Tony Bock’s East End Portraits
Clock Winder at Christ Church, Spitalfields
Here are the East Enders of the nineteen seventies as pictured by photographer Tony Bock in the days when he worked for the East London Advertiser – the poncey dignitaries, the comb-over tories, the kids on the street, the market porters, the fascists, the anti-fascists, the shopkeepers, the sheet metal workers, the unions, the management, the lone dancers, the Saturday shoppers, the Saturday drinkers, the loving family, the West Ham supporters, the late bride, the wedding photographer, the kneeling politician and the clock winder.
Welcome to the teeming masses. Welcome to the infinite variety of life. Welcome to the exuberant clear-eyed vision of Tony Bock. Welcome to the East End of forty years ago.
Dignitaries await the arrival of the Queen Mother at Toynbee Hall. John Profumo kneels
On the steps of St Paul’s Cathedral
National Front supporters gather at Brick Lane
Watching a National Front march in Hackney
Shopkeepers come out to watch an anti-racism march in Hackney
A family in Stratford pose in their back yard
Wedding photographer in Hackney – the couple had been engaged many years
West Ham fans at Upton Park, not a woman to be seen
Sports club awards night in Hackney
Dancers in Victoria Park
Conservative party workers in the 1974 electoral campaign, Ilford
Ted Heath campaigns in Ilford for the General Election of 1974
Ford workers union meeting, Dagenham
Ford managers, Dagenham
Press operator at Ford plant, Dagenham
At Speakers’ Corner, Hyde Park
Brick Lane Sunday Market
Saturday morning at Roman Rd Market
Spitalfields Market porter in the workers’ club
Photographs copyright © Tony Bock
You may like to see these other photographs by Tony Bock
Wonderful stuff. I’m not sure which was more intimidating – the putative Fourth Reich or West Ham being one down. And while not a monarchist, I don’t believe That Hat should have been inflicted on the Queen Mum. Clearly, it had felled Profumo already.
And not a cell phone to be seen….ahh yes the good old days.
There are several layers to each of these photographs. I love the Crowd waiting for the Queen Mother; socialist Ian Mikardo MP is staring directly into the camera and saying ‘I don’t really want to be here’ and Jack Profumo looks like a young boy waiting for the arrival of the Flying Scotsman. All brilliant.
These are wonderful shots, it’s as if the whole world then was in black and white, which in many ways I suppose it was. An insightful series of pictures portraying life during the seventies.
Pure gold
The chap pointing a finger in the first NF picture pops up in the Sex Pistols film spewing his racist views here…
https://youtu.be/85ygqMQ9Yfo?t=3m30s
Wonderful Photographs from an Ancient Time…
Love & Peace
ACHIM
Great pictures. Adore those bridesmaid outfits!