Comments on: The Departure Of Ken Long https://spitalfieldslife.com/2018/03/30/the-departure-of-ken-long/ In the midst of life I woke to find myself living in an old house beside Brick Lane in the East End of London Sun, 10 Jun 2018 13:35:37 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 By: John https://spitalfieldslife.com/2018/03/30/the-departure-of-ken-long/#comment-1212176 Sun, 10 Jun 2018 13:35:37 +0000 http://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=165067#comment-1212176 Great history and it is a shame that the stalls are closing. Sadly though, having come from a family myself who managed fish stalls in Walthamstow and in Hackney from after WW2 until the 1990s, this business is simply not going to sustain youngsters looking for a career. In the 1970s, my Dad used to work 3 days a week and was regularly earning almost double the average man’s weekly wage. Today, that is not achievable by some way. My dad always put the reasons for market life dying off as being: (1) rise and influence of supermarket shopping; (2) women needing to work 5 days a week to service higher mortgage/rent costs for every family; (3) the impact of refrigeration/freezers in homes form the 1980s onwards; (4) and car parking (and people’s obsession with needing the car to get their weekly shop).

]]> By: Marcia Howard https://spitalfieldslife.com/2018/03/30/the-departure-of-ken-long/#comment-1201505 Fri, 30 Mar 2018 18:20:29 +0000 http://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=165067#comment-1201505 A wonderful lifetime story, and I love the barrows! Sorry to see ‘redevelopment’ has finally pushed Ken into retirement, but may he enjoy many years of good health and fun ahead of him. Well deserved, after a lifetime of service to the community.

]]> By: Helen Breen https://spitalfieldslife.com/2018/03/30/the-departure-of-ken-long/#comment-1201492 Fri, 30 Mar 2018 11:32:22 +0000 http://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=165067#comment-1201492 Greetings from Boston,

GA, what a great story about Ken Long and his lengthy career, upholding family tradition, in Crisp Street Market. He explained the “ins ‘n outs” of the business very well.

Particularly –“I am a traditional greengrocer and, although I can get everything all year round now, I know when the seasons are and I know when to buy, and there’s times when I won’t buy certain things because it ain’t proper.” As we know, that is no longer the case with larger markets. (Just noticed that Susan also referenced this quote.)

Glad to know that Ken has prospered at the family trade and I wish him a long and “fruitful” retirement…

]]> By: Valerie-Jael https://spitalfieldslife.com/2018/03/30/the-departure-of-ken-long/#comment-1201476 Fri, 30 Mar 2018 05:28:39 +0000 http://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=165067#comment-1201476 Sad to see such a long established business closing down. Good luck to Ken! Valerie

]]> By: Susan https://spitalfieldslife.com/2018/03/30/the-departure-of-ken-long/#comment-1201475 Fri, 30 Mar 2018 05:20:25 +0000 http://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=165067#comment-1201475 Thank you so much for this – there are some wonderful quotes in here. I especially like the bit where he said “I know when the seasons are and I know when to buy, and there’s times when I won’t buy certain things because it ain’t proper.” I get the “proper” reference – it always horrifies me to see corn on the cob for sale in January, for example.

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