The People of Gibraltar

2018 - Hawkers, Vendors and Menders - Gibraltar - Part 2

Fruit and Vegetable Vendors

These goods were perhaps the very first perishables that were delivered by street vendors throughout the decades to many of Gibraltar’s housewives. The photos below - many of them snapshots - were taken either by locals or by visitors. Tentative dates range from the very early to the mid 20th century. Photographs from the Guilliano family collection are identified accordingly.

Dressed for the occasion ( 1862 - Possibly from The Graphic)

(1875 - The Graphic)

1876 - The Illustrated London News

1877 - The Graphic

(1881 - The Graphic)

Water carrier and fruit seller, Castle Ramp ( 1895 - but might be later)

Library Ramp - with the Artillery Barracks in Gunner's Parade in the Background (Late 19th century)

Possibly cropped from a postcard (1900s)

A very well known photograph which may very well have been taken in the late 19th century

This photo was taken at the junction between Castle Street and Castle Ramp. The first was originally known as Castle Steps until the "steps were" removed - It is also known colloquially as Calle Comedia, a persistent reference to a theatre found in this street owned by a Henry Cowper which was probably inaugurated in the late 18th century.

Possibly early 20th century

Probably older than the date attributed - I don't know where it was taken (1910)

Both taken the same day in front of the premises of J. Lucas Imossi in No 2 Irish Town (1910)

In those days Irish town and parts of Main Street were paved with wooden cobbles - stone sets were considered noisy. J. Lucas Imossi were - and continue to be - important shipping agents since the late 19th century.

Unknown location (1914 - Taken by A. P. Coleman)

(1917 - The Graphic Magazine)

In front of the entrance to the Loreto Convent, Europa Road (1920s)

This is was my second school during my kindergarten years. Most of the time it was a girls' school run by the Loreto nuns.

Another photo taken at the junction between Castle Steps and Castle Ramp (1820s)

This photograph is something of a curiosity for me. A copy of it was bought by Margaret Selvey, the mother of a family friend who was visiting Gibraltar on her way to China in the early 20th century to meet up with her missionary husband.

Catalan Bay (See LINK) (1930)

Unknown location (1930s)

Fruit seller - unknown location (1930s)

Governor's Street (1930s)

Prickly pear - higo chumbo - sellers (1930s)

Catalan Bay (1930s)

Unknown location (1930s)

(1940s - Guilliano collection)

Sold out and going home (1940s - Guilliano collection)

Castle Road (1940s - The National Geographic)

Also Castle Road but further south and in front of el Patio Schott (1940 - Guilliano collection)

Unknown location (1940s - Guilliano collection)

Somewhere near South Barracks area (1950s)

Near Windmill Hill (1950s)

The Spanish Aduana - Vendors returning home to after a hard day's work on the Rock having to put up with a long and arduous search by the Spanish customs officers (1950s)