Old Montague Street is a thoroughfare running east-west from Baker’s Row (now Vallance Road) to Brick Lane.
The western section of the street (as far as today’s Greatorex Street) was certainly in evidence by the 1670s (known simply as Montague Street) and was probably built up when the east side of Brick Lane was being developed in the 1650s. Much of the north side was rural at this time, however, with the south side comprising of scattered properties and gardens.
This state of affairs appeared to exist into the mid-18th century - the street was extended eastwards by this time but the newer pathways were as yet unnamed.
By the beginning of the 19th century, these easterly extentions were known as Rope Walk (later Chapel Lane) and Princes Row. This part eventually became Princes Street.
To the south of Princes Street was the Whitechapel Workhouse, built on Whitechapel Road by 1827 and abutting this was a burial ground, originally an overspill for St Mary Matfelon. Adjacent to the workhouse was the Davenant Foundation School which had been founded in 1680.
In 1874, Montague Street and Princes Street were renamed Old Montague Street and the south side had become built up. The mortuary connected to the workhouse (invariably referred to as the Whitechapel or Old Montague Street Mortuary) became the only such facilities in the district, amounting to little more than a shed and accessible by gates in Eagle Place.
Licence: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence
| CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE LOCALITY |
 
The Underground Map Added: 20 Sep 2020 13:01 GMT |
Pepys starts diary
On 1 January 1659, Samuel Pepys started his famous daily diary and maintained it for ten years. The diary has become perhaps the most extensive source of information on this critical period of English history. Pepys never considered that his diary would be read by others. The original diary consisted of six volumes written in Shelton shorthand, which he had learned as an undergraduate on scholarship at Magdalene College, Cambridge. This shorthand was introduced in 1626, and was the same system Isaac Newton used when writing.
Reply |
 
Tricia Added: 27 Apr 2021 12:05 GMT |
St George in the East Church
This Church was opened in 1729, designed by Hawksmore. Inside destroyed by incendrie bomb 16th April 1941. Rebuilt inside and finished in 1964. The building remained open most of the time in a temporary prefab.
Reply |
Christine D Elliott Added: 11 Jun 2023 14:50 GMT |
Spitalfields
Charles Blutte came to Spitalfields from Walincourt, Picardie, France for reason of religious persecution. His brother Pierre Phillippe Blutte followed the following year. Between the two brothers they had eventually 20 children, they worked as silk weavers around the Brick Lane area. Member’s of Pierre’s family resided at 40 Thomas Street for over 100 years. Another residence associated with the Blutte family is Vine Court, Lamb Street, Spitalfields, number 16,17 & 18 Vine Court was owned by John Kindon, the father in law of Charles Blutte’s son Jean (John) who married Ann Kindon. This residence appears several times in the census records.
Source: Quarto_52_Vol_LII_La_Providence
Reply |
 
Katharina Logan Added: 9 Aug 2022 19:01 GMT |
Ely place existed in name in 1857
On 7th July 1857 John James Chase and Mary Ann Weekes were married at St John the Baptist Hoxton, he of full age and she a minor. Both parties list their place of residence as Ely Place, yet according to other information, this street was not named until 1861. He was a bricklayer, she had no occupation listed, but both were literate and able to sign their names on their marriage certificate.
Source: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSF7-Q9Y7?cc=3734475
Reply |
Graham O’Connell Added: 10 Apr 2021 10:24 GMT |
Lloyd & Sons, Tin Box Manufacturers (1859 - 1982)
A Lloyd & Sons occupied the wharf (now known as Lloyds Wharf, Mill Street) from the mid 19th Century to the late 20th Century. Best known for making tin boxes they also produced a range of things from petrol canisters to collecting tins. They won a notorious libel case in 1915 when a local councillor criticised the working conditions which, in fairness, weren’t great. There was a major fire here in 1929 but the company survived at least until 1982 and probably a year or two after that.
Reply |
Marion James Added: 12 Mar 2021 17:43 GMT |
26 Edith Street Haggerston
On Monday 11th October 1880 Charlotte Alice Haynes was born at 26 Edith Street Haggerston the home address of her parents her father Francis Haynes a Gilder by trade and her mother Charlotte Alice Haynes and her two older siblings Francis & George who all welcomed the new born baby girl into the world as they lived in part of the small Victorian terraced house which was shared by another family had an outlook view onto the world of the Imperial Gas Works site - a very grey drab reality of the life they were living as an East End working class family - 26 Edith Street no longer stands in 2021 - the small rundown polluted terrace houses of Edith Street are long since gone along with the Gas Companies buildings to be replaced with green open parkland that is popular in 21st century by the trendy residents of today - Charlotte Alice Haynes (1880-1973) is the wife of my Great Grand Uncle Henry Pickett (1878-1930) As I research my family history I slowly begin to understand the life my descendants had to live and the hardships that they went through to survive - London is my home and there are many areas of this great city I find many of my descendants living working and dying in - I am yet to find the golden chalice! But in all truthfulness my family history is so much more than hobby its an understanding of who I am as I gather their stories. Did Charlotte Alice Pickett nee Haynes go on to live a wonderful life - no I do not think so as she became a widow in 1930 worked in a canteen and never remarried living her life in and around Haggerston & Hackney until her death in 1973 with her final resting place at Manor Park Cemetery - I think Charlotte most likely excepted her lot in life like many women from her day, having been born in the Victorian era where the woman had less choice and standing in society, which is a sad state of affairs - So I will endeavour to write about Charlotte and the many other women in my family history to give them the voice of a life they so richly deserve to be recorded !
