Bin Men at work in East Ham Streets. This post war photograph shows a Dennis side-loader dust cart and crew. Dustbins were just that - they took away ash from the many coal fires and household refuse. The bins were made of galvanised metal and were heavy even without their contents. They had to be lifted onto the shoulder and brought to the vehicle. This dust cart is in early East Ham Corporation cream livery with the coat of arms on the door. The starting handle can be seen in teh radiator grill. Bins could be unloaded into either side. At the depot  the hold was tipped up and the contents ejected through two rear doors. It must be a warm day because the driver has his front windscreen open as well as the little ventilation hatch on the cab roof. The slogan down the side tells householders, "Your salvage is needed - keep it separate." Paper waste and 'pig waste' were collected separately - see other images on the website. Notice that the tree in the background still has two feint white bands round the trunk, which helped to mark them during the black-outs of the Second World War