Albert Road is a spinal route running parallel to this stretch of the Thames, which served the substantial commercial and residential development built around the Royal Docks during the late nineteenth century. Parts of the road were either in North Woolwich, Kent, or East Ham, Essex, originally having sequences of street numbering in two directions, but all is now within the London Borough of Newham. This view shows the two-storey corner shop of hairdresser James Jaques, originally from Sheerness, Kent, on the corner of Albert Road and Robert Street across the road from Park Terrace and the Royal Victoria Gardens. In addition to the traditional barber's pole shown above the shop's corner door, a suspended sign promises 'EASY SHAVING' and 'FRESH WATER FOR EACH CUSTOMER'. All of the windows have ornate graphic panels proudly naming the shop as 'The ROYAL ALBERT Hair-Cutting & SHAVING SALOON' also describing it as a 'Gentlemens & Ladies Hair-Cutting and Shampooing Saloon', offering 'SHAMPOOING and SINGEING', 'WASH and BRUSH-UP', 'RAZORS Ground and Set', 'Quick and Easy SHAVING', 'Fresh WATER for each CUSTOMER', and 'Childrens HAIR Carefully CUT'. Robert Street no longer joins Albert Road and the site is now the rear garden of a late twentieth century house on Albert Walk.
