'The Car Wash' Colour photographs taken by Tom Lyddon of female workers at the car wash under the railway arches in Three Colt Street, Limehouse. Used for painting P/LYD/1/1. Tom Lyddon reflects: 'In the late 1980's I began to be serious about learning to paint. I found that the artist John Copnall gave painting lessons locally in the artists colony in the former Spratts dog biscuit factory. I enrolled on Lessons once a week and having the use of his studio could paint on a larger scale. At this time I drove a licensed black cab which gave me the freedom to follow my artistic interests. Black cabs need to be kept clean so I often used the car wash under the railway arches in Three Colt Street, Limehouse. This car wash was mainly staffed by women, who I believe were of east European origin. Waiting in line for my turn gave me the opportunity to photograph them at work which I used to compose the painting.' Attached label: entered and exhibited in the Whitechapel Open, Whitechapel Art Gallery. 1988