East London History Society

Newsletter

Christmas 1994 Vol.1 No. 1

Lo14C ,c))Nor L'Al - *FA

5 1/;w:4<trinw, ‘Ir

FIFTY YEARS AGO - THE WINTER OF '44

September '44, the Gled Pinnies wereadvancing across France, the flying bombsites on the French coast were being overrun. The attacks had lasted for 88 nerve-shattering days. A senior Cabinet Ministerstated "The Battle of London is now over."Almost on cue, the V2 (long range rocket)began raining down 0,17. ondon and theSouth-East.

The long range rocket was 45 ft long,weighed 14 tons and travelled faster than thespeed of sound. Launched from mobileplatforms in Holland which were verydifficult to detect, it carried a one tonwarhead. As they came down anytime of thenight or day and could land anywhere, itmeant that you could be caught at home, atwork, in a bus queue, or shopping. Againstthis background of sudden death, Londonershad to carry on with their everyday lives.

As the people of the East Eld movedtowards the fifth Christmas of the war, therewas the usual shortage of everything fromcoal to potatoes. You could line up at thebutchers and hope that they still had achicken or turkey when you got to the headof the queue, if not, make do with a rabbit.The Ministry of Food stated that a doubleration of dried eggs would be available.

A partial lifting of the blackout wasannounced. After five years of war the poorold East End with its bomb battered streetslooked much ...vorse in the dim street lights.

In Victoria Park, the 11th and 12thBattallions of the Home Guard had their finalparade before being stood down.

Railway workers were asking for a minimumwage of 10s per week.

The British radio industry said that theywould soon be producing TV sets, but didnot think that people would be able to affordthem as the price would be at least £30.

December, and the weather was very cold,with fog and snow, and for many people thiswould be their last Christmas, becauseLondon would continue to be a target untiljust a few weeks before the war ended.

JOHN HARRIS

In May 1995 it will be fifty years sincethe war in Europe ended (V.E. Day).

We will be producing a special edition ofthe newsletter and we want all our members towrite in with their memories of that day, whereyou :vere, what yiou were doing - if you :barn tc.)oyoUi-kg, what were you: parents doing.

Rosemary Taylor has promised to publishall your letters as well as any longer piecesrelating to that time.We've given you plenty ofwarning - so sharpen those pencils and getwriting, we're waiting to hear from you!

Although we have been covering the waryears in our newsletters, we have not gone intodetail, for instance, of every V I and V2 incidentin the East End, as we simply do not have thespace. We do hold records of most incidents,including casualty lists.

At a later date we intend to publisharticles on the most serious incidents. We wouldwelcome suggestions from our members on thisparticular period of East End history.

This Newsletter is published for the East LondonHistory Society. Letters, articles and news itemsmay be sent to Rosemary Taylor, Chair, ELHS, 5Pusey House, Saracen Street, Poplar, London E146HG. Tel 0171 515 2960.

East London Record No. 17 (1994-5)

The current East London Record isnow available, priced at £2.50 plus 40prine+ and noolziner

The Record contains an interesting andimaginative mix of articles andreminiscences, drawn from a variety ofsources. There are fifteen illustrations.Contributors to this latest edition of theRecord include:

q ivy Alexander, who writes abouther childhood in Canning Town, has hadsome of her memories publishednrevinnclv by the Newham T-Tietnry

Society and the Chigwell and LoughtonHistory Society. Her Record article is her.most detailed and reflective work to date.

q Harold Finch, a youth officer inTower Hamlets for 27 years, traces thehistory of the youth service in theborough from its nineteenth centuryorigins to the present.

q Bruce Watson writes on the resultsof excavations at Backchurch Lane,Whitechapel, organised by the Museumof London Archaeological Service in1993.

The Record also includes the usualreviews and lists of books and articlesrelating to East London. There are fifteenillustrations. On sale at East LondonHistory Society meetings, at EastsideBooks, The Ragged School Museum,Sutton House awl a few other outlets.

Copies may be ordered by post from 13Abbotsbury Close, Stratford, EIS 2RR.Each copy sold helps to ensure that theEast London Record continues to be oneof the few local history publications thatcan survive without a subsidy. So treatyour friends

COLN! KERRIGAN

HACKNEY HISTORY PRIZE

q Les Jolly played schoolboy footballin Hackney in the nineteen thirties andrecoils some of hic gPitne q in SpringfieldPark, Hackney Marsh, Millfields andVictoria Park.

q C J Lloyd writes about an'alternative' medical establishment inStepney Green 100 years ago.

q E J Erith's 'An East LondonBusiness' traces the history of his family'sfirm of builders' merch,uits, whi ch beganat a wharf in Cambridge Heath in theeighteen forties.

A prize of up to £150 is being offered for awritten report based on original(unpublished) research into any topic -tea with the history of vracirney,the area included in the present Londonborough of Hackney, and the formermetropolitan boroughs of Hackney,Shoreditch and Stoke Newington.

The entry must not exceed 3,000 words.The closing date is 31 July 1995-

Further information from HackneyArchives Dept, 43 de Beauvoir Rd,

l

iondon Ni 5SQ.

