Who are the bigwigs and where?

[Dimps]

The sign says "motor lorries cars for hire".  Another sign - on the far right - says Cars Stop Beware Residents".  The washing, upon closer inspection, appears to be stalls (on the far right, for instance, numerous pairs of braces and a couple of scarves are hanging with more scarves on a display table below).  The structure looks like iron, but is made of wooden planks (which explains why an advertising hoarding is nailed/screwed to it).  There are porches over the stalls, with corrugated iron on top.  The houses and shop (canopies, pyramid of tins in window) are on a higher level.  The photo is also taken from high up (from a second floor window, perhaps).  From the closthes, I'd say it dates from about 1930.  Most people are in "Sunday best" and are looking rather sombre.  There is a pen on the table as well as flowers - could it be the opening of a book of condolence?

All comments and suggestions welcome.  Thank you for those so far.

Deborah

[Ruskie]

Yes, odd place to hang washing - so close to train tracks or road ... and people surely wouldn't leave their washing on the line whilst an official opening of anything was taking place. A protest sounds feasible.

I wonder if the event got a mention in the papers? (Especially if there was a protest surrounding it.)

[Ruskie]

So Dimps, you think they may be shops/stalls rather than washing lines?
If the road or rail track or whatever was cut below ground level it might be that the photo was taken from across the road rather than from a higher story of a building opposite.

[Dimps]

It may have been cut at a lower level or a natural slope has been tiered.  Really, though, I haven't a clue as I don't know where it is.  I've sent a message to the owner.  His family are from Woolwich - but there isn't anywhere in Woolwich like this.  I've asked whether any of his family were from across the river and whether there is anything on the back of the postcard or the backing paper.

[Ruskie]

I'll be interested to see what he says - anything at all might give us a clue. It may not have been Woolwich itself but you might expect it to be in Greater London somewhere. 

[Ruskie]

It may have been cut at a lower level or a natural slope has been tiered. 

I haven't got a clue really, but to me the level the photographer is standing looks to be the same level that the woman opposite is standing.

[Greensleeves]

I have looked and looked and I can't see a sign which says 'Cars stop beware residents'.  Could anyone point it out to me please? 

[Dimps]

It is a very small sign, on the upper level, on the right-hand side.

The postcard is on a card backing.  It was given to my friend amongst a collection of Woolwich pictures - thus the assumption it was also of Woolwich.  However, neither of us (nor anyone else in the area) know of anywhere that looks like this.  There is nothing on the back of the card backing and he does not want to steam it from the postcard - which is likely to be blank as it was especially mounted.

On a hunch, I have been looking at various Bridge Places, Bridge Streets and Bridge Roads in London (although it could be anywhere) on Google Maps/Street View.  No luck, so far.  In all likelihood, the wooden structure was temporary and the area has been redeveloped since in any case.

I was hoping that someone would recognise one or more of the dignitories and the location worked out that way.  I'm assuming that the one standing up is the chairman of an organisation, as he is wearing some kind of medal of office.

The mood of the scene does not tally with a demonstration to my mind.

Thank you to everyone.  I have seen Rootschatters doing the most amazing detective work to identify locations.  Fingers crossed!

Deborah

[youngtug]

I don't think it is an higher level at the rear. From the way the people in the forefront of the picture are looking up and the view of the top of peoples heads it looks like the photographer was at a height above the proceedings.
 The height of the fencing and the angle of the picture obscure the width of the road and pavement of the street behind but the house/shop fronts are visible, because of the angle and the resultant view it looks like these houses are at a higher level, which they are not.