A Ridley Road Postcard Stall

Public intervention and exchanges with about 150 market traders and customers, 2017

Ridley Road Market has been serving the diverse communities of Hackney in East London since the 1880s, and according to fourth-generation market trader Larry Julian, has continuously "changed in every decade". I searched archives for historical materials, finding very little.^*

Mary Benedetta writes about the market in 'The Street Markets of London’ published in 1936. A series of early 20th century London street market postcards, found elsewhere, echoes her writing, however there were none of Ridley Road.

In the summer of 2017, I produced a set of 10 Ridley Road Postcards with photographs taken and donated by traders, local photographers and customers. Some photographs were found online. The oldest photograph was taken in the early 20th century and the most recent 10 years ago. 

I set up a market stall, swapping postcards for stories. The stall became a space where traders and customers considered the past, present and future of the market. 

Postcards designed by Katharina Tewes

^{*https://www.hackneygazette.co.uk/news/heritage/hunt-for-the-missing-history-of-dalston-s-famous-ridley-road-market-1-5036363}