All Things Considered

Eric Ravilious’ High Street
Posted by Simon Lewin

Can you help identify the restaurant below?

Seventy years ago Country Life Books published High Street, a children's book of shops, featuring twenty-four exquisite lithographs by the English artist Eric Ravilious (1903-1942). The book wasn't a limited edition, but the destruction of the lithographic plates during the Blitz meant that only 2000 copies were ever printed. Subsequently High Street has become one of the most highly-prized artist's books of its time.

In "The Story of High Street" Mainstone Press have tried to locate the whereabouts of Eric Ravilious' 24 businesses and shop fronts in their wonderful limited edition book that reproduces the original lithographs and text of High Street, along with essays, preparatory sketches and drawings.

One of the locations that proved elusive was the 'Restaurant and Grill Room'. Does anyone recognise this room with it's distinctive five or six sided skylight?

J. M. Richards, the author of High Street tells us that ... "All the pictures are of real shops, though they are not in fact all in the same street. Most of them are in London, but except for those of a very specialised kind - such as the shop that sells fire-engines and the one that sells diving suits - you could find shops like these in almost any big enough town".

So where was this London restaurant? The first person who can help successfully identify the location will receive a copy of the 'The Story of High Street', worth £160.00. Please contact us if you can help.

Posted by Simon Lewin on July 30th, 2009