T 0 ast P NEWSLETTER onion_) Volume 3 Issue 03 Spring 2009

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William Whiffin photograph of boys following Poplar Borough Council water cart, 1919

CONTENTS:

Editorial Note 2 East End Photographers 5 — William Whiffin 6 Memorial Research 2 Notes and News 9 Obituary — Mary Cable 3 Strange or What!!! 11 Programme Details 4 Bookshelf 13 Bancroft Library Update 5 Mementos of Tower Hamlets - Website 16 ELVIS Newsletter Spring 2009

Editorial Note: MEMORIAL RESEARCH I At the Annual General Meeting, held on 30th October 2008, the following Committee Doreen and Diane Kendall, with Doreen members were re-elected: Philip Mernick, Osborne and other volunteers continue their Chairman, Doreen Kendall, Secretary, Harold work in the Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park Mernick, Membership, David Behr, meticulously researching graves and recording Programme, Ann Sansom, Doreen Osborne, memorial inscriptions. They would welcome and Rosemary Taylor. All queries regarding any help members can offer. Their work has membership should be addressed to Harold grown into a project of enormous proportions Mernick, 42 Campbell Road, Bow, E3 and complexity, with an impressive database 4DT. of graves researched, with illustrations attached. Enquiries to Doreen Kendall, 20 Puteaux House, Cranbrook Estate, Bethnal Green, Unfortunately, due to pressure of work, London E2 ORF, Tel: 0208 981 7680, or Philip Doreen and Diane cannot undertake any Memick, email: philmernicks com research on behalf of individuals, but would welcome any information that has been Check out the History Society's website at uncovered through personal searches. Meet www.eastIondonhistory.org.uk. them in the Cemetery Park on the 2nd Sunday of every month at 2 pm, where you can Our grateful thanks go to all the contributors receive helpful advice and suggestions on the of this edition of the newsletter, with a special best way to conduct your searches. mention to David Webb, for his fascinating series on East End Photographers. We trust By the time this newsletter goes to print, the our members will enjoy reading it as much as I Cemetery Park Open Day and Woodlands have, whilst compiling the newsletter. Letters Craft Day on Sunday 3"I May will be over, but and articles on East End history and we would appreciate any feedback from those reminiscences are always welcome and we who attended. make every effort to publish suitable material. Whilst hand-written articles are acceptable, items of interest, and any queries can be emailed to Philip Mernick. lrAt f:•/24:t.

The Newsletter is edited and typeset by Rosemary Taylor with assistance of Philip Mernick, and an editorial team comprising, Doreen Kendall, David Behr, and Doreen Osborne.

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Trust we will have better weather than this! (Membership Secretary photographed on February 2"°) ELHS Newsletter Spring 2009

Obituary Message from John Cable : Mum passed away peacefully on the morning Mary Cable (1939-2009) of Sunday January 25 th at St Raphael's Hospice. Both her children - myself and Juliet We were truly saddened to hear of the death of were there, along with our partners (Cathy and Mary Cable, a stalwart member of the East Bob). As was her husband Ken, who had been London History Society. She regularly there with her all the preceding night. attended the Lectures, and enjoyed the coach outings with the ELHS, seldom missing the The previous Sunday we had a party to opportunity for an excursion. celebrate her 70th birthday. Which was a great success, attended by many of her close friends Mary was very active in the community, and and family - standing room only! She spent did some sterling work for the Ragged School her remaining week in comfort at the hospice, Museum. She was made a Life Member for with no pain. She had been as happy as can be her dedicated years of service when she finally expected, maintaining her sense of humour moved from Stepney. Her other interest was until close to the end. the William Morris Society, where she was an enthusiastic member. Mary taught for many While it is of course very sad to see her go. I'd years at Ben Jonson Primary School in Essian like to remind everyone to remember her as Street Stepney, this was very close to her flat the vibrant and adventurous soul she was. on The Ocean Estate. Mary moved Over the last week or so it has been very from Stepney and lived for several years in uplifting, talking to some of the great variety beautiful Arundle, before moving back to her of friends that she has accumulated throughout flat in the East End. Finally she moved again her life. They have reminded me of what an to Surrey, until her final passing. This was amazingly accomplished woman she was. Not close to The Royal Marsden Hospital where only in the pursuit of her own varied interests, Mary received good care during her illness. from art and design, through architecture to botany and travel - just for the sake of Mary was 70 years old, dying one week after adventure. She has worked hard in support of her birthday. The day before her birthday she charity, principally The Royal Marsden cancer held an open house at her home in Surrey, hospitals, of which she had been a patient. where 40 of her friends and family joined her But also in leaving such a positive - apparently to celebrate her birthday and life, as she knew deep and enduring impression on so many the end was imminent. Mary was in good individuals and families. She will be missed spirits and enjoyed seeing people from various by many. connections of her life and it was a joyous occasion. One of her friends from the East End Muni chose to leave her body to medical contacted as many people who knew Mary research and education. So there will be no from the East End, who now live in many funeral. Eventually her remains will be corners of England and abroad, and everyone cremated and the ashes scattered at the bases sent her a special birthday card. Mary was of two trees: One in London - an apple tree in amazed to think so many old friends and the gardens of the Geffrye museum, which she contacts had remembered her 70th birthday. had planted in remembrance of her parents (Robert and Esther Barker). The other - a She was very active in the Over 50s Youth Pi5hutukawa, which she planted herself (as a Hostel Association and was joined by another large sapling) on our property in New Zealand, East End friend in touring New Zealand in in December 2007. 2008.

