Comments on: At Clive Murphy’s Flat

By: Stella

Stella — Fri, 02 Jul 2021 17:49:30 +0000

Wonderful …. old characters like Clive; may they never die out!

By: Marcia Howard

Marcia Howard — Tue, 22 Jun 2021 20:31:40 +0000

Clive may well have been content with his life, but reading this story makes me feel incredibly sad. No-one should have to live in 2 rooms where water comes through the ceiling, and where bullying landlords want you out. However, thank you for sharing Clive’s story with us; a life of yet another interesting and unique character.

By: Cherub

Cherub — Tue, 22 Jun 2021 14:03:45 +0000

I have a friend who lives in the same sort of environment. Books, plans, ancient theatre programmes and posters, plus etchings and prints everywhere. Chaotic but he knows where everything is. He used to be a theatre actor, is still involved on a level with amateur groups and is the most interesting person I’ve ever known. People like this always are!

By: mlaiuppa

mlaiuppa — Mon, 21 Jun 2021 23:28:50 +0000

So, what happened to all of Clive’s things upon his passing? Did a relative come to claim his books and notes and collections or was his life’s work tossed out into a rubbish bin by the landlord?

By: Linda Granfield

Linda Granfield — Mon, 21 Jun 2021 19:38:07 +0000

I hope some of that “glorious disarray” ends up in the Bishopsgate Institute, where you, GA, do so much of your research.
There’s bound to be plenty of remarkable finds in those towering business boxes and untouched shelves.
So much Spitalfields history in two rooms that were much-loved. Thank you for taking the photographs — rich documentation, indeed.

By: Chris Glen

Chris Glen — Mon, 21 Jun 2021 14:28:25 +0000

Hope all these items are carefully curated by someone or by a local organisation. This is not just someone’s history but the history of an area. He was obviously a man who lived his life on his own terms, and I admire him for that. Found the pieces on him quite touching though, probably because this way of living and being is so out of kilter with today’s greedy, intellectually uncurious and consumerist society.

By: paul loften

paul loften — Mon, 21 Jun 2021 13:21:55 +0000

Magnificent mayhem and he obviously knows where everything is . Totally in keeping with Spitalfields lifestyle due to the lack of space in the small houses in the area My father told me stories of a deaf and dumb egg chandler who lived next door to his mother . The house was crammed full of hens eggs and the boys would stop playing football in the street and take turns to crouch down and watch him at his trade through a basement window as he viewed the eggs in front of a special light, one by one, at great speed ,

By: Mark

Mark — Mon, 21 Jun 2021 12:59:30 +0000

Don’t they have programmes
on people like him on itv?
Clutterbug or some such?

By: Carla

Carla — Mon, 21 Jun 2021 12:02:18 +0000

Lovely story of a life well lived and remembered. As a librarian, I hope Clive’s writings – published works, manuscripts and notebooks – are offered to a library as a record of Spitalfields and Brick lane at a particular time – especially as Clive was writing at such an historic period – the turn of the millennium and the pandemic years, and all that that this era entails.

Fascinating site, gentle author. I read you most days and your observations take me straight to your neighbourhood, and to the people whose lives you record and who make your part of London so rich with meaning. Spitalfields is one of my favourite places, though I live far, far away.
Best wishes, Carla.

By: Adele Lester

Adele Lester — Mon, 21 Jun 2021 11:55:00 +0000

Looking at these pictures, I feel an extreme unexplained sadness. Did he have any family remaining?