The Influenza Epidemic of 1918- 1919

In June 1918 the world wide influenzaepidemic reached Britain. It did not makemuch of an impact on the government, as thiscountry had a long history of respiratorydisedses espcuially in the working classindustrial areas. After a short break the flureturned in November. This was not the usualstrain of flu virus which, if caught, youretired to bed for a few days and took a dose.of aspirin. This was a very different virus, thiswas a killer. Many people could leave homein the morning to go to work, a-nd wouldcollapse in the street and had to be rushed tohospital.

The death rate was highest among the 15- 60age group, whose stamina should have beenstrong enough to withstand this disease.Many of the victims were young girls whotravelled daily by tram from Poplar to theirjobs in the city. The symptoms wereheadache, cold, then death within two days.

In Bethnal Green, because of a shortage oftimber the undertakers ran out of coffins. Themortuary was fall and a temporary mortuaryhad to be set up in Hackney Road (TheMalthouse). People waiting to bury relativesbegan to make their own coffins out of anyscrap wood that could be found includingorange crates and fish boxes.

In one week 100 burials took place at BowCemetery and many more had to be refused.Each undertaker carried out 20 funerals perday, for this reason the undertakers inStepney and Bethnal Green districts werereluctant to make a journey to Manor ParkCemetery as this would wear out the horses.They all wanted burial plots r Deserved in BowCemetery. This led to friction between thetwo groups, (including a fist fight).

The government suspended a law whichstated no burials should take place after mid-day Saturday. Burials now continued over the

seven days. At Manor Park the army draftedin men to dig extra graves.

In a house in Abingdon Street, BethnalGreen, a person who died on November 11thwas still there 3 weeks later. At SeebrightStreet body had been in the housefor such a long time that it was in theadvanced stages of decomposition.

Many factory and office workers wereencouraged to smoke, based on the theorythat the fumes would kill the flu germs. AllT nnrinn rinemag and theatres had to he

fumigated between performances, and someLondon Boroughs banned children fromcinemas.

Hackney Fire Brigade could not answer anycalls, as there were no firemen to man theenginec flat nf a ward qtaff nf ln at HA nkmyHospital, only 2 were available for duty. Theentire country was grinding to a halt. 50% ofthe Metropolitan Police were on the sick list,telephone calls were restr i cted to 2 hours perday as no switchboard operators wereavailable.

In early 1919 the epidemic began to die out.The final death roll for the UK was 237,400.For the East End Boroughs of Stepney,Poplar and Bethnal Green. the death roll was1,127.

Where did this viric nnmP frnm? The medicalprofession has no idea. Will it ever return?The medical profession does not know.

JOHN HARRIS

2

In Search of Captain James Cook andDame Alice Row (of Mile End)

The Soanes Centre at Tower HamletsCemetery Park have been given theopportunity to erect near to the Centre aplaque and Arch (pediment) that was part ofthe Almshouses that were erected near thecomer of tvfile End P‘oad and Grove Road,and opposite York Place.

Today these six houses would have been onthe edge of Mile End Park near the Church of.the Guardian Angels. In the early 1980's thisPlaque was saved and stored by the GLCvvhen the area was cleared WI the new MileEnd Park.

On this site in 1673 a Thomas Grimby leasedfor 100 years a piece of land to the ChurchWardens and Overseers of Stepney Parish,for the erection of four almshousescontaining eight rooms to be built for poorseamen and widows, from money left byCaptain James Cook and Dame Alice Row,his widow.

In 1786-9 a Joseph Bird was managing theproperties, selecting the tenants and doingrepairs al his own expense. Then in 1844 aThomas Daplin left money for coals to bepurchased for Christmas each year for thewidows in these Almshouses.

The trustees in 1871 allowed a Henry Cocksof No. 393 Mile End Road to make use ofthe eastern wall as a party wail for the sum oftwenty shillings.

In 1880, the Almshouses were in a verydilapidated condition and a buildersagreement allowed six Almshouses - No. 1 -6 Barnet Market, otherwise No. 391 a b c d eRi f Ter; le .g.nd Road to be built at .,muQ1lease of fifteen shillings each house for 70years. David Daplin's gift was converted intonew consuls of fifty pounds. These rentsallowed eight widows four shillings a week

with an extra two and six a week during theten weeks of winter. Seven of these widowshad formerly been inmates of the oldAlmshouses. The average age of the widowswas seventy three years. Widows had to be ofreduced circumstances, infirm from age, oraccident and ill health. These pensions wereexclusively administered for the benefit ofMile End Old Town for residents who hadlived in the Parish for longetr than five years,although originally' given for the benefit ofStepney Parish.

Do any of our members remember theseAlmshouses and the Plaque?

No photographs exist in the Bancroft LocalHistory Library. Has anyone a postcard ofthese almshouses?

And finally, who were Captain James Cookand Dame Alice Row?

TICIRF,F,N KF,NT1A I

Save the Stoke Newington Reservoirs andFilter Beds Campaign

Thames Water has sought planning permissionfor the construction of 400 houses of 3 and 4storeys on the site of the Filter Beds.

Listed and protected as a heritage andarcheological site, it contains two of the first sandfiltration beds to be constructed c 1855 to supplyfiltered water to the City of London in order tocombat Cholera.