3 ELHS Newsletter Spring 2009

East London History Society Programme 2009

Olympic site Thursday 14th May 1009 Since August 2007 we have been recording the construction of the Olympic stadium Open Evening from the one publicly accessible viewpoint (on The Greenway). You can see the images Talking about shops and Trades that on the ELHS web site at: are no more. httn://www.mernick.org.uk/elhs/Stadium/St adium.htma

The lectures are held on Thursday evenings at 7.30 pm in the Latimer Congregational Stop Press Church Hall, Ernest Street, El. Ernest Street is between Harford Street and Robert (Bob) Barltrop died on Sunday 26 of Whitehorse Lane, off Road April. Robert Barltrop who was born in 1922 (Opposite Queen Mary and Westfield wrote a weekly column for The Newham College). The nearest Underground Stations Observer for more than 18 years. From a long are Mile End and Stepney Green. Bus No. line of blacksmiths, his father was a horse 25. fodder dealer, and as a boy Robert used to go all round the East End with him on a horse and Suggestions and ideas for future topics and/or cart, delivering fodder. He was educated at Sir speakers for our Lecture Programme are George Monoux School in Walthamstow and always welcomed. If you can suggest someone served in the R.A.F. during World War Two. or indeed if you would like to give a talk He had been a professional boxer, a labourer, a yourself, please get in touch with David Behr, strip cartoonist, a schoolteacher and a sign- our Programme co-ordinator, either at one of painter – among other things, he said. He our lectures or, alternatively, email our wrote several books The Monument: Story of Chairman Philip Merrick with your comments the Socialist Party of Great Britain (1975), and suggestions. Email: phil@',inernicks.com Jack London: The Man, the Writer, the Rebel (1977), Muvver Tongue with Jim Wolveridge (1980), A Funny Age (Growing up in North East London between the Wars) (1985) and Note from Philip Mernick: Yes Mush: A Cockney Dictionary: The Cockney Language and Its World (2004). Short videos. My attempt with the part of He was married with three grown-up sons Morning Lane, Hackney now under a Tesco (two in the circus and one a policeman), and store was an interesting experiment and the lived in Stratford. offer is still open, although I have to admit I haven't yet finished one for Ernest Street. Google Streets (pretty good cover of Cover picture London) might render the offer redundant William Whiffin photograph of boys but they don't get down all of the back following Poplar Borough Council water cart. streets. Please email your requests to me at Bancroft Road has three different versions of phil(mernicks.com this. For details see page 6.

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PROJECT AND PROPERTY BANCROFT LIBRARY MANAGEMENT CONSULTANCY. Peter is UPDATE - April 2009 already drawing up a short list of suitable conservation architects to specify and Thanks to the continued support of the Leader supervise the works. This conservation-led of the Council, Cllr. Lutfur Rahman and his approach will meet the requirements of cabinet colleagues ClIrs. Rofique Uddin heritage funding bodies, such as English Ahmed, Alibor Choudhury and Marc Francis, Heritage and the Heritage Lottery Fund. the promised £255,000 for improvements to Bancroft Library was included in the 2009- Clearly, not all the rooms at Bancroft Library 2010 budget approved by the cabinet on can be made suitable for their new uses in Wednesday 8 April. 2009-2010. But it is envisaged that the large first-floor front room will be used as the Local Senior officers in the Communities, Localities History Library and search room, whilst the and Culture Directorate have also been busy present Local History Library and search room setting up a project (initially under the is being repaired for eventual use as the main directorship of Judith St John, Head of Idea search room or reading room. Stores) which will involve twice-monthly meetings of the Bancroft Library Steering Unfortunately, the essential replacement of the Group. The campaign will be represented by lift will have to wait until funds are available. Brenda Daley, Melissa Parker and Torn Ridge; An additional archive strong room is urgently and representatives from "active Local History needed, together with an archivist's work room Groups in East London" (please email the on the ground floor. We hope that the front campaign with your representative's name and part of the former ground-floor children's contact details). It is also anticipated that lending library will eventually become a large council officers on the Steering Group will multi-purpose room for school groups and include representatives from Children's meetings. In the meantime, temporary Services, 2012 Olympic and Paralympic arrangements should allow this area to be used Games Development and Renewal and the as soon as possible; and the entrance hall used Conservation and Urban Design Team; also a for reception and exhibitions. representative from English Heritage. The campaign thanks Tower Hamlets Council A Heritage Manager is also being appointed to Leader, CRT.. Lutfur Rahman for his October manage the Tower Hamlets Local History 2008 decision to "retain Bancroft for the Local Library and Archives at Bancroft Library; and History Library and Archives"; and thanks the to direct its future development as a hub for Council for setting up the project which will improved local history and archive services. "give the Local History Library and Archives Many details have still to be worked out but the home it deserves". The world-renowned there is now a real possibility that the Tower Bancroft Library can now become an even Hamlets Local History Centre (former better centre of excellence on High Street Bancroft Library) will be fully operational by 2012, not only for local residents and visitors 2012. from all over the world but also for the borough's school children and students: Obviously, further progress depends on helping them with their national curriculum fundraising by the Heritage Manager and studies in local history and geography, and others. We were very pleased to learn at our other initiatives such as Find Your Talent and meeting with senior officers on Wednesday 8 One Tower Hamlets. April that arrangements for the building work are in the capable hands of Peter Fox of THE Tom Ridge

