying so much with so much feeling waiting to be explored. Such a shame it is all gone now with only glass monstrosities covering over it’s past ghosts. How our wonderful London has changed. What stories are hidden deep within, if only we could hear the echoes of those times past. Made my morning.

By: John Barrett

John Barrett — Wed, 20 Jul 2016 07:16:00 +0000

A good find and a rare treat are these photos, possibly by William Whiffin what a life span he had living through the Boer war, 2 World Wars, surviving the blitzkrieg and seeing news-reels of the A-bomb. I would have liked to have met this Victorian gentleman. Fancy going to the meadows around Stepney and hearing the cuckoo in the orchards of Popular ?can we have it all back from the old world in a virtual format- yes please GA. We know all about going ‘down West’ (End). Its nice to see East End up front here and the many past blogs an area we all love. John B

By: Caroline Bottomley

Caroline Bottomley — Wed, 20 Jul 2016 06:26:41 +0000

The words here speak louder than the pictures for me.

Very glad that tone is not the prevailing one any more, though I know that patronising attitude is alive and well for many authorities dealing with London’s poor and disenfranchised. (watched ‘The Hard Stop’ last week, about the Mark Duggan murder).