Where were these construction workers in London, when photographed?

[Geoff-E]

... bowyangs hitching up his trouser legs! ...

A friend of mine used to refer to them as "yirks" or perhaps yorks.

Anyway, I've found a reference to them as yorks-

Yorks — strings tied around the leg below the knee to hitch trouser bottoms clear of muck — were known to railway navvies in the 1840s ...

From http://www.victorianweb.org/history/work/sullivan/4.html

[Nick29]

Do you mean that there is nobody listed at 113 Mare Street or that someone other than Solomon Simons is listed at 113 Mare Street?

There is no listing for 113 Mare Street in the 1908 Directory. It is not listed. It goes 109, 111, ....here is West Street.... 121. Suggests it was vacant.

There is also no entry for 113 in the 1902 Directory. A bit strange if the building was vacant for 6 or more years. The building appears to have existed as it is shown on maps.

Nigel

According to this site the whole area was being redeveloped during the early 1900's, so it's possible that the houses may have been renumbered at some stage.

In 1901, Solomon Simons was trading as a cabinet maker at 70 Church Street, Bethnall Green (parish of St Philips), and in 1911 he was resident at 113 Mare Street.  There is no indication on the 1911 census how long he had been resident there.

[Keith Sherwood]

More magnificent sleuthing being going on here since last I looked.
That present-day photo is incredible, Phodgetts...
I'm surprised none of the other sturdy men in the original have been claimed by anyone else as ancestors - I wonder how many of them fell in the imminent carnage of the Great War.
keith

[Jean McGurn]

More magnificent sleuthing being going on here since last I looked.
That present-day photo is incredible, Phodgetts...
I'm surprised none of the other sturdy men in the original have been claimed by anyone else as ancestors - Iwonder how many of them fell in the imminent carnage of the Great War.
keith

Quite agree with you Keith, I have also been amazed on the info that has been found.

I keep expecting to find a posting saying "That's my XX ancestor" and getting details of exactly what the construction was.

Jean

[Jocie]

It is amazing how much work has been done on this photograph. Even my husband. who normally sits happily on the sidelines where  family history is concerned, has taken a real interest it.
Perhaps when this finally comes to an end someone may have an equally interesting challenge. My family photographs all seem to be of the portrait variety.

Jo

[Keith Sherwood]

Hi again, Everyone,
It does look as though this thread has now run its natural course, so many thanks to all those who have used their ingenuity and knowledge to make this a thoroughly enjoyable and educational one.
Just a postscript to say that Edward GATFIELD lived until he was 80 years old, before dying in the Poplar area in 1948, so he survived the London blitz as well as the hardships of navvy-ing away in the sewers and various holes of London that were dug for whatever reason - obviously a fit and strong man...
keith

[davidrainbird]

The last posted message in here was 6 years ago so I may have missed the boat! Hopefully Keith will see it if he's still around on here. I was doing a google search on Lamprell St and discovered this post. My Nan and her Nan lived there in 17 Lamprell Street right next door. I haven't read all 14 pages of this post coz i need to get a move on today but my Nan's uncle was George Sowerbutts who married Florence Ivy Gatfield next door. Just wondered if your sister in law knows anything about this? George worked on the railway and stayed in no. 15 with his sister on and off for a long time. I've still got plenty of researching to go but got bizarrely excited to see this post!

[BushInn1746]

the first chap standing on a beam bottom right.there is something on the beam do's it say something gass??

Funny you should say that.  I saw something there too, but I also saw some radiating lines on the print just above the letters, and I thought it could have come from another photo stacked on top.

The foremost standing man on the right is standing on a beam that seems to have a word on it...has this been discussed?? I played with the contrast but I don't have proper photo software.

Heehee...the file name is almost twice as big as the photo

N x 65
or
G x 65