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EAST END PHOTOGRAPHERS 5: William Thomas Whiffin was one of a family WILLIAM WHIFFIN of photographers, which included his father, William Whiffin Sr, and his younger brother, Ernest. Whiflin Sr was a native of Bedford, If you need an image of the "Real East End", where he was born in I 85 I. His father, that Cockney Never - Never Land which Edward was a blacksmith, originally from allegedly lurks at the back of all true East Leicester; he made the move to Bedford at the Enders' imagination, look no further than the time of the Great Exhibition. In the late 60s, photograph on the cover of this issue of the William Whiffin made the decisive move to Newsletter. It's a photograph which ticks all London's East End, where he joined his uncle, the right boxes; cheeky Cockney kids - check; the photographer Thomas Wright (1832 - social deprivation - check ; traffic-free streets - 1912) as a photographic assistant at the latter's check; never-say-die optimism - check; studio at 199 East India Road. In 1875 he laughably antique equipment - check; endless married Ellen Varley; they were to have 7 hot summers - check. The photograph has children. Wright clearly appreciated the young become something of a cliché in books on man's work in the studio since after a dozen London history in general and the East End in years, he sold the studio outright to Whiffin. In particular; this is how we would all like to the Spring of 1883, Whiffin found himself in remember that long-vanished East End, now sole charge of the studio, while Wright moved just over the horizon. In actual fact, this is a out to . photograph of Cotton Street, in Poplar, in the long hot summer of 1919, just after the Great And yet ... When Gladys Whiffin (later Gladys War had ended. And it is quite probable that Manister 1909 - 97), Whiffin's granddaughter the photographer "arranged" for the boys to was interviewed by Geoff Richman for his follow the council water-cart laying the dust in documentary film "Fly a flag for Poplar", in the street - it made a much more dramatic 1975, her memories were distinctly mixed picture. So now you can amend one of the "My grandfather was a photographer, but he headings listed above to "Cheeky Cockney wasn't interested. Herlidn't live in Poplar all kids playing truant" the time, they had a studio in Hackney (137 Shacklewell Lane), and the one here. They had The photographer of this archetypal image of a house in Hackney, prior to that he lived in Poplar 90 years ago was William Whiffin, Poplar (242 Leven Road). He did some odd, whose achievement as the recorder of the daily quixotic things, like buying large statues they life of an inner London borough between the held the whole street up to move them, it was wars has never been surpassed. Whiffin was a very big studio, with steps down to it, very one of a small handful of photographers wide. And there would be statuary on the steps working in the London area in the late 19th and in between, or in the waiting room, and an and early 20th centuries who looked beyond enormous mirror ... But he wasn't interested the confines of their studios to record the like father". every-day, mundane existence of their neighbours - the "locals", if you prefer - in the Gladys Whiffin would never have seen the realisation that the way of life being recorded East India Road studio which closed before would be obsolete within a few years. One she was born, so the stories must have been thinks of William Field in Putney, Thankfull based on her father's recollections. She was Sturdee in Deptford and Arthur Eason in certainly correct over William Whiffin's lack Hackney. Without these selfless - and usually of interest in the business; within four years, unpaid - efforts, little visual evidence would Whiffin had sold the studio to Thomas have survived. Laroche who continued to work it to the end of the century. Although Whiffin Sr continued

