Mat Hughes’ East End, 1984
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Mat Hughes sent me these photographs of the East End in 1984 from Australia where he lives today. They are published here for the first time and we hope readers can assist in identifying locations. We will be published two further sets, East End portraits and the Spitalfields Market.
“Back in 1984, I was a nineteen-year-old student studying photography at the Plymouth College of Art & Design. For my final assignment, I visited Whitechapel and spent two days in April walking the streets taking these photographs. I remember the first day was wet and rainy, and the second day was hot and bright. I can tell from the school children that it was a weekday.
In all honesty, I had no plan and in the end my assignment was never fully realised. I had too many pictures to print, it was expensive and I had no real story to tell or way of displaying them. Out of several hundred exposures, only a dozen were printed.
When I read about the controversial redevelopment of the Truman Brewery, it prompted me to dig out my 35mm negatives. Initially, I scanned one or two out of curiosity but I found myself captivated. Time has given these photographs a context that I was unable to provide. Photographs that thirty-eight years ago I might have discarded have become treasures. Thank goodness I did not have a delete button back then.
Some of the scenes in the photographs are barely recognisable now but if I follow the exposure numbers on the film negatives I can roughly trace my walking path through those streets.”
Mat Hughes
1
2
3
4
5 Jubilee St
6 Lindley St
7
8 Stifford Estate
9 Stifford Estate
10 Clark St
11
12
13
14 Roggs Deli, Burslem St
15 Burslem St
16 Chilton St
17
18
19 Brick Lane
20 Cheshire St
21 Chilton St
22 Myrdle St
23 Myrdle St
24
25 Allen Gardens
26 Princelet St
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35 Montefiori House, Canon St Rd
36
37 Hessel St
38
39
Photographs copyright © Mat Hughes
Wow, these are phenomenal photos. So glad Mat kept these. I was an art student in the area at that time. If only I’d had the foresight to document the area with my camera
The East End of London at that time can hardly be portrayed more impressively. You can see rows of houses, some of them decaying, relatively widespread poverty, “original” Matchbox cars, contemporary graffiti slogans.
I know an English antiquarian bookseller in Germany whom I once asked how an Englishman came to open a bookshop over here. His answer: “There was once a Mrs Thatcher, that’s why you had to emigrate as an Englishman.” — Amused, I replied: “I wanted to do the same because of Mrs Merkel…”.
Love & Peace
ACHIM
These photos are sensational! Thanks for sharing them.
1984 was when I moved down to London from Scotland, I was escaping from the miners’ strike as my area was struggling and there were no jobs to be had. The London shown here looks like it’s in a far bygone age, not a modern one. Even the 60’s Brutalist architecture looks faded and dated yet it’s probably not much more than 20 years old. Then there’s the litter. It makes me feel sad really.
Fantastic photos, I’m so glad Mat saved them. Oh the heady days of political graffiti!
Fab photos.
No 5 I put my bet on Jubilee st
These are brilliant pictures, thanks.
Thatcher Out, George Davis is Innocent (was he bol…..), Squatting. This is the vibrant London I remember during my frequent visits to the Smoke in the Eighties. Remember some of the gorgeous women from the council flats and Anarcho- Sindicalist middle class poseurs in the squats. What a time to be young. The poverty, squalor and drug dealers I didn’t really notice til the smack took over.
Great photos, however #14 is wrongly marked. Riggs deli was not in New Road, but on the corner of Burslem St and Cannon Street Road. My mother often shopped there.
Wonderful record of time back then. The graffiti is priceless, and interesting to see some streets so spotless looking – including the washing on the line – while others were full of rubbish. Thank you Mat Hughes and The Gentle Author for sharing them with us.
5 – Jubilee St looking towards O’Leary Sq.
8 and 9 – Clichy Estate (not Stifford Est) looking towards Jamaica St where Henry Moore statue used to be.
11- might be looking at houses on Ashfield St.
12- Adelina Grove – Ansell House on the right.
13- Tarling Estate, Tarling St
36 – could be Shadwell Gardens Estate
I agree with Andy, northern End of Jubilee Street, left side, looking north towards where Rinkoffs bakery is. The house luckily still stand.
One more – number 2 – Commercial Road looking up New Road – the London Hospital incinerator chimney disappears out the top of the pic.
Thanks Mat and GA for sharing. Although I’m looking at these from far away, they take me right back to where I started ?. Many thanks
Howdy People,
I wasn’t expecting any responses, thank you. And thank you too to Andy, Adele & Patrick for your local knowledge and the caption corrections.
Spitalfields Life is such an excellent depository of history and information that I thought it appropriate that these photographs find a home here tucked away safe for all to share.
Yes Cherub, I share some of your sadness, but I think mine is just nostalgia of the passing of time. Photographs hit hardest when they jog memories of streets that you’ve walked down in the past and forgotten about.
Hi,
3 – Dock Street looking into the Peabody Buildings estate on John Fisher Street
24 – possibly Parfett Street
30 – Varden Street
32 and 33 – Hessel Street
Hope that’s helpful
Very nice to see these old photographs. Many very familiar streets and graffiti. I wish I could remember where the “We Want Decent Housing In The E1 Area” one was.
Re captions:
14 isn’t New Road but Cannon Street Road which runs south from New Road.
24 I think is Parfett Street .
22 is the courtyard of Fieldgate Mansions between Romford Street and Myrdle Street.
29 is looking north on Myrdle St with Fieldgate Mansions on the left.
The title photo is the top of Assembly Passage, corner of Redmans Road.
1. I think is the old Mile End Laundry in Globe Road.
12. Adelina Grove as already commented, but I knew the guy pushing the pram!
27. New Road looking north.
29. Myrdle St. again.
Hope these help, they’re memories from a long time ago.
these are marvelous! more please
My brother lived at 122 Cannon Street Road in the late 1970s and I would visit Roggs on the corner of the opposite side of the road to buy home made pickles, different kinds of breads, biscuits (weighed and put in a bag) and all sorts of delicious kosher food. I remember the shelves behind the counters full of colourful decorative food tins, large and small, from top to bottom. I vaguely remember going there with my boyfriend just before it closed down with Rogg himself, I think, and his daughter getting into a very lively discussion between them about what we should buy, with our contribution getting a bit lost. Of course, I didn’t mind, the food we bought was superb.
terrific. thanks so much ga / mat