Edith Street was well situated for the new public transport of two railway stations in 1880 :- Haggerston Railway Station opened in 1867 & Cambridge Heath Railway Station opened in 1872
Reply |
 
Beverly Sand Added: 3 Apr 2021 17:19 GMT |
Havering Street, E1
My mother was born at 48 Havering Street. That house no longer exists. It disappeared from the map by 1950. Family name Schneider, mother Ray and father Joe. Joe’s parents lived just up the road at 311 Cable Street
Reply |
jack stevens Added: 26 Sep 2021 13:38 GMT |
Mothers birth place
Number 5 Whites Row which was built in around 1736 and still standing was the premises my now 93 year old mother was born in, her name at birth was Hilda Evelyne Shaw,
Reply |
margaret clark Added: 15 Oct 2021 22:23 GMT |
Margaret’s address when she married in 1938
^, Josepine House, Stepney is the address of my mother on her marriage certificate 1938. Her name was Margaret Irene Clark. Her father Basil Clark was a warehouse grocer.
Reply |
Boo Horton Added: 31 May 2021 13:39 GMT |
Angel & Trumpet, Stepney Green
The Angel & Trumpet Public House in Stepney Green was run by my ancestors in the 1930’s. Unfortunately, it was a victim on WWII and was badly damaged and subsequently demolished. I have one photograph that I believe to bethe pub, but it doesn’t show much more that my Great Aunt cleaning the steps.
Reply |
Mike Levy Added: 19 Sep 2023 18:10 GMT |
Bombing of Arbour Square in the Blitz
On the night of September 7, 1940. Hyman Lubosky (age 35), his wife Fay (or Fanny)(age 32) and their son Martin (age 17 months) died at 11 Arbour Square. They are buried together in Rainham Jewish Cemetery. Their grave stones read: "Killed by enemy action"
Reply |
Added: 6 Nov 2021 15:03 GMT |
Old Nichol Street, E2
Information about my grandfather’s tobacconist shop
Reply |
Added: 15 Jan 2023 09:49 GMT |
The Bombing of Nant Street WW2
My uncle with his young son and baby daughter were killed in the bombing of Nant Street in WW2. His wife had gone to be with her mother whilst the bombing of the area was taking place, and so survived. Cannot imagine how she felt when she returned to see her home flattened and to be told of the death of her husband and children.
Reply |
Admin Added: 26 Aug 2022 15:19 GMT |
Bus makes a leap
A number 78 double-decker bus driven by Albert Gunter was forced to jump an accidentally opening Tower Bridge.
He was awarded a £10 bonus.
Reply |
Steven Shepherd Added: 4 Feb 2021 14:20 GMT |
Our House
I and my three brothers were born at 178 Pitfield Street. All of my Mothers Family (ADAMS) Lived in the area. There was an area behind the house where the Hoxton Stall holders would keep the barrows. The house was classed as a slum but was a large house with a basement. The basement had 2 rooms that must have been unchanged for many years it contained a ’copper’ used to boil and clean clothes and bedlinen and a large ’range’ a cast iron coal/log fired oven. Coal was delivered through a ’coal hole’ in the street which dropped through to the basement. The front of the house used to be a shop but unused while we lived there. I have many more happy memories of the house too many to put here.
Reply |
| LATEST LONDON-WIDE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE PROJECT |
Matthew Proctor Added: 7 Dec 2023 17:36 GMT |
Blackheath Grove, SE3
Road was originally known as The Avenue, then became "The Grove" in 1942.
From 1864 there was Blackheath Wesleyan Methodist Chapel on this street until it was destroyed by a V2 in 1944
Reply |
Peter Added: 4 Dec 2023 07:05 GMT |
Gambia Street, SE1
Gambia Street was previously known as William Street.
Reply |
Eileen Added: 10 Nov 2023 09:42 GMT |
Brecknock Road Pleating Company
My great grandparents ran the Brecknock Road pleating Company around 1910 to 1920 and my Grandmother worked there as a pleater until she was 16. I should like to know more about this. I know they had a beautiful Victorian house in Islington as I have photos of it & of them in their garden.
Source: Family history
Reply |
Added: 6 Nov 2023 16:59 GMT |
061123
Why do Thames Water not collect the 15 . Three meter lengths of blue plastic fencing, and old pipes etc. They left here for the last TWO Years, these cause an obstruction,as they halfway lying in the road,as no footpath down this road, and the cars going and exiting the park are getting damaged, also the public are in Grave Danger when trying to avoid your rubbish and the danger of your fences.
