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
An East End
tailor's workshop circa 1949/1950
Dear Philip
I attach my photo (below)
of the workshop where my grandfather worked. It was taken about 1949/50 -
a typical East-End sweatshop making gents' clothing. The dapper
looking tailor wearing a waistcoat, collar and tie at the back and
by the window is my maternal zaida (grandfather) - Harry McKay (nee
Makolsky!). He died in 1954 at the age of 53. He suffered from
coronary heart disease but continued to (needed to) work and in this
respect it can be said that the workshop killed him.
Against the wall at the back is the besuited boss who I think was
called 'Tubby' Goldman but don't quote me on that. To his right the
white shirted figure is my zaida's younger brother my great uncle
Mick (Itzik) Makolsky- he never changed his name. He was a presser
and managed to eventually leave tailoring and died at about the age
of 70 from lung cancer courtesy of Woodbine cigarettes: 'sweet
woodbine' as the innocuous packet stated. The workshops were filled
with heavy smokers - men and women - and one can only wonder at the
toll that this took in heart disease and lung cancer.
Regards
Freddy