•

Please contact David Bracken,SRC, 71 Queen Elisabeth Walk,London N16 for further information.Tel: 081 800 4942

3

Out and About with the ELHS

East of London Family History Societyhosted a meeting at the Soanes Centre TowerHamlets Cemetery on August 14th. What asuperb afternoon this turned out to be forawarcinna Their maml-are rat, a 1.airra

bookstall and non-stop teas all afternoon.Our Society's project of 16 panels entitled'Every Stone Tells a Story' was on displayand Rosemary gave a lecture on the historyof the Cemetery, followed by a guided tour.About 80 people were in attendance, so twowalks had to be organised around thegrounds, based on the History Trail we hadresearched. Each walk was so successful, weover ran our time, and search parties weresent out to track us down!

Many members of the Family History Societywere surprised and disappointed to learn thatresearching and locating graves was not astraightforward process, and that much of thework had to be done in the Greater LondonRecord Office, locating square and grwenumbers. Even then the chances of finding agrave were not certain. However, twomembers were successful in locating theirfamily graves, and this has spurred others toreturn to continue their search.

We were again walking the Cemetery for theFriends of Tower Hamlets Cemetery onSunday 18 September. There was a goodattendance and our audience was ;-+i-igxed bythe stories we have uncovered of localpeople, famous, infamous and unknown. Wehave also had information supplied to us by .people engaged in their own family researchand this has added to our knowledge of thisfascinating Cemetery.

The coach Outing to Grantham on Saturday1 October took us on a long ride to ourdestination due to the roadworks on theMi 1. The weather did not help by decidingto rain all day.

Trinity Green Almshouses were under thespotlight in October when the residentsopened their homes to reporters andHermione Hobhouse, general editor of theSurvey of London to commemorate the100th anniversary of the Survey of Londonwhich all began when C R Ashbee, architectand conservationist, amongst other things.made an impassioned plea to save theAlmshouses from demolition. His monographon the Trinity Hospital in Mile End publishedin 1896 was soon followed by the parishvolumes, the very first being that of Bromleyby Bow in 1900.

This event is also being marked by anexhibition at the Museum of London, and thepublication of a book, London Survey'd: thework of the Survey of London 1984-1994.

One of our members, Lelia Raymond, was onhand to greet the RCHM and play host to thepress. She has done considerable researchinto the history of Trinity Green and hasproduced some useful reference notes.

The first of our season's lectures was onThursday 29 September and the subject wasthe London Hospital and the Mercers'Company - examples of respectable landlordsin the East End from the Victorian period, byMona Paton. This was greatly enjoyed by ouraudience, and it was good to see some newfaces. Our lectures are becoming increasinglypopular with the change of venue. MonaPaton and her husband will be familiar tothose who frequent the library, and herentertaining lecture was the result of years ofresearch which she has carried out for adissertation.

On 27 October we held our AGM which wasfollowed by a lecture by Michael Essex-Lopresti.This was a vivid account of thedevelopment and history of the Regent'sCanal. Michael Essex-Lopresti has publisheda well informed book on the Canal -Exploring the Regents Canal, price £7.95 +p&p from the London Canal Museum.

4

Michael Essex-Lopresti has spent overtwenty years exploring the canal and itshistory and has a wealth of documentaryevidence to support his talk. The wellattended lecture was treated to a professionalslide show, in which the use of a doubleprojector made viewing a real delight as hemerged frames with the expertise of a trueprofessional. This was followed by a shortfilm of his journey down the canal toLimehouse Basin. He went into great detailabout the land, cost of labour, the peoplewho worked the canal and the archeologicalevidence of how the work was carried out.

Our Society's Treasurer, Philip Mernick gaveus a fascinating talk on Tokens and Medals ofthe East End. We can only say that thosewho missed this talk deprived themselves of a',ninne nppArtnnity of seeing the history andgrowth of trade and industry through theeyes of a collector. Philip has put examplesfrom his collection on slide to illustrate hispoint that reading the inscription on a market •token can reveal a wealth of informationabout the trader or firm. Tokens were used asa form of currency going back hundreds ofyears, as payment for items such as sacks,boxes and pallets, glass bottles, or even forwork done. The New Globe Public House,Mile End, would sell tokens for admissionand refreshments to be taken.

The last lecture before going to Dress was onV V

the History of Soke Newington,1 an illustrated

talk by Peter Foynes. The hall was packed tocapacity, and we should not have beensurprised by the popularity of the subject,which was skilfully dealt with by PeterFoynes in a series of slides showing buildingsand houses past and present..

DOREEN KENDALL

What's On in the Weeks Ahead

On the 14 December the Ragged SchoolMuseum and the East London HistorySociety a.s holding Quiz Night, 'wh ich will befollowed by refreshments and perhaps amusical interlude.

As the Museum hold only a limited number ofpeople we have had to sell tickets on a firstcome, first served basis at our lectures and atthe Ragged School Museum to. We hope thave an entertaining and enjoyable night, andif it is successful, we will consider anotherevent in the summer, and possibly include agreater number of people.

