Comments on: Women Of The Old East End

By: Jo Ross

Jo Ross — Tue, 24 Mar 2020 17:44:45 +0000

Wonderful photos.

I loved Jill Wilson’s comments too. Absolutely spot on!

By: Pamela Traves

Pamela Traves — Mon, 23 Mar 2020 16:35:27 +0000

Amazing Clothing of Vintage Era. Very Lovely, but they don’t look very comfortable!!?????????

By: Alexandra Rook

Alexandra Rook — Sat, 21 Mar 2020 19:07:44 +0000

The early ones are indeed formidable; somewhat terrifying in the formality of such weighty clothes & hair do. So stern & plain, some look more like men in drag. Thank goodness to Edwardian era.

By: Robin

Robin — Sat, 21 Mar 2020 16:46:15 +0000

Fascinating! It’s interesting to see some hints of professions in some of the photos: theatrical performer (actress?); maid; WWII driver. Or hints of the modern: riding a bicycle, for instance.

By: Jill Wilson

Jill Wilson — Sat, 21 Mar 2020 15:30:15 +0000

A great set of photos and particularly revealing to have them in chronological order. What incredibly elaborate dresses and frocks they wore for the occasion…

As usual I have been playing “guess the names” and here are my suggestions:

1) Aunt Gertrude – you wouldn’t want to get on the wrong side of her!
2) Mrs Gwyneth Williams – she looks like she has just come from Chapel
3) Freda – she can’t wait to get out of her stays
4) Amelia – poor shy Amelia – she finds the whole thing very daunting
5) Mrs Allsopp – looking directly at the camera so she doesn’t miss a thing
6) Sophia – her lovely stripey dress is much too long – is it borrowed for the occasion?
7) Elizabeth – she could be in charge of the church flower rota (and/or the vicar!)
8) Dear Bertha – she insisted on wearing all her best clothes at once
9) Victoria – known as Vic. A very stylish modern girl, full of life
10) Rachel – she persuaded her father Solomon to give her all the buttons for her jacket
11) Elizabeth – but known to her family as Beth, a dear, sweet girl
12) Dorothea – known as Dotty, and she chose stylish her outfit to go with her name
13) Mrs Jenkins – she looks like she could become one of the first Suffragettes
14) Martha – she poses sideways in the hope we won’t notice her slightly dodgy left eye
15) Ursula – she looks exhausted, poor dear
16) Jeanette – she is half French and is known for her love of fashion
17) Minnie – she wears a tall hat to increase her diminutive mini stature
18)Margaret – a nice direct gaze, but what is she fiddling with? Hair? Fur??
19)Aunt Ethel – she remembers when ringlets were all the rage when she was young
20) Zena – a plain but sensible girl
21) Sarah – proud to be photographed in her maid’s uniform
22) Cressida – real name Anne, but she wanted to sound more interesting. Her steam punk style outfit wouldn’t look out of place in Camden today.
23) Daisy – looking as fresh as one on her precious bicycle. And there are even daisies in the background…perfect!
24) Waistcoat Winnie – she has a different waistcoat for every one of her acts
25) Patricia / Pat. Proud to do her bit for the war effort.

Thanks GA for a very enjoyable half hour spent in their company!

By: Bridgett Bardwell

Bridgett Bardwell — Sat, 21 Mar 2020 15:09:26 +0000

These are fabulous the dresses are really interesting I wonder whether the photographer provided them. The faces are so familiar to me, some of the characteristics are still seen around the Eastend now. I wish we knew what their names are?

By: Eric Forward

Eric Forward — Sat, 21 Mar 2020 14:42:10 +0000

Fascinating photos and also interesting to see the addresses of the photographers. You look at these photos knowing you’ve walked past where they were taken more than a hundred years ago.

By: paul loften

paul loften — Sat, 21 Mar 2020 13:37:05 +0000

We draw from the well of stoicism and courage when we look upon these women.

By: sara midda

sara midda — Sat, 21 Mar 2020 11:13:00 +0000

Some amazing faces.
Was hoping to see my grandmother there. Sara

By: Peter Holford

Peter Holford — Sat, 21 Mar 2020 09:34:54 +0000

I find these endlessly fascinating. There is so much to see in the detail and to have them in chronological order reveals even more. One trend seems to be how the sitter relates to the camera. Before the 1890s all of the women are either looking away from the camera or at a point to just one side of it – it’s classic ‘sitting for a portrait’ style where the sitter may have had to endure hours of posing. After that time the women are looking straight at the camera. It is much easier to look straight at the photographer for a few seconds than it would sitting for a portrait for hours on end. The times had changed.