It is certainly hard to miss Tony when wandering down Roman Road
It’s always a nice feeling to see a familiar face on London’s packed streets.
The city is famed for its street markets, but as time has worn on, many traders have been forced to pack up – including at Bow’s iconic Roman Road Market.
For the past 150 years, Roman Road Market has served East Londoners, selling everything from clothes to homeware. The market has seen a decline in the number of traders on the streets in recent years, however.
Where before finding a bay on the main street was a near impossible task, now, on a Tuesday, empty spaces are visible. Yet, there is one man who has been a part of the market for the last 40 years.
Anthony ‘Tony’ Parchment is hard to miss. Since 1972, his iconic blonde hair has been part of his unique selling point. Standing out in a place full of colourful clothes and characters, Anthony is part of the furniture of Roman Road Market, selling ladies’ outerwear, and he wouldn’t change a thing.
He told MyLondon: “I chose this area. I had to make it work. I’m still here. There’s nothing else for me to do. The best part of being here is that I get along very well with everyone. Once you get on with them, you have no problem. It doesn’t matter who the person is; they show a lot of respect. I’ve been here a long time, and I’m used to it.
“How many people you see with this hairstyle? I stand out. I’ve never copied other people. When you be yourself, people always respect you. I never wear trainers or jeans; I get my trousers tailored. I always show respect to people, and I always have little children coming by and saying, ‘Hey, Bubba’.
“Some people came to the market, and I think they expected to make a million. I came here, and if I earned £1, I’d still be the same guy. If someone is sick, I will give them some advice and tell them what to do. People always come back because they trust me.”
Tony came to London from Jamaica when he was 17. He has seen the market change over the last 40 years Yet, Tony has stayed exactly the same.
As people walk by, they all greet him with a smile while he sips the tea he got from the G Kelly Pie and Mash shop, another institution on Roman Road.
As well as Tony’s iconic hair, his blue van is as reliable as he is. Bought when he first started out on the market, he has kept it well-maintained, and it’s hard to miss his blonde hair and blue van as he cruises through Tower Hamlets.
“When I first came to the market, my first pitch was on the side road,” he said, “There was no way I could get onto the main road like I am now. This market would open at 6am, and every trader would have already been here, ready and waiting. You’d have never seen a market busier in your life.
“Now, like everything else, everybody has disappeared. Since technology, it has killed everything. People don’t come to the market anymore. They sit indoors, and they order online. You only really get older people in the market, not young people — they don’t come at all.”
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