Tony Armstrong Jones’ East End
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Tony Armstrong Jones (1930-2017) is remembered today as Lord Snowdon, husband to Princess Margaret, yet – before all that royal hullabaloo took over his life – he was a jobbing photographer in his twenties and took these photographs of the East End, as published in his book LONDON in 1958.
Cheshire St
Sclater St Market, Sunday Morning
Bomb site, St Mathias School, Bethnal Green
Rathbone St Market, Canning Town
Rathbone St Market, Canning Town
Garage hand, Stepney
The Magpie & Stump, Cable St
The Railway Tavern, West India Dock Rd – open 6am to 8am
Cafe in East India Dock Rd
Wens Cafe, Bethnal Green
Tattoo parlour
Tower of London
Smithfield Market
Christmas in Cable St
Pub in Cable St
Juke Box Dance
Deuragon Arms, Hackney
Bethnal Green Rd
Photographs copyright © Estate of Tony Armstrong Jones
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Back in the 90s I went to an exhibition of his photography in Edinburgh. Some of the photos from the 60s highlighted the lives of mentally disabled people in institutions and were very poignant. I also remember a black and white photo of Princes William and Harry as boys, William sitting on a carver chair and Harry standing beside him. It looked like it was telling us the seated Prince William was a future King and his brother was there to support him in his role. How unfortunate things have turned out for them as Harry’s gaze in the photo was one of a small boy showing love and respect for his elder brother.
Here I am, ever the Romantic soul. I am speculating that Princess Margaret, tra la, fell for QUITE a fascinating and wildly-layered man, when she took up with this gifted astute photographer. The man who took these photos had a gift for human drama, composition, chiaroscuro, etc. May I
ask if the shapes in one of the photos are “casts” of hands; perhaps from an art studio? I keep inspecting them, and am still not sure. Either way, they are compelling. And I am so captivated by the illuminated nativity scene, seemingly blazing away in the cold night air — attracting these
two young men and provoking wonder.
I love the grit and grime of these photos.