This photograph shows the High Street looking towards the river, showing Hedley Mitchells Department store on the left.

Mitchell's were the only department store in Erith and when it closed in 1961 Erith's largest and best-known shop ended after some 150 years in business in one form or another.

Erith, in 1905, was a very busy town. There were many industries along the riverfront and a large amount of terraced housing had been built in order to house the workers.