One of the questions we asked recently on our Facebook Page was what is your favourite location in the East End of London.
It’s amazing how fond people are of the East End. Or, then again, perhaps it isn’t. I’ve been leading tours around the area now since 1982 and I honestly never tire of looking at the buildings and discovering new things about the streets.
It might be a carving on a door pediment that I’ve walked past many times and not noticed. It might be something I happen to notice if, perchance, I see a wall or a building from a different angle or view point.
The thing is that the East End of London in general, and the streets of Whitechapel and Spitalfields in particular, are so steeped in history that, if you look closely enough, no matter how well you think you know them, there is always something new to find.
So, when we asked our little community over on our Facebook Page what their favourite East End location was, we got a nice variety of answers.
The Ten Bells pub on Commercial Street got a few mentions. This was certainly around at the time of the Ripper murders and, since it is claimed that several of the victims drank in there, it is a must visit place for all Ripper enthusiasts.
The Blind Beggar down on Whitechapel Road got a mention. Although not related to history of Jack the Ripper the Blind Beggar does have associations with the Krays and so, therefore, it does feature in the criminal history of the area.
Christchurch Spitalfields, a Nicholas Hawksmoor designed church, was listed by some as their favourite location. I must say I’ve always admired the looming bulk of this magnificent church. I also find it a poignant point, and one that I make on every Jack the Ripper Tour that I lead, that each of the Ripper’s victims would have looked up at the gleaming white tower of the church on an almost daily basis.
The Queen Vic also got a few, tongue in cheek, mentions!
Petticoat Lane Market was also mentioned as was Brick Lane which. today, is one of the best places you can go to enjoy a curry in London.
It’s always great when others share their stories with us and with the community at large. So, if you’ve not been over to our Facebook Page yet, be sure to pay us a visit and get involved.