JEWISH
EAST END OF LONDON PHOTO GALLERY & COMMENTARY
London's East End Synagogues, cemeteries and more......
My personal journey through the Jewish East End of London
Hessel
Street, London E1: Carver's Shoe Shop; Free Cinema - a few jottings
Hessel Street was originally
called Morgan Street and in its day was a celebrated Jewish East
End market specializing in the slaughtering and koshering of
chickens. Today the kosher shops have been replaced with
Hallal shops but to get a glimpse of how it used to be I
recommend the purchase of a wonderful three dvd boxed set called
'Free Cinema'. It is available from Amazon or the British
Film Institute. A film featuring Hessel Street is on disc
three and entitled 'The Vanishing Street'. It was made in
1962 and is simply stunning, as is the whole boxed set....which
brings me to the point of this webpage. A correspondent
was kind enough to send me a photo of his father's shoe shop in
Hessel Street (Carver's) together with his letter. I found
it interesting, I hope you do to. Phil
Letter
re: Carvers Shoe Shop, Hessel Street
Phil
Below is a photo
9
Hessel St., my fathers shoe shop (Carver's). I still get people
relating to me how their parents purchased their first pair of
shoes for them at Carver's, usually around the Yom Tovim.
My father
was in this shop from when he was demobbed after the war in 1945
until mid-60's when the Bangladeshi community took over the street.
The
archway states:- 25-40 Morgan Houses. On this side of the street
(Eastern side) above the shops were these very old flats. The same
entrance led to the basement area at the rear where the abattoir for
the kosher chickens was situated and the plucking thereof. This was
our playground when we were kids. I do not think "Health & Hygiene"
would approve these days.
At the
bottom of Hessel Street (at right angles) was Langdale Mansions, it
would make an interesting subject if you could confirm what modern
business people lived in these buildings and how far they have come.
Regards,
David
Hessel
Street, looking towards Commercial Road, March 2011
Hessel Street in its Jewish prime, looking towards Commercial Road -
an artist's impression
