Comments on: Paul Gardner’s Collection

By: Phil Maxwell

Phil Maxwell — Sun, 13 May 2018 13:54:22 +0000

The art of the paper bag seller.

By: Cathy Unwin

Cathy Unwin — Sat, 12 May 2018 22:31:23 +0000

So happy that the shop is still going; I used to pass it when I worked near Old St. Lovely to see the fruit labels especially Ellisons Orange. The apple tree in our garden in Tottenham was that variety which we think was there before the house was built as the land was all still orchards in the early 20th C near Downhills Park. A delciously crisp juicy apple freshly picked and cooks well too. My family were Allens at Shoreditch a few generations ago and Mum’s maiden name was Gardner tho I don’t think there’s a direct connection.

By: Gary Arber

Gary Arber — Thu, 10 May 2018 17:04:46 +0000

If Paul finds himself in the position that I was in 2014 and has to close his old shop he will find that nothing will be wasted. when I closed, a large number of people, many spitalfieldslife friends came to buy all of the old fittings, even the counter. a lady writer bought two of the large display cases and sent me a photo of them in her home, they looked well. she told me that her husband, an artist took the very thick dust bunnies that had accumulated on the top to his studio as works of art.
Gary

By: Adele

Adele — Thu, 10 May 2018 13:02:31 +0000

Ah, the memories in this post! My late Uncle Sam, the Tomato Man, bought his brown paper bags at Mr Gardner’s shop, didn’t realize he also probably bought all his signs there too. Seeing the weights brought back many memories of my uncle wheeling his empty barrow back from Watney Market, with only his scale, the weights, and his signs, (plus a large bag of choice tomatoes for my mum.)

Thanks once again GA!

By: Lynne Perrella

Lynne Perrella — Thu, 10 May 2018 10:39:45 +0000

I almost feel that I “know” Paul Gardner thanks to you. I know, for certain, that his would be one of my most favorite shops if I lived in your neck of the woods. I am a paper hound, and would find lots of uses for Paul’s offerings in my collage work. Since the shop always looks a bit “full to the top”, it makes me grin to think of the “extra” hub bub that took place as you photographed and staged all the wares. Nice to see Lucinda’s sketch at the top, also.
Long live Paul and his wonderful emporium.

By: Hilda Kean

Hilda Kean — Thu, 10 May 2018 09:44:58 +0000

I agree with your statement that Paul Gardener’s material should stay in his own collection in the shop rather than going to a museum. Unfortunately material given to a museum does not necessarily go on public display nor gives across full details.

It would also be good if Paul Gardener wrote short details of the material and printed this in a short booklet. It would be interesting too !

By: Coralie Mattys

Coralie Mattys — Thu, 10 May 2018 08:48:58 +0000

Really interesting piece. I love that the insignificant of social history is kept – I hope that plans are afoot to ensure that this is preserved beyond the life of the shop and its owners.

Thanks

By: DAVID LAWSON

DAVID LAWSON — Thu, 10 May 2018 08:05:48 +0000

Dear Gentle Author

Thank you as ever for this article. As an occasional customer at Gardners I would like to record that it is experience that is always somehow very comforting. Paul is always most accommodating to anyone who is there and it is obvious that the trading community of the area feel at home in this timeless store. We can only hope that in the pressures of the current commercial world this establishment may continue

By: Richard Ironside

Richard Ironside — Thu, 10 May 2018 07:32:19 +0000

As a retired greengrocer seeing all these artefacts from years gone by makes me yearn for those simpler happier times. I remember as a very young boy in 50’s being taken to Covent Garden at 4a.m it was another world we seemed to walk for miles to find the freshest produce and after breakfast we visited one of the many sundriesmen hidden away in a basement for bags hooks and ticket pins.
Morning Gathered ticket would be used on the mushroom display, Worthing tomatoes were considered to be the tastiest available because of the soil and the light; Rochfords had a nursery in Worthing growing Muscat grapes they sent to Pouparts in Covent Garden and Spitalfields

By: Saige (formerly Jane) Vendome England

Saige (formerly Jane) Vendome England — Thu, 10 May 2018 05:45:33 +0000

Thank you Gentle Author for your beautiful reminiscences about daily life in Spitalfields. I feel I have come to know the Grandmother who died before my birth by reading your writings. Commercial Street is familiar to me from my research via Ancestry and your writing has helped bring to life so many streets, shops and people descended from the lively characters I too am descended from. Through one of your blogs I met fellow descendants of Huguenot Vendomes and now I meet a lovely paper bag seller – clearly a man whose time has come into its own as we go about banning the wretched plastics of our age. Thank you again and if you are ever in New Zealand do please know a brew of tea will find you here.