Post Office Blues
Whitechapel Post Office, 1985
I remember quite a few Post Offices in East London but most of them have now been shut down. It amazes me that each time this happens we are told that the service will be “more efficient”. Well that is certainly not the case for a pensioner who finds it impossible to walk to a Post Office miles away. The photograph above illustrates the frustration people feel when they have to queue for a considerable time in order to do business with the Post Office. This is towards the end of a very long queue and the expressions on the faces of the two men with glasses suggest they are not too happy. As a documentary photographer I have always relished queues as they enable opportunities for observation. The traditional dress of the woman below sparkles in contrast with the utilitarian surroundings.
Whitechapel Post Office, 1983
Sedentary Trading in Whitechapel
Whitechapel traders, 1983
These two market traders above prefer to sit and chat and wait for passing trade to visit their stalls in front of them. Similarly the shopkeeper below is resting and waiting to make a sale of one of the many shoes available outside his shop.
Shopkeeper sitting outside his shop, Whitechapel 2008
Resonance
The sky through the roof of a disused warehouse, Shadwell 1982
Sometimes different objects resonate similarities despite the fact they are completely different. The fine structure above was once complimented with glass and dominated the top of a warehouse which is now demolished. In contrast the smalll paper cup below designed to give drugs to a patient has none of the volume of the industrial dome but resonates its fundamental characteristics.
Tablets in a paper cup, 2011
Hazuan Hashim
Regretably I’ve been in hospital for a considerable amount of time and am looking forward to going home in a few weeks. During this period the blog has been managed magnificently by Hazuan Hashim. It’s great when someone other than the photographer searches the archives because a fresh eye always comes up with a different perspective on the images. Thanks to Hazuan who you can see below.
Hazuan filming in Dhaka, Bangladesh 2008
Hazuan
Conversations
Prince Charles talking to demonstrator against housing privatisation. He was opening housing that had been sold off by the Council. Bethnal Green 1988.
Young man & woman in conversation in the Clifton Cafe.
Musa Patel owned the Clifton Cafe and restaurant as well as a large number of other properties. In his time he was the ‘King’ of Brick Lane. A gregarious man he would often sit in his window and beckon people in to catch up with gossip.