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to work in photography for the rest of his life, enlarged photographs of places of interest in he never again ran a studio in his own right. the Borough which were thought to be worth preferring to help his son instead. preserving. Whiffin's basic bread-and- butter business, the daily round of portraits, was William Thomas Whiffin. or William Whiffin extremely cheap, despite its designation as a Jr, was born in Bow Lane, Poplar on February "luxury trade". 22 1878. His earliest memories would have been of his father's unsuccessful East India Gladys recalled" They used to have clubs - Road studio before the move to Leven Road in people would pay a shilling a week - someone the late 80s. The move to Hackney came a would run it and bring in ten shillings from ten decade later, while in the early 1900s, Whiffin people and so you could have a ten shilling made his first independent move to Kensal portrait. But for two shillings you could get six Rise. He clearly felt confident enough, despite postcards and something else besides. his father's failure, to take over no less than Everyone knew him - they'd say "I've got one three of the studios run by the prolific Avery of your Dad's photos". It was very popular in family in North, Central and East London. those days to have a framed one, eighteen by fourteen, or something like that, which was In 1908. Whiffin bought John James Avery's extremely cheap". studio at 770 Harrow Road, Kensal Rise, as well as Frederick George Avery's studio at By the early 1920s, Whiffin had consolidated 237 East India Dock Road, and in 1911 John his studios into the two in Poplar and St, Henry Avery's studio at 209 King's Cross Pancras. His brother Ernest had been in charge Road, St Pancras. This clutch of studios was of the King's Cross Road studio since its complemented by the acquisition of Montague opening, and in 1932 Whiffm formally sold it Randall's studio at 357 West Green Road, to his brother. In the same year, Whiffin South Tottenham, which had a relatively short closed 237 East India Dock Road, and moved life, and finally John Simmons' studio at 269 2 doors along to the slightly smaller premises Mare Street, Hackney in 1913. In the short at 241. He had never had the street entirely to space of 5 years, Whiffin found himself himself about one hundred yards up the street running as many studios. In 1904 he married on the opposite side was William Bartier's Minnie Duck; they had two daughters and a studio, established as far back as 1873, and run son. by Bartier's son Albert since his father's tragic death in 1915 as the result of an accident while The outbreak of World War 1 found Whiffin photographing in the London Docks. in his mid-30s, and he was sent to Deepcut for military training with a group of much It was in the early 1920s that Whiffin's younger men. The strain soon began to tell, photographic work began to be published in and Whiffin was sent to Yarmouth rather than topographical books. The first of these was a overseas where he was responsible for many collection of essays by the American group photographs. He was an inveterate journalist. Helen Henderson, under the title of collector - "Anything old or ancient he would "A loiterer in London" (Doran, New York, collect", his daughter remembered, 1924). Considering that Henderson's book is matchboxes, toys, china - used to worry almost entirely concerned with the cities of mother. She'd say "What am I going to do London and Westminster, with a brief tail end with it if anything happens to you?" on London's riverside, Whiffin seems rather an odd choice of illustrator -Poplar is not In 1916, Whiffin was offering to supply covered at all. It is not known if Henderson reproductions of faded photographs in the ever met Whiffin, or whether the photographs Poplar Libraries' collections, as well as were specially commissioned or merely taken

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from stock. Whiffin is not listed on the title guarding the food convoys from the docks page, nor does Henderson ever refer to him, during the General Strike of 1926. but each of the 64 photographs bears an appropriate credit. Although the book had In recognition of his photographic work for originally only been intended for American them, Whiffin was made a life governor of publication it proved sufficiently popular for a Poplar Hospital. quantity of the sheets to be bound up by Hodder & Stoughton for a British edition in When the Second World War broke out, 1925, while in 1928 it was reissued by the Whiffin offered to "take a series of London office of the American publishers photographs of happenings which may be of Brentanos. historical interest to the Borough in time to come, including damage by aircraft, if any". A little over a year after Henderson's work, Whiffin was heavily involved in a prestigious The Council did use him to photograph anti- part-work, "Wonderful London", edited by aircraft defences. Anderson Shelters and other . Originally issued in war work throughout the war. The King's weekly parts over 2 years (1926 - 27), it is Cross studio closed down soon after the War usually found today bound into three began, while towards the end of the War, the handsome volumes. East India Dock Road studio was badly damaged by the fallout from a V2 rocket Whiffin contributed almost 100 photographs which demolished the Eagle public house to the enterprise, on a wide variety of places opposite. The studio never reopened; it was in and topics. including boundary, pub and street any case, time to retire. signs, watch houses, watergates and stocks, shops, auction rooms and almshouses, as far After the war, Whiffin moved to a new house out as Woolwich and Twickenham. It also at 11 Woodstock Terrace where he used the marked the first appearance in print, in the basement kitchen as a darkroom. Poplar series sepia gravure, of the photograph Council appointed him as their official highlighted at the beginning - the boys photographer for the new post-war housing following the watercart. In total number of estates. photographs used, Whiffin ranked second only to Donald McLeish, an agency rather than an In the 50s Whiffin began to pass on examples individual. of his early work both to Poplar Libraries and to the Museum of London; by the time of his In the later 20s, examples of Whiffin's work death, nearly 500 negatives had been appeared in at least a couple of Poplar transferred. Borough Council's official guides. He carried out work for a number of commercial He celebrated his Golden Wedding in 1954, organizations and firms at this period, but sadly Minnie died suddenly just over two including London Transport and the Port of years later, in January 1957. They had been a London Authority, as well as the Imperial devoted couple, and her death hit him badly; Tobacco Company and Lusty's "Lloyd Loom" he died barely ten months later in Poplar woven furniture company. From his vantage Hospital on November 13. His daughter point overlooking the East India Dock Road, Gladys summed up his career "He was Whiffin photographed such historical events interested in everything. I often think he didn't as the march of the Poplar Councillors to get enough recognition: he was too modest prison in 1921 for non-payment of the rates, and didn't like the limelight. He was a real the battles of the suffragette movement, street professor type ... lots of commissions were parties for the 1937 Coronation and the troops never paid for, but he would never dun