()lir cnngrati llatinne to RVP TinetptlPr and theIsland History Trust for scoo ping the 1994Raymond Williams Award for communitypublishing, organised by the Arts Council. TheAward was for their latest book Memories ofChildhood on the Isle of Dogs.'

Many of our members may be aware that theTrust has been under considerable financialconstraints, as a result of which their monthlynewsletter has now become an occasional one.However, the award is doubly useful in that itnot only proves the value of the work the Trusthas been carrying out under the able guidanceof Eve Hostetler, but it also recognises theworth of local history publications.

You can support the work of the Trust bybuying their 1995 calendar which is on sale, incpostage, M.N. Send your cheque to the Tnistat Island House, Roserton Street, London E143PG.

5

Toucans and Tapestries -Autumn Coach Trip to Belton House

It began badly, a rainy morning driving up theAl to Grantham, held up in places by heavytraffic. It was a relief to arrive at last.

Having eaten some sandwiches in the coach,Betty and I set out at once to see the town.The most famous thing in it I suppose is MrsThatcher's birthplace, but we made a beelinefor the church, whose tall spire dominated theview as we approached. Once we were rightin the toW11, we could not see it. Howeversignposts pointed the way along quiet backstreets with unexpected little corners.

Inside the church we had a pleasant surprise,an unexpected bonus. It was all decorated forHarvest Festival and various special eventsWere taking place. Musicians were playing,and up a little staircase there was a chainedlibrary. Some of its treasures were displayedin a glass case. Another visitor, with thepermission of the librarian, had got a hookout and turned its pages. It was a 16thcentury by Gesenius. The page he waslooldng at showed two alternative views of atoucan, one quite accurate, the other less so.

The librarian got out the other volume of thebook, and turned to the rhinoceros. Thepicture here was based on Durer's famousengraving, which manages to be both lifelikeand wrong. Durer had obviously never seenone himself, and put the horn in the wrongplace and turned its leathery skin into averitable suit of armour. It made me thinkhow wonderful it must have been to live thenwhen so many new things were beingdiscovered. Unlike the earlier mediaevalbestiaries the creatures described are real

rather than imaginary, and its shows thebeginning of a scientific outlook.

We had time for a quick cup of tea and cakein the church, and then back to the coach. Ashort drive and we were at Belton House, themain object of our trip

Belton House was built in the late 17thcentury, and some rooms are still as originallybuilt. There is some exceptionally fineplasterwork by one Edward Goudge - Iwonder if he was related to the West Hamand Stepney Goudges I once researched?There are also 'School of Gritiling Gibbons'carvings. Others were remodelled in the 18thcentury to suit changing tastes.

We moved from room to room, each onemore sumptuous than the last - rich furniture,tapestries, bed hangings, porcelain, pictures,ctsirpetg, and the qilverware belonging toSpeaker Cust. By the time we had gonethrough the large house, and down to thekitchens, there was not much time left for thegardens. The old kitchen looks authentic butthe 'iron' ranges are really a sham, paintedplywood made for a TV programme!

In any case it was damp outside, though therain had stopped. We rather rushed round thegardens and I went into the parish church atthe far end. It is almost like a private chapel,full of family monuments. There is however achapel in the house itself, I wondered whythey needed hi

It was a lovely day in spite of the weather,but the highlight for me was the toucan.

ANN SANSOM

IStop Press Stop Press Stop Press

We have been fortunate in getting DavidWebb, of the Bishopsgate Institute,wellknown to East of London FamilyHistory members, and indeed to many ofnays* mama-A:a.m. en.. nu". 11.n.4999.. 411,..Visa /1111G12/11/1 09 IV/ WWI L IG1.L4lG 111 MG

new year. This will be on 2 February, onEast End Photographic Studios (upto1914). Please make a note in your diary,as this talk was not included in ourProgramme.

6

Researchers' Requests

Following a number of requests from ourmembers and readers that the addresses ofthose requesting information and help inresearch be published in full, so that theymay be contacted directly, we are doing soin this newsletter.

If, however, you do NOT wish to haveyour address published, we would begrateful if, on writing to us, you state thisspecifically.

David Hart, 42 All Saints Road, KingsHeath, Birmingham B14 7LL is in searchof his East End roots::

I have been trying to find out more about myfamily history in East London. Although Iwas born in Wales, my parents had gonethere from London at the beginning of the2nd War, my father sent there to work inpublic health. He came from Mile End andmy mother from Leyton. As a child I madeoccasional visits to my grandparents and Istill have a strong feel for the area, as if Iknow it in my bones.

My father died many years ago and mymother lives now in a quite different part ofthe country, so the direct links are broken,but I want to find out as much andunderstand as much as possible of our historyto hand on to my children.

I've been to the Bancroft Road Libraryseveral times, looking at the Census and soon, and I'd like to say what a friendly andhelpful place that is. I was there again theother day and this time discovered the EastLondon Record, and bought several issues ofit along with other local history publications.

I don't know how possible it is to putrequests for information into circulation; I doknow luck plays a good part in these things,so'TL... sending 'this 'Letter in the hope of

perhaps making contact with anyone whorecalls anything - and there could be peoplefrom branches of the family still living there.

