A 'shoeblack' by the Strand

A 'shoeblack' kneels on the pavement by the Strand as pedestrians and vehicles rush by. A customer would place his foot on the box in front of the shoe cleaner, who would polish it there and then. A branch of J. Lyons and Co Ltd, the catering and food manufacturing company, can be seen in the background.

People who polished shoes and boots for a living were described as 'shoeblacks'. Their profession had a long history. In 1851 the London Shoeblack Brigade was established by John MacGregor and Lord Shaftsbury. Members of the brigade were offered regular paid jobs and wore a uniform with a coloured jacket, denoting which area of the city they worked.

Shoe cleaners were a common sight on the streets of London during the 1960s when this photograph was taken. It is one of several in the collection by Henry Grant of 'shoeblacks'.