Where were these construction workers in London, when photographed?

[Jean McGurn]

Having looked at the link Kathy posted there are some pictures of construction of the underground that appear to have the large wooden block beams with some of them two together with a gap between them. Most of them are from the  late 1860's but that's not to say that in the Edwardian era they weren't still using them.

The long pipes could be conduits for either gas lighting or maybe wires for electricity.

So I would think maybe it is the entrance to a tube station although there weren't any of them with any buildings like in the background of Keith's photo.

Perhaps London Transport Collection may be able to help?

Jean   
 

[ainslie]

Assuming we are in London, could we be looking at the Kingsway tunnel/underpass ?
A

[ShaunJ]

Could it be Mare Street in Hackney? Carl Andre & Co had a music school there circa 1899-1915, at number 109.

Could be Andre's School of Music ?

[chinakay]

Gosh Shaun, it would certainly fit the sign better than the lengthier suggestions.

Looking at a Google image of Mare St, there's a railway track through the intersection with Amherst Rd. It's elevated now, but I bet it wasn't built like that originally.

Cheers,
China

[nigelp]

He also pointed out that he couldn't see any gaslamps.

That's what the pipes were for, that they were installing ! 

P.S. Only joking - on reflection, I think the photo is too late for gas lamps.

By Queen Victoria's death in January 1901, electric lighting was still in its infancy. Gas lighting was common and still being installed in the cities and larger towns.

Nigel

[ShaunJ]

Back then, number 109 Mare Street was on a block between Essex Street and Westgate Street. 

[IgorStrav]

Looking at today's map, it certainly could be around Mare Street...

and it would be a convenient place to be working if you lived in Poplar

[ShaunJ]

Until 1910 the PO  Directories list  Andre, Carl & Co as "musical instrument makers". In 1912 they are listed as "Teachers of music and singing".

[nigelp]

I don't think it is of Mare Street as Mare Street is quite wide and had horse trams operating along its length from Hackney to Aldgate as early as the 1870s. I have a photo of a garden-seat horse tram in Mare Street.

Photos of Mare Street can be seen in this link:

http://www.photohistory-sussex.co.uk/SimkinMuriel.htm

Nigel