Jeffrey Johnson’s Forgotten Corners
Enigmatic Photographer Jeffrey Johnson deposited a stack of his appealing pictures from the seventies and eighties with Archivist Stefan Dickers at the Bishopsgate Institute , including these photos of forgotten corners in London. I cannot resist the feeling that Jeffrey is one after my own heart when I examine these characterful pictures – a few are familiar places but I am reliant upon my readers to identify the rest.
Apostal’s
Buitifull Buttons
Arlington Way, N1
Broadway Market
Commercial Rd
Royal Exchange, City of London
Royal Exchange, City of London
King’s Cross
King’s Cross
King’s Cross
King’s Cross
King’s Cross
Teeth bought
Brick Lane
Barter St, Holborn
Great Ormond St, Bloomsbury
Little Montague Court, City of London
St Bartholomew’s Close, Smithfield
Albion Buildings
Photographs copyright © Jeffrey Johnson
You may also like to take a look at
The Forgotten Corners of Old London
Mystery Pictures of Brick Lane
Wonderful old views .
The ‘ cars for hire:’ shot is of the north end of Cedars road where it joins Lavender Hill/ Wandsworth road . It looks unchanged today though the stables are now posh little houses.
The yellow shop on the corner called Jays used to be called Godbolds on Lavender Hill Battersea – i bought my jeans from there in the 1950s.
It was famous for having a “cash railway” system where containers with money and receipts were sent around the shop on cables to a cashier. It was also remembered for having an iron-gated lift with an operator, as well as escalators.
I recognised Apostal’s immediately, even though I did not remember the name. He was at 106 Upper Street, almost exactly opposite where Gaskin Street comes into Upper Street. I bought lots of bits and pieces there in the late 1970s and 1980s. Remember especially some leather ( possibly imitation leather) piece that I used to cover a desk caddy with that I made as a birthday present. These kind of shops make me nostalgic for the London of 50 years ago.
An amazing selection of photos, and not from that long ago either! So much history and stories relating to each of them.
The small shop with the dirty mustard bricks and Benson & Hedges and Coke Cola signs is at 167 Globe Road, E2, opposite Stafford Cripps House. The building is still there although the shop is long closed and is now living accommodation.
The very small shop called Alex Fruit & Veg is in Alderney Road (off Globe Road), E1, just past Tollet Street. Again the shop is long closed, but the building is still there.
I remember JJ and SW Chalk’s Timber merchants well from the late 20th. The building remains, considerably done-up, scrubbed and stripped of the wonderful painted signage, on Commercial Road near the junction with Alie Street at Goodman’s Stile. Couple of doors down from The Crown. (Not King’s Cross)