Eleanor Crow’s East End Ironmongers
Daniel Lewis & Son Ltd, Hackney Rd
As you can see, illustrator Eleanor Crow shares my love of ironmongers. “The inventive displays and signage of hardware stores make these my favourite shopfronts,” she confessed to me, “I have only to see the serried ranks of brooms, pots, latches and pans to be reminded of some useful item that needs purchasing immediately.” Alas, three favourites have closed recently but we trust the others will be fulfilling our architectural ironmongery and plumbing requirements for years to come.
C W Tyzack, Kingsland Rd
Bernardes Trading Ltd, Barking Rd
Bradbury’s, Broadway Market
Chas Tapp, Southgate Rd
Emjay Decor, Bethnal Green Rd
General Woodwork Supplies, Stoke Newington High St
Diamond Ladder Factory, Lea Bridge Rd
Farringdon Tool Supplies, Exmouth Market
Histohome, Stoke Newington High St
KAC Hardware, Church St
Leyland SDM, Balls Pond Rd
KTS the Corner, Kingsland Rd
Mix Hardware, Blackstock Rd
City Hardware, Goswell Rd
Travis Perkins, Kingsland Rd
SX, Essex Rd
Illustrations copyright © Eleanor Crow
You may also like to see Eleanor Crow’s other East End illustrations
Eleanor Crow’s East End Bakers
Eleanor Crow’s East End Fish Shops
and read about more ironmongers
At London’s Oldest Ironmongers
Receipts from London’s Oldest Ironmongers
I like these shop’s too, C W TYZACK in Kingsland Rd sell beautiful tools, top quality for real tradesman, (although they will also sell them to “bodger’s” like ME to) I remember Bernards Trading Ltd from when I was a little boy, in fact I recently went in there to buy some garden canes just like the one’s on display in the drawing, the man and woman who run the shop are very nice people, and I always seem to be going into the Leyland SDM decorating shop in Balls Pond Road, I think I must have bought enough paint in there to do the Forth Bridge, TWICE ! ! but most of all I do miss Daniel Lewis in Hackney Rd, I always loved going in there, it truly was one of the most unique shops in London, I was genuinely very sad when it closed, PLEASE do support these shops and others like them whenever you possibly can, I always do because it is the only way that you can help to safeguard their future, many are very old established businesses and much valued by their customers but they are not museums and in a ruthlessly commercial world they need a steady flow of money going into their tills to keep them viable – so please support them if at all possible.
These are fun, and I know quite a few, RIP General Woodwork Supplies.
Oh yes, me too. I love these kind of shops. I grew up near Edgware Road – does anyone remember Sam’s run by a charismatic Chinese man called, erm, Sam? You could go in on the off chance that he would have something to replace a 40-year-old missing but crucial something.. and he would. My mum and I were very sad when he closed. Mix hardware is my latest find – after years of driving past, I finally went in looking for a small key blank and they had it. The shop is like an overstuffed sandwich; an amazing hoard of spools and boxes and trays full of useful things that have a particular kind of beauty, especially en masse. Mix seems to be run by a lovely mother and daughter team, which is also pretty unique for the trade. Support these shops when you can!
I like this kind of fanciful illustrations, indeed!
Love & Peace
ACHIM
SX not there anymore either.
I said in a comment re.Eleanor’s cafe illustrations that I thought they would make brilliant postcards and now make the same comment about these. If there is a possibility of that please let me know;thankyou and best regards for 2015.
Lovely illustrations!
I am familiar with quite a few of the premises, including the lost ones. The green wall to Travis Perkins on the Kingsland Road is still there but a new block of flats is starting to emerge from behind it!
Eleanor has captured social history in these evocative pictures and you can almost smell those brooms, tins, nuts and bolts. Why do metal things have that smell?
Be assured, we’ve got plans Peter!
These paintings are really fun and full of life and character. I love looking at all the little details! Valerie
Where would I be without Thompsons on the Roman Rd? Worth visiting. Great people and they always give my dog a treat when we come in 🙂
These are absolutely fantastic watercolours. The control of washes is remarkable. Wonderful shadings.
More lovely reportage by Eleanor.
Chas. Tapp!! My mother worked for them for many years back in the 60’s and 70’s in the tiny office, over the shop and yard.