8 ELIIS Newsletter Spring 2009 anybody - a little praise was of far more Notes and News value".

After his death, Gladys Whiffin gave a further The Arthur Morrison Society has been 1689 local photographs to Poplar Libraries formed in , Essex. (now part of Tower Hamlets Archives at Bancroft Road). A further 400 negatives also Following Stan Newen's talk at the Loughton passed to the Council, which were printed by Festival in 2007 about Arthur Morrison, and the London County Council; the LCC Library the subsequent publication of his book about (now the London Metropolitan Archives) was the author, the Arthur Morrison Society has allowed to keep copes as well as duplicates now been set up in Loughton. For the time from previous donations. being it will continue to be organised under the Loughton Festival banner, but if a In 1976 Tower Hamlets Libraries Department committee can be found, it will become a organised the first exhibition from its Whiffin Society in its own right. Collection, under the same title as the film "Fly a flag for Poplar". Just under a hundred Morrison was born in London's East End in photographs were selected, and grouped under 1863, probably in Poplar. He wrote books such headings as Poplarism, religious about the in Victorian celebrations, street parties, Poplar people, times, including A Child From the Jago and leaders and scenes. Of course, it included the Tales of Mean Streets. He also wrote plays and boys following the water cart, together with an detective stories about Martin Hewitt, all of alternative view of the same scene. which received excellent press reviews.

Like many local London photographers of the For example: For Martin Hewitt has more than interwar years, William Whiffin's ordinary perspicacity, and if he cannot deduce photographic legacy lives on, and will a murderer and his motive from a cigar-ash or continue to enthral future generations of East a saucer of milk, we know of no one at the Enders. present time into whose hands we would so willingly put an undiscovered crime. DAVID WEBB. Moreover, he is improving, and it is just To be continued. within the bounds of possibility that if should ever appear again he will have to look to his laurels. (Manchester Guardian 31.12.1895)

Morrrison was also a world expert on Japanese and Chinese prints. He wrote hooks about them and gave expert evidence in court on at least one occasion. Morrison lived in , then Loughton High Road and during the First World War moved to High Beach, which is where he was later buried with his wife and son.

On 18 April there will be a talk about Morrison's collection of prints at the Loughton William Whiffin Snr. William Whiffin Jnr. Festival. The speaker is Tim Clark, who is the curator of the print collection at the (www.loughtonfestival.org.uk). 9 ELHS Newsletter Spring 2009

The Arthur Morrison Society website can be * Poor Law documents - relating to the found at: administration of poor relief, including www.arthunnorrisonsociety.vpweb.co.uk workhouse registers from 1834 onwards

Anyone interested in joining the new * London school admissions - records from committee or the Morrison Society should 843 individual London schools dating from the contact Sue Taylor 020 8508 2512 or email: early Victorian times through to 1911, infoa,loughtonfestival.org.uk providing admission and personal details for millions of London students Sue Taylor 18 Wellfields, It is anticipated that the full digitisation and Loughton, Essex indexing program will include: 1G10 INX 020 8508 2512 * Parish baptisms, marriages and burials www.loughtonfestival.org.uk * Bishops transcripts * Parish poor law records * Boards of Guardians records The Idea Store web site * Diocesan marriage bonds and allegations (www.ideastore.co.uk) was completely * Non-conformist baptisms, marriages and revamped last year and for a while the Digital burials Picture Gallery has not been available. It is * School admission and discharge registers now back, in an improved form, featuring * Electoral registers, overseers returns and poll initially, nearly 100 fascinating images of books dock scenes in Tower Hamlets from the * Land tax records collections of the Local History Library and * Wills Archives. * City of London Freedoms * Middlesex Sessions - Transportation Contracts 500 YEARS OF LONDON HISTORY TO * Consistory Court of London Matrimonial LAUNCH ONLINE - 77M NAMES and Testamentary Papers Digitisation of genealogical sources at Guildhall Library and We will provide free access to view the London Metropolitan Archives indexes and images through Ancestry.co.uk on the computer terminals in our public rooms. London Metropolitan Archives and Guildhall The program will start shortly and we will Library Manuscripts Section are delighted to release further information about the project announce a new partnership with over the coming months. Ancestry.co.uk to digitise genealogical sources. You can keep up-to-date with news about the project on the Guildhall Library The first records will launch on Manuscripts' website at Ancestry.co.uk in early 2009, with the www.historv.ac.uk/gh/digitisation.htm following prioritised for launch in the coming year: Please contact us at this email address if you require any further information. * Parish records - records from more than 10,000 Greater London parish registers of baptisms, marriages and burials dating from the 1530s to the 20th Century

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Park Improvements Strange or What!!

