If you've been to London's West End for the sales, you probably won't find much familiar in this scene - but it depicts Oxford Street. However, before we're too quick to assume that Edwardian shoppers enjoyed a more civilised experience, a closer look shows that the pavements are thronged with people.The number 272 visible on the left-hand building confirms the precise location: it's 272 Regent Street, on Oxford Circus. We're stood in the middle of the Circus looking east, towards the Waring and Gillow furniture store - and a Willesden bus is about to run us down! Waring and Gillow's shop had opened here in 1764; today it's a branch of H&M.
For comparison, here's a snap of the same scene yesterday. (I took it from inside the bus, being more of a coward than our intrepid Edwardian photographer.)
1 comment:
I think, all in all, I prefer the Edwardian era. Of course there was the Boer War ...and a few other horrible events, but people seemed so optimistic back then.
Happy 2011!
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