My father was Alfred James Hart, his fatherwas Alfred Chappell Hart, his father wasA lfred H—t, the last of these in the 1880'smarried to an Alice Copeland. My father'smother was Sarah Elizabeth (Restell) Hart,who father was Henry Charles Restell, (alsospelt Restall), who was married to Mary AnnLewis, whose father was William Lewis.They seem to have been poor people,workfrig at labouring, portering, in the teaand work trades amongst others, hometailoring, living in the streets south of MileEnd Road: Eric Si:reet, Canal Road, St Ann'sRoad (as was), Shandy Street and CouttsRoad (also as was).

LVLJL y mother was born TIoris Lilian Cole, herfather was George William Cole, a bus driver,her mother Annie Edith Brown and hermother Florence Lillian Stanley, whose fatherback in the 1870s was Joseph Stanley. Theylived from the 1930s in Leyton High Roadand streets off it: Canterbury Road, GrangePuk Road, '1 ...111,11

Sheila Stonham, 7 Morrab Place,Penzance, Cornwall, TR18 4DG writes:

I am researching in connection with thefamily of Holbrow. I believe they originatedin the Gloucester area and a younger son,possibly Daniel 'settled in London' around the18th century. From the 19th century censusreturns I have discovered there wereHolbrows in the Hackney area and later inBow. In the Public Library I came across aboo', wriften by the Rev. Holbrow about theGloucester family who mentioned theLondon connection.

I would appreciate any information inconnection with this family.

7

Michael Simmons, 64 Melbury Gardens,London SW20 ODJ, is looking for theSalvation Army connection:

My specific interest relates to the early yearsof the Salvation Army in the East End. MyaranrifathAr rharlAc Tr.ffriAc 1-irirn in

Shadwell in 1864, was a 'skeleton army'leader before being converted by the SA,which he served for the rest of his life.

Have you any articles, or you do you havemembers/experts on this area (from say 1860- 1 Wm)? th i s wniild include Any iricnrmatinncm street fights, court cases, etc, which theycaused.

R W Sexton, 109 Dalebrook Road,Winshill, Burton on Trent, Staffs, DE15nAv it looking for help in treeing hiefamily tree:

My grandmother, Mary Ann Emmersonmarried a George Edward Gunton at thechurch of Ail Hallows. East India Docks onMarch 28th 1886. It is possible that she had 2children hefnre she was married whilst shewas a domestic servant. George Gunton wasnot the father.

An uncle, Robert Charles Gunton, was bornat 21 Culloden Street on June 7th 1894. Mymother, Dorothy Louisa Gunton, was born in1R07 at 449 Fast Tndia Dunk RnAd . Therewere 2 other natural brothers, George andHerbert, but no dates or address are known.

What I am really asking is, have you by anychance in your Society archives, the 1891Census returns covering the above addresses?,

Any information you have would be verymuch appreciated, with any reasonable costsincurred met by return

Editor's Note:

The Bancroft Local History is the obviousplace to start your research, but Burton onTrent is a long way from Mile End! Can anyof our members help Mr Sexton in hisYe rearm,?

Christmas Boxes 1760

Mile End Old Town in the mid-eighteenthcentury was the home for a wide range ofrainy wealthy merchants, mariners,brewersand farmers, and some of their homes can stillbe seen in Stepney Green and in the housesnewly restored by the Spitalfields Trust inIreland Row on the Mile End Road.

One of the most inportant citizens wasLepnen ivicu L1I1 ia edit; neraiu at ruins,

whose family had a small estate from 1719until at least 1780 by Lady Leake's Grove,now known as Adelina Grove.

Stephen kept detailed accounts for most ofhis life and in 1760 recorded the cost ofChristmas boxes as follows:

The St Thomas's Men 1-0 ShBeadle 2-0Milkman 1-0Lampman 1-0Postman 1-0Turncock 1-0Watchman 1-0Marshal of Militia 1-0Newswoman 1-0Greenwich Pensioner 2-6Bayliff of the Hundred 5-0Baker 2-6

2-6Poulterer 2-6Cheesemonger 1-0

The 'tumcock' worked for the Water Workscompany, whose reservoir was just north ofwhat is now New Globe Tavern and Regents

8

There are two problems I would like helpwith. First, who were the 'St Thomas's Men'?

Second, there was also a tip to the 'MelinaMessenger', which I do not understand. Wasit a ship or boat?

We know that the Leakes lived well for hegave his wife about sixteen pounds a monthfor housekeeping for a family with fivechildren and two or three servants; this at atime when a labourer lived on ten shillings aweek.

In addition Stephen Leake was constantlyreceiving supplies of 'mountain wine', brandy,beer, salmon, oysters, trout, beef, rhubarband quinces from friends and neighbours.

Needless to say eac.h. delivery involvedanother tip!

For those who would like to know more theLeake accounts are on microfilm in theBancroft Library.

DEREK MORRIS

Derek also writes:

I am still working away at Mile End OldTown 1740 to 1780 and continue to getenquiries about mi, database!, which has over4000 land tax payers. I have now tied theland tax records into the manorial recordsand the many deeds at the Bancroft library sothat any property can now be found within100 yards or so.

I have Al qn Irerli •iwerPd t fir MilP Pnrl PstntPof the Bethlem and Brideswell Hospitals andhope to have an article published.

