33 Fascinating Black and White Photos of London in the Early 1970s

London-based photographer Norman Craig took these fascinating photos that show street scenes of London in the early 1970s.

“I worked in a lot of different buildings in the City from the 1970s to the 1990s. It’s likely I took some snaps in those years. I’ll look through my old negs from time to time to see if there’s anything worth uploading.”
 
Looking downriver towards Tower Bridge and HMS Belfast, London, March 1972

 

 
Looking upriver towards Tate Modern from the Monument, London, March 1972

 

 
Monument erected after the Great Fire of London. That's Pudding Lane on the right, where the fire started in 1666, March 1972
Party of Japanese tourists waits for a late coach, London, 1972

 

 
A kiss in the rush hour, London, March 1973

 

Ashdown Oysters, Leadenhall Market, City of London, late evening, March 1973

 

Before BT Centre, London, March 1973

 

 
Cheapside, London, June 1973

 

Entrance to the Smithfield meat market, London, March 1973

 

Fashionable couple walking near St Paul’s, London, March 1973

 

Fixing the kerbs in Farringdon Road, London, March 1973

 

 
Fleet Street, London, June 1973

 

Leadenhall Market, City of London, late evening, March 1973

 

Leadenhall Market, City of London, late evening, March 1973

 

Loading the carcasses at the Smithfield meat market, London, March 1973

 

London Wall, March 1973

 

Looking for customers at St Martin within Ludgate, Ludgate Hill in the City of London, summer 1973

 

Lunchtime stroll by the Sir Christopher Wren pub, Paternoster Square, London, April 1973

 

Lunchtime stroll to check the shops and catch up on the scandal, London, April 1973

 

Mounted police, presumably City of London, at Ludgate Circus, summer 1973

 

Office worker enjoying a lunchtime sandwich near St Paul's, London, April 1973

 

Office worker on Gresham Street, London, March 1973

 

Potman from the Sir Christopher Wren pub collects beer mugs from the seating near St Paul's, London, April 1973

 

Racks of rib roasts at the Smithfield meat market, London, March 1973

 

Routemaster double-decker number 6 bus on Farringdon Road on the way to Kensal Rise, London, March 1973

 

Russian hats were all the rage, London, 1973

 

Scene the day after the IRA car bomb in Old Bailey, London, March 1973

 

Smart couple on High Holborn, London, June 1973

 

Striding across Ludgate Circus in the spring sunshine, London, April 1973

 

The remains of pig carcases, in skips ready for disposal, probably to the sausage factory, at the Smithfield meat market, London, March 1973

 

Wrestling with a tin of peanuts in the shadow of St Paul's Cathedral, Paternoster Square, London, April 1973

 

City messenger on the high walk from the Barbican to Wood Street, London, March 1974

 

 
Little bit of gossip on the way to the shops, London, 1974

 

(Photo © Norman Craig)