Two London parks will be improved after 1 have often heard it said that in no matter receiving National Lottery grants totalling what direction life may take you, you will £367,000. never be that far away from your roots, be it geographically, by association or even literary- Victoria Park in Tower Hamlets, east London, --like via this newsletter. For example—Flow I has been awarded £295,500 for a new cafe and remember as a kid getting on one of those pagoda, better access and screens to show the many London Red buses that encircled Newby 2012 Olympics. Place in Poplar that took us to Loughton or such, an annual outing organised by the T&G Horniman Gardens in Lewisham, south-east Workers Union, and then some years latter London, will receive £71,500 for a new visiting family there that had been re-housed sheltered area and learning centre. as a result of the bombing.

The Heritage Lottery Fund and Big Lottery Or again, being part of that crocodile line of Fund grants will enable the parks to apply for youngsters walking from Bruce Road major restoration. Methodist church to the Bow/North London Railway station in Bow Road en-route to 'Historic spaces' Theydon Bois for an adventurous day out, then finding myself as an adult working there when Tower Hamlets council plans £4.5m of long- installing the Central Line Underground track term renovation at Victoria Park and a that went on to Epping. Even those that still £907,000 restoration is planned at Horniman live in places remote from their roots seem to Gardens. want at sometime make the pilgrimage back, as a visit to the Docklands Settlement on the London's Heritage Lottery Fund head Sue Isle of Dogs on their open day can testify. Bowers said: "These projects will inject a new Somehow the shadow of your past never lease of life into two popular historic green seems to leave you, or you don't want to leave spaces which serve densely populated areas it. and aim to attract a wider range of users." I became to sense these coincidental Tower Hamlets councillor Abdal Ullah said: happenings coming more to the fore when we "Victoria Park is the East End's version of ourselves moved away out to Essex and I Regents Park and is an important green space begun an interest in our local history. The which is enjoyed by the whole community. village of North Stifford just down the road from us was my first encounter. In the "We'll be talking to local people to find out demolition of some local institutional exactly what they want to see in their park as a buildings that we knew as Ardale School and result of these multi-million pound the eventual construction of a housing improvements." development on the site, many 'coincidental' factors came to light. First I discovered that as a 'school' it had ties to the Stepney Board of Guardians dating back to 1902 when it purchased the land on which to build a children's home for Orphaned or Abandoned children. It was known then as Stepney Homes but was not a self contained establishment in itself for the children went to ELHS Newsletter Spring 2009 the village school and the boys formed an down in the late 1920s and I now know it to be essential part of the church choir. These links a residential caravan site. Its in the same area with the village continued until 1935 when the that I do my blackberry picking. Its Poplar homes were closed and the buildings connection is from my up-bringing in converted into an approved school. Since Bromley-by-Bow and Poplar Council was the 1969 it had been a community home run by landlord of the flats we lived in. Newham Borough Council. It finally closed Coincidence! in total in 1994 and then demolished. I think the most uncanny encounter of this In the development of the site, Persimmon subject happened fairly recently when I was Homes the builders, renovated a dilapidated studying an Ordnance Survey map for this war memorial to the men aged 18 to 36 who area and found that in the 1920s there had had passed through the home but had died in been a Priory/Monastery at the end of our WW1. I attended the rededication in 2005 and road, something my inquisitive mind needed have the names of those inscribed. to discover more of.

Persimmon has paid tribute by naming the It seems that in this part of Essex there have streets and roads after the men whose names been many religious sects some of which in a are listed on the memorial. fragmented form still exist today. But this one in particular, The Society of Divine My Stepney connection comes through my Compassion, had bonded well with the father who in his youth lived at 117 Earnest residents and the gentlemen of the society Street. Coincidence!!!! were often seen walking the area in their sandaled footwear. Research showed that the The reading of the book `Plotlands by Deanna society purchased what was once a farm in Walker brought about another episode of 1905 from their headquarters in Plaistow the cant believe it, for in the plotlands history we purpose of it being to transform it into a learn that it was constantly making the news `retreat. They existed here until around 1947 with reports of criminal activities when the when the dwindling of numbers compelled Poplar Labour Colony existed there. them to disband and their activities were taken over by a similar group back in Plaistow who In 1904 the Poplar Poor Law Board of still function today at 42, Balaam Street. In Guardians decided to establish a farm colony fact 2008 was their centurion year. on land leased to them by an American businessman. The farm was seen as an The foundation of the sect can be contributed important experiment in taking men out of the to three men, all of whom had in their past workhouse and placing them in an associated themselves in working with the environment where they could work and learn poor of Bethnal Green from Oxford House. skills that would make them fit to go on any Further research had me knocking on the door farm or to emigrate to the colonies. It was of 42, Balaam Street where 1 was made most hailed as a great success at first but as the welcome and met up with Brother Julian and years went by the colony experienced many his associates, some being Franciscan Monks problems like absconding with clothes that belonged to the workhouse, neglecting to They still conduct themselves in working with perform work duty, drunkenness and assault. the community and carry out their duties as In 1907, 75 yards of copper telephone wire chaplains to The East of London Cemetery-- went missing from alongside the railway line. -the resting place for many many East Enders A sentence of 6 weeks hard labour was including members of my own families. The imposed on the culprits. I understand it closed most surprising factor of all to me was that