Limehouse Mystery Solved

Our President Mr Alfred French hassolved for us the mystery of the cup andsaucer marked 'A present fromLimehouse. He writes:

I see no mystery in the little piece of chinamarked 'A present from Limehouse'. Over theturn of the century, a firm in Germanymanufactured small china trinkets (ash trays,jewel boxes, vases etc) and they wereexported in quantity to England. Smallentrepreneurs bought these cheaply and theywere made available to fairs, retreats, seasideplaces etc and the name of the place wasinscribed, usually by transfer, to give them alocal appeal. I had a china jewel box with 'Apresent from Millvvall' on it in gold lettering.It was beginning to fade and was smashedwhen the house was bombed. I rememberseeing one with 'Greetings from Poplar' inone of the local museums.

These were usually bought by children for afew pence to take home to Mum and Dad. Itis interesting to note that in the twenties anumber of children had a holiday in East .London! They stayed with their aunts anduncles or grandparents. For children living inthe provinces the changc was a holiday. Ofcourse now they go to more exotic places.

I was fascinated by the item 'Around andAbout with the ELHS'. If you would like meto contribute some notes to this feature in alater newsletter, I will do so. Incidentally,Miriam Moses was very interested in theSociety and I tried to get her to give us a talkbut she was too busy. She was generally wellliked particularly for the work she did for theJewish community,

9

Editor's Note:

We were pleased to have the Limehousemystery resolved so quickly, and I am nowkeeping my eyes peeled for these trinkets inantique markets. I would love to get a Poplarone!

I do hope we hear more about Miriam Mosesso that we can build hp a dossier on her intime for the centenary celebrations next year.

As I mentioned in the last newsletter, wewould love to hear from you, and promise topublish your stories. I also try to put in asmany letters as I can. However, if you dowant to see your contributions in print,please put in as much contemporary detail aspossible. Anecdotal offerings are fine, but'the good old days, when everything was somuch better than it is today, when we had theEmpire and were proud to be British andwhat a shame its all gone to rack and ruin'train of thought is not likely to be printed.Having said that, don't forget, our next

- nay. Special..waiting to hear from you.

Stanley Tongue Memorial Lecture

The tenth annual Stanley Tonguememorial lecture (commemoratingHackney's first borough archivist) will begiven by Keith Sugden on Wednesday 3rdMay 1995 at Sutton House (2-4 HomertonHigh Street, E9). The subject will beArchaeology in Hackney, the subject ofKeith's forthcoming book. The lecture willbegin at approximately 8 pm, followingthe Friends of Hackney Archives AGMwhich begins at 7.30 pm. All members ofthe ELHS are very welcome to attend thelecture. Grumbolds cafe-bar at SuttonHouse will be open for meals.

PROGRAMME UPDATE

Thursday 2 February 19957.30 pm

East London Photographic Studios fromthe early days to 1914 - An illustrated talkby David Webb

Thursday 23 February 19957.30 pm

East London Sailors - A talk by AlfredLET 17'0 ■

x7 VUL11 kr rvansvut

Thursday 30 March7.30 pm

Asylums and Academies, the after-life ofHackney's Grand House - An illustratedtalk by Isobel Watson

Thursday 27 April7.30 pm

The Largest School in the World: theJewish Free School in Spitalfields 1817-(VIA • 4...11 uy- ,1_17,7 - MIK Gerry IMULK

Thursday 25 May7.30 pm

Shops and Street Markets in East London- Members' Open Evening

It would be helpful if you could letRosemary Taylor (071 515 2960) know ifyou wish to do a presentation on the OpenEvening. We can then allot some time foreach speaker, to ensure that there is aspace for everyone. Please bring your;mural photographs LULU vpnvulvra toshare your research with the othermembers.

. 10

Billy Scotchmer's Memories of Bow

I have lived away from. Bow for many yearsnow but because of its attraction to me Imake a point of a twice monthly visit tonostalgically sample the haunts of my youth.

Last Sunday, like many before it, I alightedfrom the No. 8 bus at the end of its journeyoutside Bow church where the old EmpireCinema stood. In the old days these busesterminated at Clay Hall garage, at the bottomof Blondin Street in Old Ford Road. Crossing

D k..iv

T --1120 W twau uy ‘Jiaubt.tn bLatuv, I Luincu MIL

down Fairfield Road passing the Town Hallwhich is now an imposing edifice of graniteand brick, and came to my old school still asit was in my young days. I wonder whatbecame of class 3B of 1935. Mr Ward wasthe headmaster and my teacher was MrBarnett. T1 later moved 110111 thiS school 41.0

more advanced learning, but its memoryalways stays with me. The cricket matches innearby Grove Hall Park, boys skating in theplayground and the occasional couple of cutswith the cane for my misdemeanours. I canstill conjure up the smell of the polishedwood floor in the assembly hall where we,took morning prayers.

Further along Fairfield Road going towardTredegar Road you passed the old TramShed still used as a bus garage, where as boyswe would perilously climb up the slopingroad hanging on to the outside of the railings,which are still there today.

