Begal thoughts

Over the years I’ve noticed how the Begal shop at the top of Brick Lane is part of a space that appears to induce a state of reflection for some people. The lady below seems detached from her surroundings and her mind is possibly somewhere else. Is she remembering the past?

Woman with her thoughts outside the Begal shop in Brick Lane, 2009

We have seen this man before pushing his bike in Grimsby Street. Here we see him in a more reflective mood sitting on a milk crate with his bike parked against the metal gate behind him.

Man sitting on a milk crate outside the Begal shop, Brick Lane 1985