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Old Clothes Exchange, Phils Buildings, Houndsditch 1882
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Old Clothes Exchange, Phils Buildings, Houndsditch 1882
The court of Phils buildings was found directly opposite St Mary Axe. A barrier was placed across steps leading up to the court, as there was an admission fee of one penny. At four to five in the afternoon, dealers would come daily to this 100ft square market space to sell clothing after a mornings rounds of collecting cast offs. The pavement and benches would be littered with huge sacks half-emptied of their contents. Heaps of old boots and shoes were indiscriminately mingled with bundles of old umbrellas and parasols, while trousers, coats, waistcoats, shawls, mantels, hats and caps were more carefully laid out to view, all sold for shillings or pence. Date: 1882
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Media ID 20159689
© Illustrated London News Ltd/Bubblepunk
1882 Admission Afternoon Barrier Benches Boots Bundles Caps Carefully Cast Coats Collecting Contents Daily Dealer Dealers Emptied Exchange Found Half Heaps Houndsditch Huge Laid Leading Littered Markets Parasols Pence Phil Sacks Sell Selling Shawls Shillings Shoes Sold Trousers Umbrellas Waistcoats Mantels Mingled
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EDITORS COMMENTS
This evocative image captures the bustling scene of the Old Clothes Exchange at Phils Buildings in Houndsditch, London, in 1882. The Old Clothes Exchange was a daily market held opposite St Mary Axe, where dealers would gather in the late afternoon to sell their collections of second-hand clothing. The market, which spanned over a 100ft square area, was enclosed by a barrier, requiring a penny admission fee. The scene is a chaotic yet intriguing mix of old boots and shoes, indiscriminately mingled with bundles of umbrellas and parasols. Trousers, coats, waistcoats, shawls, mantels, hats, and caps are more carefully laid out for potential buyers to view. Heaps of sacks, half-emptied of their contents, litter the pavement and benches. The dealers would have spent their mornings collecting cast-off clothing from various sources, and now, in the late afternoon, they would sell their wares to the public for shillings or pence. The Old Clothes Exchange was a popular destination for those seeking affordable clothing in the 1880s, and the market's lively atmosphere is evident in this photograph. The Phils Buildings Court, where the Old Clothes Exchange took place, was located near St Mary Axe, a busy and bustling area of London. The market's unique character and the vibrant energy it brought to the city make this image a fascinating glimpse into the past.
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