There were two railway arches and then thatwonderful building with its two towers, theBryant & Mays Match Factory. I wonderhow many remember the steam driventractors that travelled to the. River Lee fromits back gate in Old Ford Road. All day longthey would chug back and forth carrying thelogs which were cut to make the matchsticks.

At the top of Fairfield Road turning left overthe railway bridge is Tredegar Road. Iremember the Out and nut Mission which

stood next door to Diables the newsagentsand the young cripple boy who wasconnected to it. He would push a barrowaround the streets of Bow selling his packetsof Mazawattee Tea.

lived in Tredegar Road as a child Myfriends and I would whip our tops along theroad outside Kenans Works near ArmaghRoad and around the back of Morville Streetwhere Gawthome Street ran into Lacy Street(alas no more there), we would play ourgames of tippy cat, tin can copper, release etc1v. +ha! "1A n-rz.eart Intra+tsr vv. • vv.-.

I.11V 51%Ar/1 VI' CII.V1 FU1/11F.

There is no St Stephens church now, wherein the 1930s I was a Cub and later a BoyScout. There was the kindly old vicar MrLancaster who always turned a blind eyewhen we played out games of cops androbbers .or cowboys indions --nong thetrees and bushes of his churchyard. Mymother always attended the Sunday servicethere and Mothers Meeting on Tuesday, shewas a friend of Miss Archer, the organist.

While doing one of my walks I stopped to:watch a modem day funeral. A largeMercedes Hearse with a coffin on boardpulled up outside a house with two limosinesfollowing, very quickly it was draped inflowers and wreaths, the bereaved relativesescorted into the waiting cars and withinminutes had sped off to the cemetery. Howdifferent from nry, young days when the,deceased was laid out in the parlour for up toa week with a continuous procession ofvisitors going to view. On the day of thefuneral the whole street was in mourning,blinds were drawn and black bands worn.The hearse pulled lby four black geldingsimmaculately groomed would arrive followedby the horse drawn coaches for the bereavedto travel in. The coffin lid would then bescrewed down after last respects had beenpaid, and the coffin loaded onto the hearsewith much dignity. The relatives draped intheir black clothes, which were worn for along period after the. fiuneralfuneral would he

11

escorted out to their seats in the coaches andthe procession moved off, led by theUndertaker resplendent in his top hat and1101AC. (AIM, k,cuiying Ills U4l011 01 111G

whole neighbourhood turned out, heads werebowed and hats removed, all traffic haltedand the hearse and coaches would go on theirslow peaceful journey to the cemetery.

If you walk down Addington Road from BowRoad you come to what was known in myday as Tom Thumbs Arch. It was a smallwhite tiled alleyway under the main railwayline from Liverpool Street to the East Coastand you came out the other side at the top ofMostyn Road. It is still there today andunchanged apart from the approaches to it.On our skates we would speed up and downthe slopes which today seem an impossiblefeat, owing to its narrowness. I will always,remember the old Indian in his turban,everybody called him Johnny, who wouldstand there on numerous weekdays sellingsilk ties and scarfs from his old and batteredsuitcase. r never 54W him n-iake a sale, how he,

T d^n't knnw.

I hope to do many more walks around mychildhood haunts, for the one or two hours ofnostalgic memories I get are worth months ofthe present day fast living.

W G Scotchmer writes:

Many thanks for the publication of my lastarticle. I have enclosed another herewithwhich if suitable you may use (we have!)I also enclose a school certificate belongingto my father over 100 years ago. He was atrue East Ender born and bred in BethnalGreen and Bow, you may use it how youwish but if not suitable for publication youmay present it to Harold Mernick for hiscollection.

Your newsletter is second to none and alwaysrekindles my nostalgia of those wonderfultimes in the past.

Editor's Note:

What can we say? We are very pleased withthe response to the newsletter and do try totake all your criticisms on board to improveit as best we can.

Harold Mernick was delighted to bepresented with William Scotchmer's schoolcertificate, to add to his collection, which, bythe way we plundered to use in ourexhibition on The Education of Girls in EastLondon.

Hope to hear more from you, Billy. Thankyou once again.

'John Cottingharn and the Countess of'Huntingdon's Connexion

I had a postcard from Elizabeth Home who livesin Jersey, CI, who has been researching herfamily connections in the East End. She wanted toknow if any of our members were interested in orhad knowledge Countess of Huntingdon's

Chapel at MilP PTO.

John Cottingham was minister at the chapel at theend of the 18th and the beginning of the 19thcentury. His first wife Elizabeth Sprogge wasburied in the chapel in 1795 and John Cottinghamdied in Mile End New Town and was also buriedin the chapel, which was in Hanbury Street.

By a strange coincidence, the day after I receivedthe postcard I was shown some old magazines afriend had just bought, and as I picked up the topone it fell open to a page with a headline: What isLady Huntingdon's Connexion? A paragraphdetailed the origins of this religious denomination

which was set up in 1770 by Selina, Countess ofHuntingdon and a great friend of the Wesleys,who was, we are told, a great founder of chapelsin the 18th =Wry. The denomination wasdescribed as 'Calvinist Methodist of the Countessof Huntingdon's Coimexion.'

Family names include Sinclair and Benjamin. MrsHome would welcome any help in research wecan offer her.

