Where were these construction workers in London, when photographed?

[MaryA]

I know nothing, but I think it's a great pic.

Andrews rather than Anderson since I don't think the number of letters would fit.
What is the big turnscrew at the front? some sort of drill?
Was it common for the men to tie around their trouser legs just below the knee? to stop something running up them?

[Salvia]

I always thought trousers were  tied below the knee to stop rats running up!  So maybe it was sewer construction going on. 

Great photo.

[jim1]

The general style looks 1890's possibly into the early 1900's.
The hole looks too deep for tramlines so maybe sewers.
This may be the construction crew hence no spades,picks etc.

jim
Edit:just seen the post from Salvia,the ties were to keep the trouser bottoms out of the dirt & also to stop them fraying.

[cazza59]

There was an Adolphus Andrews, teacher of music at 2 Parkstone Road, Peckham from 1891 to at least 1908.


Caroline

[Redroger]

There are two bowler hats amongst the workers pictured. While it was the norm for the foreman to wear a bowler, it was not exclusive unless there are two work gangs pictured.

[Keith Sherwood]

Hi again, Everyone,
And thanks for the input and ideas.  Had a look through my CD London Directory  for1902, but could find no obvious fit for that music school, to enable the location of the picture to be pinpointed.  If only there was someone who could tell how old an individual in a photo was exactly - Edward GATFIELD was born in 1868, what age does he appear to be here?
Have communicated with my sister-in-law over the weekend, and she says her grandmother, one of Edward's many daughters, lived on in the house at 15, Lamprell Street until she married.  I also think she said that this particular lady lived to the ripe old age of 92...
Please keep the suggestions coming in,
Regards, keith

[chinakay]

Not much that's dateable in the clothing, but one of the gents in the background is wearing what looks like a straw boater...I think these came out in the late 1890s and remained popular for some time.

Not much help, I know

Cheers,
China

[Jean McGurn]

What a great photo. Pity part of the dance studio name is missing as this could identify whereabout in London it was taken.

 The two men wearing bowler hats: one could be the works manager and the other - without a coat on - being the foreman.

As the picture is at what looks like a large road junction I wonder if perhaps it's the making of a subway (for people to cross from one side to the other or maybe even toilets as there looks like metal fence railings to the right of the men.

 The big bits of metal with a screw device looks like its something to hold the two pieces are a set distance apart and maybe keep them there which could suggest it would be part of an underground roof with the road being eventually laid on top of it?


Jean

[ScouseBoy]

Yes Jean,  My best guess is that it is construction for the London Underground.  It looks like a ramp going down at an angle, and it looks like tiles or paving slabs under the feet of the construction team.