From his time as a student living in West London until the present day, Homer Sykes has travelled across the city to take photos in the run down working-class districts of Whitechapel and Spitalfields. These photos were taken during the 1970s.
Photographs copyright © Homer Sykes
The influx of immigrants to the area caused a backlash from neo-Nazi groups. This man is selling a National Front newspaper with a racist headline.
Car trouble outside the tenements.
Two elderly residents of the area.
A local white girl with her Asian boyfriend. It was still quite rare at the time for the communities to mix.
Many buildings were being demolished, or had not been rebuilt after war damage.
Neighbours of different races, a common sight in the area.
The signs show the traditional trade of the area, clothing manufacture.
Immigrants took over many of the shops, operating late opening hours every day.
This lady is selling off her possessions to make money.
beetleypete 
An interesting insight how life happend these days in the past. Thanks for sharing, Pete! xx Michael
LikeLiked by 1 person
And not so long ago, Michael.
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLike
Reblogged this on https:/BOOKS.ESLARN-NET.DE.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Some great images not living in London I don’t remember the 70’s like that although I’m sure many do xx
LikeLiked by 1 person
I certainly do, Carol. In many ways, it still felt like the 1950s.
Best wishes, Pete. x
LikeLiked by 1 person
Some sad, some hopeful, all so real. Thanks, Pete.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, real indeed, Olga.
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLike
Reblogged this on Have We Had Help? and commented:
The Seventies…
LikeLiked by 1 person
All I remember of life here in the seventies was my job at Heathrow, briefly working for Douglas Bader before I went back to New Zealand, because my mother was dyeing…
LikeLiked by 1 person
You were a long way from Whitechapel then, Jack.
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLiked by 1 person
70’s? The photographs seem to depict scenes and people from an earlier time.
LikeLiked by 1 person
They certainly do, Jennie. But it was most definitely the 1970s.
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLiked by 1 person
(1) Ironically, the National Front protesters are standing beneath a sign that says GENTS.
(2) According to Hardy Krüger, that car owner should have bought a 1:18 scale Pontiac Phoenix and then watch as a mechanic practices what little skills he has on it.
(3) There’s not a ghost of a chance that those two elderly residents are still around.
(4) Wok tall and carry a big chopstick.
(5) First they molish buildings, then they demolish them.
(6) “Yoo-hoo! Romeo-meo! I’m up here!”
(7a) K and B Clothing Co. Vacancies. “We’ve got the clothing. But they’re vacant. No one’s wearing them!”
(7b) “I’m the watchdog. Anytime a customer approaches, I bark to wake up the business owner!”
(8) You think it’s late in the U.K.? It’s a whole lot later where they come from!
(9) “I’ve been here all day waiting for quick service!” (Also said by many unattractive brothel workers.)
LikeLiked by 1 person
I wasn’t expecting The Flight Of The Phoenix. Well done, David. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLiked by 1 person
There is a whole social history in this group of photos.
LikeLiked by 1 person
There is indeed, Liz. A time before urban regeneration, and the wider acceptance of immigrant communities.
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLiked by 1 person
it’s hard to fathom that it was in the 70s
LikeLiked by 1 person
It seems earlier, I agree.
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLiked by 1 person
They do seem earlier. Thanks for sharing. Warmest regards, Ed
LikeLiked by 1 person
Maybe it’s the B&W photos? Colour might have made it feel more 1970s, but perhaps not.
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is all familiar to me, but in our area many of the shops were run by Jewish people. My best friend was from St. Lucia, but they were the only black family for miles around as I remember.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I thought this might bring back memories of your childhood, Stevie.
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for the reminder!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Whew! So sad to see and to realize that we have not progressed at all.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I did struggle to realise that this was in the mid-1970s, Don.
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLike
Wow, I could have pegged these from the 50’s or even earlier…seems like so much longer ago than 50 years!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have to agree, John. I was actually often around in those parts of London at the time, and I don’t remember it being so bleak. I was obviously ‘looking, not seeing’.
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Poor lady. These are the photographs that tear the heart. I always had the impression that on the whole immigrants were better received in England than here is the US, but perhaps I am naive?
LikeLiked by 1 person
It depends if they live in large numbers in one area. That tends to rile up the racists. Most decent people don’t have any issues with immigrants. (We have an Indian Prime Minister, after all)
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLike
Indeed. How is he getting on? I don’t seem to see his name much in the news.
LikeLiked by 1 person
He is doing what all Conservatives do. Making rich people richer, and obscenely rich people even more obscenely rich. His personal wealth is around £800 million, as he is a former Goldman Sachs executive, and his wife is the daughter of an Indian billionaire. He couldn’t be more out of touch with ordinary people if he tried.
LikeLike
What is the answer? It’s the same here only we have the revolting right wing spewing lies and hatred with the help of Fox News. It is very disturbing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Jeremy Corbyn would have been a better Socialist option, but the Labour Party forced him out so they could become completely ‘middle of the road’. Now they appeal to almost nobody.
LikeLike
That last picture is very sad, Pete
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hard to beleive it was taken in the 1970s, Robbie.
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I know 😞
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great snapshots of the time….
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, it feels older than the 1970s to me, maybe because the photos are in B&W.
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, perhaps
LikeLiked by 1 person
Little slices of life in East London…..darn fine collection….well done chuq
LikeLiked by 1 person
He captured an area at a time before it was regenerated to a large extent.
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLiked by 1 person