12

Doreen's Bookshelf

The Survey of London, Volumes XLIIIand XLIV: Poplar, Blackwall and the Isleof Dogs is now on sale, price /130 plus L7.50p&p, from the Athlone Press, 1 Park Drive,London, NW 11 7SG.

London Survey'd - The Work of theSurvey of London 1894 - 1994 by HermioneHobhouse, 96 pages £7.95, as above.

If you have read a good local history book, dotell us about it, and we will publicise it in thenewsletter.

It often happens that little gems of local historyappear in limited print runs, often self-published, which means the author lacks thenecessary funds for marketing and publicity.They can contain a wealth of knowledge abouta particular area or community, which can addvital information to one's own research, andoften provides that missing piece of the jigsaw.

Don't keep it to yourself - Pass it On!

CALLING ALL HISTORY BUFFS

The Ping. - Tower Hamlets College, PoplarHigh Street, Poplar, E14

The Time - Tuesdays 7 - 9 pm

Starting from 17 January 1995

Exploring East End Heritage -10 week series

Poplar Neighbourhood CommunityEducation have introduced a new series oflocal history study sessions beginning withthe Spring Term of 1995.

The sessions will be held at the TowerHamlets College in Poplar High Street andwill be led by Rosemary Taylor.

As this is a new venture, there will not be arigid programme or structure, but we willbegin with the history of Poplar andBlackwell, an area with a rich and varied pastwaiting to be explored.

it is envisaged that people will come alongwith th'ir own 'MPrnnriaa nf 'Ka in FeetLondon, with photographs to show, andopportunities for oral history andromini

There will also be opportunities to visit localplace of interest, such as the churches andchurchyards in the virini4ay and a walkaround Blackwell, to view the spot fromwhere the Virginia Settlers embarked.Thismeans that one or perhaps two of thesessions will be held on a Saturdayafternoon.

As part of Poplar NeighbourhoodCommunity Education, usual adulteducation charges and conditions apply.

The Annual General Meeting of the EastLondon History Society was held onThursday 27 October 1994. All the committeemembers were re-elected unanimously. Wewelcomed two new members to thecommittee, Doreen Osborne and BradleySnooks and we look forward to a lively andinteresting year ahead.

Exploring the Regent's Canal by MichaelEssex-Lopresti, Price £7.95, postage approx£1. 100 pages, A5 well illustrated withphotos taken by the author and line drawings.From London Canal Museum, 1'2-13 NewWharf Road, Kings Cross, London, N1 9RT.

A charming A5 paper back of 14 pages, selfpublished by the author, Memories aroundWanstead is a must for any of our memberswho live around that area. Obtainable fromthe author Frank Co- pe-ndale, 30 DanganRoad, Wanstead, London El 1 2RF. Price £1+ 50p postage.

History of hospitals fascinate me and the'Metropolitan', the Grey Lady of Hackneyby Molly St. P. Swords is no exception. A5,48 pages at a cost of L4 postage approx Li,obtainable from the East of London FamilyHistory Society Bookstall, or on sale atSutton House Bookshop.

13

r---,... 11

BRAINTREE AND BOCKING, ESSEX

SATURDAY 29 APRIL 1995

0

SPRING COACH TRIP

0 0I

I

I

11

VAlfie shall be visiting Braintree and Booking on Saturday April 29th,(which is not a Bank Holiday weekend next year).

Our first visit will be to the Braintree District Museum, housed in an oldVictorian

its ibiacnoshctrhopt jli.othtsteoxmhiobditeri

Itexhibition life.'ThreaidhscloufdTes

silk and man-madeimseil'teelhlsthestory o ilef the

metal windows, the 17th century naturalist, John Ray, and Great Bardfield'sartistic community. We will have a guided tour. Adjoining the museum, in theold Town Hall, is an art gallery.

After a break for lunch (own arrangements) we shall visit the WorkingSilk Museum, nearby. Huguenots from Spitalfields brought the silk industry toBraintree in the early 19th century. Handlooms were installed in the New Millsbuilding 150 years ago, and some of the same looms, now restored, are inuse there today to weave silk for special orders. For instance, silk is beingproduced at present to replace curtains and wall coverings destroyed in thefire at Hampton Court.

Bockino nearb y, has a fine chur-) and some :=?fradtivia ellrl h.-t ' ic=c w,, IN

Ishall go on there after the Silk Museum. Tea will be arranged at Braintree orBocking.

colleT1-teh d

the hcoach fareis £5.75. The two visits will cost £4.30 total. This will

be

HawkdePhleeasceh7hegnfdorbdooEk4ingps,FwithTtheel 0c8olac5h24 4506.

The pick-up will be at Mile End opposite the station at 9.30 am. I

nil A rn3r morn MIA ♦ --a Hoff

le History

11.A.JUSA...1.1. .1%.11X ispi u 1770

Uwe would like the East

ticketsLondon

for theHistoryisto

coach trip. Enclosed a cheque/P.0 forto

'

NAME

Ann Sansom, 18

TEL. NO. National Trust Member? Yes/No

Please send to ANN SANSOM 18 HAWKDENE CHINGFORD E4 7PF

II

NAME

ADDRESS