‘High Street’ was first published in 1938. It showcased 24 color lithographs by the illustrator, Eric Ravilious, with accompanying text by the architectural historian, J.M. Richards.
Ravilious created his lithographs in 1936 and 1937, drawing straight onto stone in the studios of the Curwen Press. The idea of an alphabet of shops came from his lover, Helen Binyon. The book was actually designed for children. The Ravilious images evoke nostalgia for a past era of shopping, but in the case of the cheesemonger (Paxton & Whitfield in Jermyn Street) the shop façade and window display still remain much the same today.
Initially, Ravilious did not have a publisher, but continued working on the book, subsidized by Curwen Press until Noel Carrington (brother of the Bloomsbury artist, Dora Carrington) agreed to publish it. Sadly, only 2,000 copies of ‘High Street’ were printed and the lithographic plates were subsequently destroyed by the London Blitz. Today, it is an extremely collectable item, and copies change hands at high prices.
Among the lithographs included, are images of shops, such as the family butcher, the coachbuilder, the cheesemonger, the knife grinder and the oyster bar.
Contribution to Retail History
‘High Street’ captures a bygone era in retail, just before the face of the UK High Street began to change. In the 1930s, retail brands such as Marks & Spencer, Boots and Woolworth’s began to expand their national presence, taking up positions in the High Street and replacing the small, individual shopkeepers depicted in this book.