My uncle used to live in East London <\/p>\n\n\n\n
He had an unusual collection of photographs <\/p>\n\n\n\n
These included photos of the front door step<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At 37 Brewer Street where he lived until 2003 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
He then moved from East London to East London <\/p>\n\n\n\n
On South Africa’s Eastern Cape <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Before he left he gave me a small album<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dedicated to the front door step <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Of 37 Brewer Street dating from 186122003<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Obviously taken by different photographers <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The house in Brewer Street was built in 1861 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was intended to be the residence of small family <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As there was until 1880 a large publishing works nearby <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dated 4th of May 1861 and taken by a George Burrows <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This first photograph shows the doorstep<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To be in a pristine condition as is the street in view <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It has obviously been looked after and recently polished<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1880 (no month noted) <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The step now shows shows signs of wear <\/p>\n\n\n\n
But is in good condition although the street is beginning to age <\/p>\n\n\n\n
At a guess the dynamics of the area were declining <\/p>\n\n\n\n
1903<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This photograph was taken by Edwin Burrows the son of George <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Again the month is not detailed <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is a rather sad photograph <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As it clearly shows the decline of the street <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some houses are slums but number 37 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Still retains its original gentleness <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The doorstep which is partially hidden by a crate <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Does not seem to be worn but coal dust is evident <\/p>\n\n\n\n
1921 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Photographer unknown (Edwin died in the Great War) <\/p>\n\n\n\n
There is a distinct shabby feel to both the house and the street <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The doorstep however does not appears to have aged <\/p>\n\n\n\n
1940 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Photographer Agnes Moore <\/p>\n\n\n\n
August <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is by far the saddest photograph <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I am not aware that Miss Moore had any connections <\/p>\n\n\n\n
To 37 Brewer Street as she came from Deal<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It appears that she was recording the bomb damage <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As both Brewer Street and Golden Street were both heavily bombed<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yet number 37 although covered with debris was undamaged <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Miss Moore took a series of photographs <\/p>\n\n\n\n
And although unintentional <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some show the much recorded doorstep <\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are two things that I should mention <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Miss Moore is distantly related to me <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As she was the mother of my uncle <\/p>\n\n\n\n
She received a telegram from the King a month ago <\/p>\n\n\n\n
And lives happily in Richmond with my aunt <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The doorstep although shabby is in one piece <\/p>\n\n\n\n
1955\/1961<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Two photographs <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Photographer unknown <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The 1955 photograph shows number 37 as being unoccupied <\/p>\n\n\n\n
A candidate for demolition <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If I had taken this photograph I would have expected it <\/p>\n\n\n\n
To be the final photograph in the series <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The doorstep is in bad shape and exhibits damage <\/p>\n\n\n\n
1961 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This photograph deceives as number 37 and other houses in the street <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Looking east<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Are now occupied <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the area to the west rows of council houses can be seen <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It appears that certain parts of Brewer Street were not demolished <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As the houses were strong and in good shape <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The doorstep had been repaired <\/p>\n\n\n\n
1973 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
My uncle took this photograph <\/p>\n\n\n\n
And what is obvious is that squatters <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Are resident in the house <\/p>\n\n\n\n
(I wonder if my uncle was squatting) <\/p>\n\n\n\n
My Aunt May is sitting on the half hidden doorstep<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She appears to be smoking a joint <\/p>\n\n\n\n
(My uncle had a history of squatting)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1985 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
A newspaper photograph <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mrs Thatcher visited Brewer Street <\/p>\n\n\n\n
And is posing with a couple of long forgotten council worthies <\/p>\n\n\n\n
She is standing on the door step of number 37<\/p>\n\n\n\n
(even doorsteps have a claim to fame) <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The doorstep is in fine condition <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I might say since 1861 it has not looked better<\/p>\n\n\n\n
198722003 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mu uncle lived at 37 Brewer Street during this period <\/p>\n\n\n\n
He took photographs of the doorstep each year<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There should be 16 photographs but for some reason there are 17 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
2004 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I moved to 37 Brewer Street in 2004<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And have kept up the tradition <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I photograph the doorstep once a year <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It has not really aged that much <\/p>\n\n\n\n
And looks thanks to the 1985 Thatcher love <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In good shape although worn smooth <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In time I will write a history of this area <\/p>\n\n\n\n
(I am an historian of some note) <\/p>\n\n\n\n
But for the present will retain my silence <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Till Then <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Joe <\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
UNEDITED <\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
My uncle used to live in East London He had an unusual collection of photographs These included photos of the front door step At 37 Brewer Street where he lived until 2003 He then moved from East London to East London On South Africa’s Eastern Cape Before he left he gave me a small album […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14568","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stuartmillerosborne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14568","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stuartmillerosborne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stuartmillerosborne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stuartmillerosborne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stuartmillerosborne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14568"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/stuartmillerosborne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14568\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14576,"href":"https:\/\/stuartmillerosborne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14568\/revisions\/14576"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stuartmillerosborne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14568"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stuartmillerosborne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14568"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stuartmillerosborne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14568"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}