Old Clothes Exchange, Phil's Buildings, Houndsditch 1882

The court of Phil's buildings was found directly opposite St Mary Axe. A barrier was placed across steps leading up to the court, as there was an admission fee of one penny. At four to five in the afternoon, dealer's would come daily to this 100ft square market space to sell clothing after a morning's rounds of collecting cast offs. The pavement and benches would be littered with huge sacks half-emptied of their contents. Heaps of old boots and shoes were indiscriminately mingled with bundles of old umbrellas and parasols, while trousers, coats, waistcoats, shawls, mantels, hats and caps were more carefully laid out to view, all sold for shillings or pence

Admission Barrier Benches Bundles Carefully Collecting Contents Dealer Emptied Heaps Houndsditch Indiscriminately Laid Littered Mantels Markets Mingled Offs Parasols Pence Sacks Sell Shawls Shillings Umbrellas Waistcoats

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