Invasion of the Estate Snatchers

For most of my life I have lived in the Tower Block which you can see in the third photograph below. From the balcony of our flat you could get an immediate sense of belonging to the East End of London. Looking West 30 years ago (below) you could see only a small suggestion of the City. Looking East there was no Canary Wharf.

View of the City from the Chicksand Estate. Spitalfields, 1982

As time progressed the view to the West rapidly changed until the walls of my peace loving Tower Block felt they were about to be boarded by enemy siege towers carrying estate agents. In recent years a propaganda war has involved a number of tricks including at least one letter a week from an estate agent claiming they have bankers who want to live in our block. We’ve never wanted to surrender to these City marauders. Where would we go? Who wants to live next to a banker?

A siege tower under construction for the invasion of the Chicksand Estate, London 2002

The 1980’s was a relatively peaceful time. There was still a lot of open spaces. The photographs below were taken looking west from the waste land behind Whitechapel station reaching up to Vallance Rd.

Boys from the Chicksand Estate, 1980's

Boys from the Chicksand Estate, 1980's

The Rich Estate Snatchers have demolished much of the area surrounding my estate.

A view of the demolition that has occured to make way for Estate Snatchers. Bethnal Green London 2002.