12 ELHS Newsletter Spring 2009

Balaam Street is just a stones throw away from the two rooms we had in Ling Road, the Bookshelf first address of my married life. Arthur Morrison: The Novelist of Realism Perhaps a number of people reading this will in East London and Essex, Stan Newens, The say, 'Well there's nothing new in that—it Alderton Press, 2008. ISBN 1-978-1-905269- happens to me all the time'---that's what I 10-5, £4 mean, another coincidence. Our member Stan Newens previously wrote on George Donovan Arthur Morrison in East London Record 19 (1998). This 42 page A5 sized book with a Philip Mernick received the following email striking card cover continues his researches. from Lilian Dell: He describes how Poplar born Morrison succeeded in masking his East End origins Re Matchgirls' Strike of 1888. I have just because he wanted critics to concentrate on the clicked on to the internet to check on a few publications and not the author. details for my novel. Is that your website? It is absolutely brilliant and very exciting, and The book gives us many details of Arthur extremely erudite. Morrison's ancestors and family background and how his successful literary career enabled Whilst I am here, I must say, although all him to live very comfortably in the much more ELHS editions are most interesting, Winter salubrious environs of . We 2008 is particularly so. When the magazine learn a lot of his books and how he steadfastly plots through the letter box I drop everything, refused to romanticise the poor labouring and make a cuppa, and start reading. criminal classes. Tales of Mean Streets (1894) was the first of his four books based on the I am very happy to be a member of ELHS East End, being published before his more because of my passion for history, but it well known A Child of The Jago. I have read occurred to me when reading Winter 2008, this several times and its sharply drawn but that the Society is so very important because unremittingly unsympathetic characters make without it, and its archives, our East London it not the book to read if you like happy history would no doubt disappear. What endings. prompted me to reflect on this is your short piece about the plaque commemorating the This little book does not analyse the lives of the two young women firefighters and individual Morrison works in quite as much your comment "A sad reflection of our times!" detail as the relevant section of P.J. Keating's The Working Class in Victorian Fiction I am most grateful for all the hard work, albeit (Routledge Keegan Paul, 1971) but it does tell enjoyable, your team put in to the Society. us much more about the man and his later life. Like many members of ELHS, he maintained Best wishes to you and your colleagues. his interest in the East End even though he had moved to Essex! (Ed Note: Thank you very much Lilian for your kind words!) We are told that Morrison also published many short articles, sometimes anonymously, in journals such as The (Peoples) Palace Journal, the Pall Mall Magazine and the Strand Magazine. It would be very interesting to try to collect these together but UK copyright, in

13 ELHS Newsletter Spring 2009 theory, does not expire until 2015 (70 years Colm Kerrigan, the leading expert on this after his death in 1945). I say in theory subject, investigates such topics as the public because copyright expires 70 years after school missions and university settlements publication if the author is unknown. So using football and cricket to deliver their assuming an anonymous piece is by Arthur message to the East End urban poor: Morrison could extend copyright by 50 years! elementary school teachers enthusing their I think a lawyer might be necessary! pupils with their love of games and their battles to provide open space for Philip Mernick recreation; the short-lived East End FA and the early days of the South Essex League and the Southern League rivalry between Millwall The Blackest Streets: The Life and Death of (The Dockers) and West Ham United (The a Victorian Slum by Sarah Wise Irons)

Sarah Wise, author of the acclaimed The Italian Boy, has turned her attention to The New from Friends of Hackney Nichol in Bethnal Green, one of Victorian Archives: London's most notorious slum areas. Much of the research for this book was carried out at DVD Stoke Newington by Bill Hall. 2 hours Tower Hamlets Local History Library and approx. £6.95 Archives. The result is a rigorous scholarly work but blended with narrative flair. The The text on the cover reads: Nichol is a popular area of study in the Local "Stoke Newington can trace its history at least History Library and this remarkable volume to the Roman Road which defines its boundary represents a substantial addition to our with Hackney. This video highlights themes in resources relating to it. the village's history, from Tudor times onwards.

