James Bowley was a ship-joiner in Emmett Street from the 1830s to the 1860s and Bowley St ran east-West between Emmett St and Westferry Rd (formerly Bridge St) just to the south of Garford St, in the area demolished for the Limehouse Link.
 
The shadow across the road tells me that the right is the south side and that we are looking east towards Westferry Road. The splendid building on the left was Providence House, a striking modern design built by by Poplar Borough Council in 1932 providing 78 2 and 3 bed homes. It was demolished by Tower Hamlets shortly after I took this picture (or, if you believe British History Online, some months before.)
 
The block at right, also council housing is I think a slightly later LCC block from 1936 but in a more traditional style, part of their St Vincent Estate.
 
This part of Westferrry Road was the start of 'The Walls' a notorious and rather daunting long stretch of road between high walls leading into the Isle of Dogs. I felt a little uncomfortable walking along it in daylight, and was pleased never to have to go along it on my own at night. It was this stretch of road that really made the Isle seem an isolated place. And a terrible bus service didn't help.