by the gentle author

Dan Cruickshank took these photographs – many of which are published here for the first time – between 1969 when he first came to Spitalfields and 1977 when he led the campaign to stop British Land destroying Elder St. “I did it to document the buildings that were here then,” he explained to me in regret, “but sometimes you’d go back the next Saturday and there’d be virtually nothing left.”

Barrowmakers in Wheler St Image ©Dan Cruickshank
Barrowmakers in Wheler St Image ©Dan Cruickshank
Baker in Quaker St Image ©Dan Cruickshank
Baker in Quaker St Image ©Dan Cruickshank
Quaker St and Railway Dwellings Image ©Dan Cruickshank
Quaker St and Railway Dwellings Image ©Dan Cruickshank
Junction of Bethnal Green Rd & Redchurch St. Image ©Dan Cruickshank
Junction of Bethnal Green Rd & Redchurch St. Image ©Dan Cruickshank
Weaver’s House at the corner of Bacon St & Brick Lane. Quaker St and Railway Dwellings. Image ©Dan Cruickshank
Weaver’s House at the corner of Bacon St & Brick Lane. Quaker St and Railway Dwellings. Image ©Dan Cruickshank
Weavers’ houses in Sclater St, now demolished. Image ©Dan Cruickshank
Weavers’ houses in Sclater St, now demolished. Image ©Dan Cruickshank
Weavers’ houses in Sclater St, only those in foreground remain. Image ©Dan Cruickshank
Weavers’ houses in Sclater St, only those in foreground remain. Image ©Dan Cruickshank
Weavers’ houses in Sclater St, now demolished. Image ©Dan Cruickshank
Weavers’ houses in Sclater St, now demolished. Image ©Dan Cruickshank
Corner of Sclater St & Brick Lane. Image ©Dan Cruickshank
Corner of Sclater St & Brick Lane. Image ©Dan Cruickshank
Houses in Hanbury St, now demolished. Image ©Dan Cruickshank
Houses in Hanbury St, now demolished. Image ©Dan Cruickshank
Houses in Hanbury St, now demolished. Image ©Dan Cruickshank
Houses in Hanbury St, now demolished. Image ©Dan Cruickshank
Old House in Calvin St, now demolished. Image ©Dan Cruickshank
Old House in Calvin St, now demolished. Image ©Dan Cruickshank
Elaborate doorcase in Wilkes St, now gone. Image ©Dan Cruickshank
Elaborate doorcase in Wilkes St, now gone. Image ©Dan Cruickshank
Brushfield St. Image ©Dan Cruickshank
Brushfield St. Image ©Dan Cruickshank
Brushfield St, buildings on the right now demolished. Image ©Dan Cruickshank
Brushfield St, buildings on the right now demolished. Image ©Dan Cruickshank
Buildings in Brushfield St, now demolished. Image ©Dan Cruickshank
Buildings in Brushfield St, now demolished. Image ©Dan Cruickshank
Brushfield St, buildings on the left now demolished. Image ©Dan Cruickshank
Brushfield St, buildings on the left now demolished. Image ©Dan Cruickshank
Looking from Brushfield St towards Norton Folgate. Image ©Dan Cruickshank
Looking from Brushfield St towards Norton Folgate. Image ©Dan Cruickshank
Spital Sq with St Botolph’s Hall. Image ©Dan Cruickshank
Spital Sq with St Botolph’s Hall. Image ©Dan Cruickshank
Folgate St with Dennis Severs’ House in the foreground, houses in the background now demolished. Image ©Dan Cruickshank
Folgate St with Dennis Severs’ House in the foreground, houses in the background now demolished. Image ©Dan Cruickshank
House in Folgate St, now demolished. Image ©Dan Cruickshank
House in Folgate St, now demolished. Image ©Dan Cruickshank
5 & 7 Elder St during squat to prevent complete demolition by British Land. Image ©Dan Cruickshank
5 & 7 Elder St during squat to prevent complete demolition by British Land. Image ©Dan Cruickshank
Partial demolition of 5 & 7 Elder St. Image ©Dan Cruickshank
Partial demolition of 5 & 7 Elder St. Image ©Dan Cruickshank
Rear of 5 & 7 Elder St during partial demolition. Image ©Dan Cruickshank
Rear of 5 & 7 Elder St during partial demolition. Image ©Dan Cruickshank

Words by the gentle author