Wapping 1600-1800 - A Social History of an Starting with the manor house created by the Early-Modern London Maritime Suburb, by scholar William Patten, the film looks in Derek Morris and Ken Cozens sequence at the growth of the village and the Published by the East London History Society development of its parish churches, and at ISBN 978-0-9506258-9-8 Price £9.50 plus important historic buildings, both past and p&p (£3 UK only, £6 other). present, ranging from one of Stoke Newington's finest surviving Georgian Reviewed in the last newsletter, this book is residences to the former parish lock-up. now on sale, and is bound to be snapped up by From the late 17th century onward the village historians eager to expand their knowledge of was a haven for those who found themselves local history and those exploring their family unable to accept the teachings of the history and roots. Professor Sarah Palmer, established church. The film reflects the area's Director of the Greenwich Maritime Institute rich non-conformist heritage, noting its strong describes it as a 'fascinating, informative and Quaker presence and the importance from an ground breaking study.' early date of the Jewish faith. It goes on to explore the area's links with literary figures, notably Daniel Defoe, Anna Sewell and Edgar East London - A hotbed of football 1867- Allan Poe, before considering its absorption as 1918 By Cohn Kerrigan. Price £12.00 a suburb of London.

14 ELHS Newsletter Spring 2009

The film is written and narrated by Bill Hall bread baked in hygienic and humane working with contributions from a number of local conditions by proper union labour. These residents and experts. An initial viewing of issues of identity, language, and cultural this DVD is very encouraging, I know difference serve today, just as in the 1930s or practically nothing about Stoke Newington; 1880s, as an essential "leaven" in the rising of but, I suspect, I soon will! the labour movement. The union's brave attempts at cooperative production and Discover Stoke Newington: a walk through distribution, and its pioneering use of the history, David Mander and Isobel Watson, union label are a part of the great history of 2008, A5, 68 pages, £4.95, co-operation. ISBN 978-0-9517493-3-3 UNION BREAD is a story both of division Sitting watching the above DVD may not be and of solidarity. There were bitter divisions enough: with summer approaching this book between Jewish and non-Jewish Bakers over should be idea for exploring the area The book the issue of Sunday baking, and between the contains 9 sections each of which is a walk taking journeymen and the masters. But there was between 20 and 60 minutes. Its detailed maps and also great solidarity with many of the other lots of history and pictures will make it very tiny "immigrant" unions - the Mantlemakers, easy to explore this northern part of Hackney the Tailors, and the Tobacco-cutters, and a that still seems to retain a lot of character. history of respected affiliation to the TUC. Though frequently repudiated by the mainstream of Establishment Jewry and Union Bread, BAGEL,PLATZELS AND sometimes underrated by the British Left, CHOLAH: THE STORY OF THE these unions all played their part fighting for LONDON JEWISH BAKER'S UNION, justice at home and abroad in the early years Larry Wayne, Jewish Socialists' Group, of the 20th century. Socialist History Society. SHS Occasional Paper No. 26, 2009. The book unflinchingly depicts the appalling A5, 114 pages. ISBN 978-0-955138-3-1 £6. working conditions which persisted in the bakeries from the 1840s until World War 2, Publisher's description. the entrenched anti-Semitism from both the This book was originally written in 1984, and establishment and sometimes from within the is published now, for the first time, twenty- labour movement itself, the ups and downs of five years on. It is the first study of the the pioneer co-operative bakeries, and the first London Jewish Bakers' Union — and indeed attempts to unite production and distribution the first detailed account of any of the Jewish of a staple (bread) through the introduction of trade unions. These were part of an important a union label ("Union Bread for Union and hitherto unwritten chapter in the full story Workers"). of the trade union movement - that of the ethnic or "religious" unions. Working The book marks the union's association over alongside their sisters and brothers in the the years with many famous names - John struggle for social justice, these unions sought Burns, Keir Hardie, Rudolf Rocker, Charlotte also to meet the special needs of particular Despard, Eleanor Marx. It also brings to light cultural and ethnic groups with their different new material on the great strike of 1913 - one traditions, dietary laws and religious practices. of the longest and bitterest in the history of Amongst these often tiny groups struggling to this country - and follows the union into the reconcile progress and tradition, none stand years after World War 2 when it was the only out more clearly than the Jewish bakers with Jewish trade union in existence outside Israel. their aim to provide good, cheap, wholesome

15 Mementoes of Tower Hamlets

We are always looking at ways of adding to the ELHS web site and as inveterate collectors of all things East End we will attempt to show a range of items relating to the history of Tower Hamlets (because that is what we have mostly and it makes a better acronym than MOH for Memories of Hackney). The aim is to have interesting images and a little historical background. We have started with a few items from our "Featured Image" page which, to be honest, we haven't regularly updated and will add items as we see them. Book covers, theatre programs, absolutely anything that tells a (short) story. Some examples below, note they will be in colour on the web site! If you have anything you think could go on the web site let us know, we will give you a credit. Philip & Harold

SCHOOL BOARD FOR LONDON.

SINGLE IT. WOOL

THIS CARD Is AWNIIPEIP ro

f-a-ryz-e.

RUNCTUAL Amn REGULAR ATTENDANCE

DEEM; THE SCHOOL QUARTER ENDED

.w .6 q a 0

0. J i01414144.416 Ilo Aft 1 au .11

Left to right, The Peoples Empire (Bow) theatre programme 1898, London City Mission story 1948, School attendance card. 1900, from Single Street, now under Mile End Park.