London: More Street Scenes From the 1880s

~ beetleypete

I found some more! I hope you are not bored with these yet?
All of these photos were taken between 1880 and 1889, when Victoria was still The Queen.
(Some can be enlarged by clicking on them.)

An early electric car in Lower Regent Street. You can see the chauffeur and footman in the front, and the very rich owners enjoying the ride in the back.

A policeman directing traffic under Ludgate Viaduct.

A busy morning outside Charing Cross Station.

The Aldgate Pump, East London. A source of fresh water for local people.

Harrods, the famous department store.

Islington High Street. The horse-drawn tram is running on tracks in the road.

The busy junction outside Kings Cross Station.

The Royal Courts Of Justice. They look just the same today.

Customers and children pose outside the Old King’s Head pub, St Pancras.

Threadneedle Street, close to The Bank Of England.

Tottenham Court Road.

Whitechapel Road, East London. The London Hospital is on the right. It was once home to the famous ‘Elephant Man’, John Merrick, before his death. He would likely have been living there at the time this was taken. There is still a very busy hospital on that site. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_London_Hospital

53 thoughts on “London: More Street Scenes From the 1880s”

  5. (1) Electric cars are making a huge comeback, although there is a lot of debate over whether our electrical grid can handle the load. Even now, some areas of the country experience brownouts and blackouts. Nevertheless, we “charge” ahead…
    (2) The policeman had a glass of Nestlé milk that morning after cleaning himself in the shower with Hudson soap and removing yet another wart via duct tape.
    (3) Railway station: Charing Cross. Car make that fulfills automotive hunger: Ford.
    (4) At the Aldgate Pump. “Don’t know why, mate, but th’ water tastes kinda Thames-y t’day.”
    (5) https://www.marhaba.qa/the-harrods-tea-rooms-doha-now-serving-their-finest-tea-menus-at-msheireb/
    (6) A distinction:
    Horse-drawn cart: Way to go! Very popular!
    Horse-drawn art: Going nowhere! Horses find it too difficult to hold a brush with their hoof.
    (7) I hope you won’t be cross with me for offering a second link in these comments. https://www.onlondon.co.uk/jonn-elledge-how-did-londons-main-line-stations-get-their-names/
    (8) A foreign couple visiting the Royal Courts on a holiday:
    Husband, scratching his head: “Are we alone here today?”
    Wife, nodding: “Just us.”
    (9) Speaking of The Old King’s Head, I read that Charles III has someone at the palace who squeezes his tube of toothpaste. Being a royal is one thing, but I think Charles has really lost his head!
    (10) I don’t see any camels on Threadneedle Street.
    (11) Nurse Ratched: “First, Nestlé milk. Then, Nestlé food. Mention one more Nestlé product, and we’ll see cuckoos fly out the door!”
    (12) The ‘Elephant Man’ was no longer there. He’d already packed his trunk and left…

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  11. Oh, I will never be bored with these. I can almost hear the sounds, so different to the modern sound of London. My grandfather was born in 1885 and would have been familiar with these sorts of scenes. How rapidly life has changed.

    Liked by 1 person

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