East Street Market

I don't remember the boxer,  but my uncle used to work on the sarsaparilla stall (Georgie Barnes?) on Sunday mornings and when I bought a drink from him he gave me back more in change than I gave him in the first place plus the drink.

John James

I used to love that stuff as a kid in the 1970's! My Grandparents used to live in Kinglake Street just off the Old Kent Road and my old Grandad used to spend every Sunday morning in East Street, coming back with all kinds of stuff, some from the 'Tot' stalls as he used to call them! I assume he meant 'tat', because he was always bringing back old electric fires, irons and the like!
My Mum used to take me down the market on saturday afternoons and I was allowed a glass of Sarsperella and sometimes a bottle to take home. It was lovely stuff i've never tasted before or since.
I last went down East Street about 2 years ago and it was very sad to see. It could have been a market in downtown Mogadishu - all African goods on a lot of the stalls and virtually nothing of the old market, including the Sarsperella stall but I guess that reflects the change in the local population.
I'm glad I can remember it as it was back in the day.

I remember George  Barnes  and his sarsperella nobody quite knew what is was. George at one time lived in the next st to me Burgundy St off Old Kent Rd . On the dark nights the stalls used to have little night l,ights. Not now its all shut by 3 o clock

 Another Teaser
Seeing the picture of the Boxer on Bermondsey Boy makes me ask!
What was the name of the Old Boxer who sold  the White Horse Oils half way up East Lane on a Sunday morning after the war  near to the stall that used to sell the Quinine and hot Saspereela?
Joe Foster

-fosney

Hi everyone

East Lane brings back so many wonderful memories - the wonderful italian icecream shop on the corner of East St and Walworth Rd. On Sunday morning my Dad would send me here to get a bowl of icecream for sunday tea.  I would be sent with two china bowls (no plastic in those days) - one for the icecream and the other for a bowl of fresh fish (mussels,whelks or shrimp).  This ofcourse was in the summer - in the winter we would get a hot glass of blackcurrant juice - forgotten the name of this - and sometimes a paper cornet of roast chestnuts.  Does anyone remember the banana man?  He only sold bananas and you had to bid on them like an auction.  The market was mostly fresh veg,fruit,fish and the odd gadget,china,clothing stall and most of the stall holders would shout out their wares for sale.  I loved this street - the sights, sounds and smells were wonderful then (late 40s to early 60s) and everything purchased was good. I've since taken my 2 american born children back to see this open market and ofcourse they thought I was crazy - nothing was the same - I guess you can never go back!

Leni

I feel the same about how disappointing it is to go down the Lane now. And my parents, now in their 80s, feel just the same. My great uncle Tom Harmer had a fruit stall down there in the 50s. He used to stand there with his cap and his white scarf tied like the dockers did.

Does anyone remember the second-hand magazine and comic shop that used to be at the Walworth Road end (next to the ice cream shop on the corner, I think)?

And what about the speakers at the other end - Communists, fascists, Socialist Party of Great Britain: all taking their turn to say their piece. I remember most of all standing there listening to Joe Bent.