When we were young

I don’t know about you but when I was little I used to spend most of my time out on the streets. In summer time from 8am until 8 or 9pm. Riding bikes, playing football or various traditional and sometimes rough games of times gone by.

I remember being surprised about 10 years ago in the middle of the school summer holidays and all the streets were empty, the parks empty too. Everyone addicted to being inside or forced/encouraged to take part in paid activities rather than do what we would just call ‘messing about’.

A few days ago I came across this marvellous old photograph from Spitalfields and I thought how marvellous it was. Young children making the best of things despite likely not having much money. Here they are playing cricket in the street much as we used to do albeit in perhaps better surroundings.

If we played cricket in the garden when we might have real cricket wickets. If we were in the park then perhaps a tree trunk or upturned bucket. When on the streets though it was normally a lamppost just like these.

I like how the little boys are in the ‘Slips’ so close to the bat and the batsman is looking like he is going to give the ball a might wallop for Six. I wonder how long the shop windows lasted before an irate figure came out to give whichever child they could catch a beating?

I happen to know these little alleys around where the old photo was taken very well and it only took a few seconds to find the exact spot.

Almost a century later and not much has changed. The poverty has improved massively though perhaps relatedly, so it seems has the streets being full of life.

I’ve posted a lot over the years where I find old photos and see what the places are like today. Here is a link to Then and now – How sights have changed in 130 years