Comments on: At Hiller Bros https://spitalfieldslife.com/2026/01/15/at-hiller-bros/ In the midst of life I woke to find myself living in an old house beside Brick Lane in the East End of London Sat, 17 Jan 2026 07:53:23 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 By: Marcia Howard https://spitalfieldslife.com/2026/01/15/at-hiller-bros/#comment-1906629 Sat, 17 Jan 2026 07:53:23 +0000 https://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=205907#comment-1906629 I accept that ‘things move on’ but also feel sad that rich pieces of history are also slowly disappearing. I well remember the road at the back of our flats where a man with a barrow was selling fruit (not much so soon after the war) and vegetables, and once sharing a pomegranate with a school friend which seemed so exotic, albeit a strange fruit to us who’d never seen or eaten one before. And btw, still in touch with that same school friend who I met on our first day at Infant School in 1954 – not bad going eh! I remember another barrow selling fruit & veg on one of the side streets leading off the King’s Road.

]]> By: Lynne Perrella https://spitalfieldslife.com/2026/01/15/at-hiller-bros/#comment-1905005 Thu, 15 Jan 2026 14:37:36 +0000 https://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=205907#comment-1905005 As ever, you have introduced me to a long-past world. And thanks to these evocative photos, I can see a cacophony of wonderful debris, I can examine the inscribed letters, I can sense how NECESSARY these wagons were, I can stand in the scattered aisles and imagine the industrious work taking place, I can hear echoes of sawing, drilling, voices.

Take another look at the photo with the old sink. Amidst all of the supplies, tools, tarps, and debris………evidence of humanity. A cup hangs within reach on the wall, a plug-in coffee pot awaits, the mirror tilts forward from above waiting to capture a glance, a grimace, a grin.

Thank you, GA! In today’s world, I am so grateful for the time travel you provide. And the
optimism.

]]> By: Gail https://spitalfieldslife.com/2026/01/15/at-hiller-bros/#comment-1904943 Thu, 15 Jan 2026 12:57:08 +0000 https://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=205907#comment-1904943 “The past is a foreign country” ……… I hope a few of these barrows were saved and properly restored to remind us of how things were.

]]> By: achim https://spitalfieldslife.com/2026/01/15/at-hiller-bros/#comment-1904940 Thu, 15 Jan 2026 12:50:39 +0000 https://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=205907#comment-1904940 Probably the most important invention of mankind — the many wheels should definitely be made available to the relevant exhibitions and transport museums around the world!

Love & Peace
ACHIM

]]> By: Mark B https://spitalfieldslife.com/2026/01/15/at-hiller-bros/#comment-1904823 Thu, 15 Jan 2026 09:45:10 +0000 https://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=205907#comment-1904823 What a crying shame, how nice the old barrows were.

Sadly another bit of history and works of art gone.
Hopefully any that were sold on will be resurrected to life again by there new owners.

Great photos, although sad.

Thank you

]]> By: Laurie Elks https://spitalfieldslife.com/2026/01/15/at-hiller-bros/#comment-1904818 Thu, 15 Jan 2026 09:40:12 +0000 https://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=205907#comment-1904818 Top notch GA. Thank you.

]]> By: Dave Phillips https://spitalfieldslife.com/2026/01/15/at-hiller-bros/#comment-1904620 Thu, 15 Jan 2026 04:59:46 +0000 https://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=205907#comment-1904620 Sad to see the slow demise of the ‘old ways.’ Trade skills lost forever; use it for a day, then throw it away.

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