Throughout the 70s, the seeming stolidity of London concealed a myriad of radical trends, often deeply opposing, as Britain’s finances spiraled downwards. Independent record labels presaged Margaret Thatcher’s radical economic policies, whereas punk spread frenzied mania with protomillennial fervor. London became a truly global metropolis for the first time after the collapse of the British Empire. During this time, it was primarily populated by immigrants and marginalized groups. A musical svengali from Australia, Mike Chapman, arrived for the weekend, and an ex-pat from South Africa, Mickie Most, returned for another visit. From the Sex Pistols, Johnny Rotten came from an Irish family who lived in London during his childhood. The Provisional IRA repeatedly attacked London during ‘The Troubles’ in Northern Ireland from the early 1970s until the mid-1990s.
Below are some fascinating from Mats Örn vintage photos that show the street life of London in 1971.
