Tower Bridge Road Market (1931)

This remarkable film showing working class London life was shot around 1931. The majority of the film concentrates on the major street market at the Bricklayer's Arms end of Tower Bridge Road. Although shot without sound, they capture the hustle and bustle of the busy streets wonderfully. We see numerous shops - housed greengrocers, butchers, a baker, a clothes dealer and even a colourman (paint seller). Watch out for a shot of Manzes Pie & Mash shop at number 87, established in 1902 and still open for business today.

Almost as fascinating as the people and traders is the range of vehicles captured. These include tradesmen's carts, a tricycle, horse-drawn carts, steam and motor lorries, and - surprisingly - what appears to be a private carriage with a liveried driver. (Chris Ellmers)

You can watch over 1400 other complete films and TV programmes from the BFI National Archive free of charge in the Mediatheque at BFI Southbank, London and at the new QUAD centre for art and film in Derby - http://www.bfi.org.uk/mediatheque http://www.derbyquad.co.uk/bfi-mediatheque

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• BFI
• British Film Institute
• South London
• Tower Bridge
• SE1
• Market
• Stalls
• Bricklayer's Arms
• Silent
• Old
• Early
• Archive
• Vehicles
• Actuality
• Documentary
• East End
• Bermondsey
• Traffic
• Trams
• Manzes
• Pie
• Mash
• Hovis
• Horseshoe
• Southwark
• Traders
• 1930s

[rosieh101]

@englishrose1488 - what do you mean 'London looks like Africa?' And which bit of Africa does it look like? Egypt? Mali? Botswana? Or do they all look the same to you? Or are you comments a scarcely veiled excuse to demonstrate your racist attitudes?

[sdrowe]

Thanks for posting all these wonderful films, totally brilliant.

[bozo828]

In the early 90's I worked the Woollen Merchants in the West End, there was a delivery chap of the name of Harry who was born in 1918, when this film was shot in 1931 he was 13yrs old , and was brought up in Tooting when this film was made, sadly he died in 1993, but lived a long and happy life.

[rankingtrevor]

I love how say pre 1970s (in general) and particularly in the pre WW2 decades all children wore formal attire even whilst playing. A seven year old in a full suit and a flatcap. Children were dressed like mini-adults. Must have had a generational effect on these 'baby boomers' and 'veterans' in comparison with 'Generation Y' and 'Generation X'

[rankingtrevor]

Hats everywhere. Men, Women and Children. One is surprised the horses are not clad in hats!

Stetsons, Fedoras, Bowlers, Trilbys, Hombergs etc = for the middle-upper class gentry.

Flat Caps, Berets and Newsboy Caps = for the working classes

[JollyRodders]

@MrGezamo "Wow, no thugs mugging the weak, no teenage girls being brats">>> Try reading "Gangs of London" by Brian McDonald. Gangs, thugs, muggers...and girl gangs are nothing new. Also search for Arthur Harding East End Underworld. It makes for interesting reading of pre WW1 life on the streets. Gangs attacking gangs that were under police protection...The public complaining that sentencing was too soft..!!?? The arrival of immigrants from Eastern Europe...There's nothing new under the sun.

[itsinmynamechap]

I guess the cameras were quite apparent to everyone on the street due to their size ect.

[Errmvlog]

You can really tell cameras were a rarity back then from the way everyone just looks at it in amazement. 

[maccagrabme]

Not a lot of change from 1900 in terms of affluence.

[Poland1st]

All of them staring in the camera... as if they knew they're gonna get uploaded on Youtubes...

[Twiggle33333]

...globalisation.... accept it or deal with it... because i dont think people will give up planes and the internetz just yet

[chanctonbury63]

@gaywatchuk Unfortunately there is. There are hundreds of them. Just dial up some of the WW11 and white supremacist films/comments.