A walk around Brick Lane

[editor]

What are the 10 photos you have taken that you like the best for whatever reason? I'd be keen to know. Maybe you could post them up somewhere or link to them.

You mean my best ten pics ever? Blimey. I haven't a clue I'm afraid - I've taken thousands and sometimes forget the ones I've taken - but this Chicago one is definitely one of my favourites:

It was taken on my little Olympus XA and the high res version looks beautiful (well, to me anyway!)

 

[Crispy]

That's awesome. Very lucky with the exposure

 

[scruff]

The trainers thing was first done by New York gangs. When one of their members was killed the gang would write their obituary on the members sneakers and they would be thrown over telephone lines as mark of respect and remembrance. It's now seen as a very "hip hop" thing to do here... it's all over Brighton too.

Last time i went down down Brick Lane and surroundings was with my camera (i lived Commercial Road at the time), results here:

Brick Lane 2002

 

[Kenny Vermouth]

You mean my best ten pics ever? Blimey. I haven't a clue I'm afraid - I've taken thousands and sometimes forget the ones I've taken - but this Chicago one is definitely one of my favourites:

It was taken on my little Olympus XA and the high res version looks beautiful (well, to me anyway!)

Like it. Was that on Michigan Avenue?

 

[zenie]

Is the market only sunday's?

 

[dash_two]

Yes and it's best visited in the morning.

 

[Treacle Toes]

Re. the kettle-without-a-lid pavement pitches, those were run by and for the poorest of people too proud or shy to go begging outright. They would probably have thought it a good day if they took £3 or £4 tbh.

When is the last time you went down there then?
Lots of students and artists do the pitches as well...in fact lots of different kinds of people selling second hand things of varying quality.

 

[dash_two]

About a month ago.

The old pavement pitches used to go along Bethnal Green Road westwards from the junction with Sclater Street, with a few outlying ones on Shoreditch High Street. They definitely weren't run by students or artists!

 

[Treacle Toes]

About a month ago.

The old pavement pitches used to go along Bethnal Green Road westwards from the junction with Sclater Street, with a few outlying ones on Shoreditch High Street.

Yes, they have been moved because of the new tube development at the top of Bethnal Green road.

They definitely weren't run by students or artists!

No, my point was they are now.

 

[dash_two]

Yes, they have been moved because of the new tube development at the top of Bethnal Green road.

But they were being moved on longer ago than that. I remember talking with some of the pavement pitch people a good while ago, maybe six or seven years, and they were complaining about council officials suddenly deciding to enforce street trading licences, which they hadn't bothered to do much before then with the pavement pitches. An eye now had to be kept out for them.

Re students and artists, I was talking in the past tense, hence 'old pavement pitches' and 'were run by and for the poorest of people'. First started going to Brick Lane probably around 1979/80 - something to do as a youngster on otherwise boring Sundays - so certain changes over that time in the nature of the market and its extent do stand out in my mind. I don't doubt your description of the present.