Source: Squirrels Lane. Buckhurst Hill, Essex. IG9. I want some action ,now, not Excuses.MK.
Reply |
Christian Added: 31 Oct 2023 10:34 GMT |
Cornwall Road, W11
Photo shows William Richard Hoare’s chemist shop at 121 Cornwall Road.
Reply |
Vik Added: 30 Oct 2023 18:48 GMT |
Old pub sign from the Rising Sun
Hi I have no connection to the area except that for the last 30+ years we’ve had an old pub sign hanging on our kitchen wall from the Rising Sun, Stanwell, which I believe was / is on the Oaks Rd. Happy to upload a photo if anyone can tell me how or where to do that!
Reply |
Phillip Martin Added: 16 Oct 2023 06:25 GMT |
16 Ashburnham Road
On 15 October 1874 George Frederick Martin was born in 16 Ashburnham Road Greenwich to George Henry Martin, a painter, and Mary Martin, formerly Southern.
Reply |
Christine Bithrey Added: 15 Oct 2023 15:20 GMT |
The Hollies (1860 - 1900)
I lived in Holly Park Estate from 1969 I was 8 years old when we moved in until I left to get married, my mother still lives there now 84. I am wondering if there was ever a cemetery within The Hollies? And if so where? Was it near to the Blythwood Road end or much nearer to the old Methodist Church which is still standing although rather old looking. We spent most of our childhood playing along the old dis-used railway that run directly along Blythwood Road and opposite Holly Park Estate - top end which is where we live/ed. We now walk my mothers dog there twice a day. An elderly gentleman once told me when I was a child that there used to be a cemetery but I am not sure if he was trying to scare us children! I only thought about this recently when walking past the old Methodist Church and seeing the flag stone in the side of the wall with the inscription of when it was built late 1880
If anyone has any answers please email me [email protected]
Reply |
29 Aldgate High Street 29 Aldgate High Street is a demolished property, originally on the north side of Aldgate High Street.. 46 Aldgate High Street This Grade II Listed office building is one of the few timber-framed buildings in the City that predates the Great Fire of 1666. Aldgate East In a land east of Aldgate, lies the land of Aldgate East... Altab Ali Park Altab Ali Park is a small park on Adler Street, White Church Lane and Whitechapel Road. Pavilion Theatre The Pavilion Theatre at 191–193 Whitechapel Road was the first major theatre to open in the East End. Portsoken Portsoken is one of 25 wards in the City of London, each electing an alderman to the Court of Aldermen and commoners (the City equivalent of a councillor) elected to the Court of Common Council of the City of London Corporation. St Mary Matfelon St Mary Matfelon church was popularly known as St Mary’s, Whitechapel. St Mary’s (Whitechapel Road) St Mary’s was a station on the Metropolitan Railway and the District Railway lines, located between Whitechapel and Aldgate East stations. Toynbee Hall Toynbee Hall is a building which is the home of a charity of the same name. , Davis Terrace is an old East End street. , Finch Street is an old East End street. , Hunt Street is an old East End street. , Molesworth Street is an old East End street. , Pelham Street is an old East End street. Adler Street, E1 Adler Street runs between the Whitechapel Road and the Commercial Road. Angel Alley, E1 Angel Alley was a narrow passage which ran north-south from Wentworth Street to Whitechapel High Street.. Assam Street, E1 Assam Street is one of the streets of London in the E1 postal area. Batty Street, E1 Batty Street is one of the streets of London in the E1 postal area. Black Lion Yard, E1 Black Lion Yard, a narrow passage, extended from Old Montague Street, where it could be accessed via a set of steps, to Whitechapel Road Brick Lane, E1 Brick Lane runs north from the junction of Osborn Street, Old Montague Street and Wentworth Street, through Spitalfields to Bethnal Green Road. Brune Street, E1 Brune Street was laid out between 1810 and 1824 but redeveloped in the early 20th century. Coke Street, Charles Street was renamed to Coke Street, E1 in 1882. College East, E1 College East is one of the streets of London in the E1 postal area. Commercial Road, E1 Commercial Road is a major thoroughfare (the A13) running east-west from the junction of Burdett Road and East India Dock Road to Braham Street. Commercial Street, E1 Commercial Street is a major thoroughfare running north-south from Shoreditch High Street to Whitechapel High Street. Corbet Place, E1 Corbet Place - an L-shaped street, onto which back several large industrial buildings of the early/mid-twentieth century. Court Street, E1 Court Street is one of the streets of London in the E1 postal area. Dorset Street, E1 Dorset Street was a small thoroughfare running east-west from Crispin Street to Commercial Street. Dray Walk, E1 Dray Walk is one of the streets of London in the E1 postal area. Dunk Street Dunk Street ran parallel to Great Garden Street (now Greatorex Street) to the west, and King Edward Street, which has also ceased to exist, to the east. Durward Street, E1 Durward Street is a narrow thoroughfare running east-west from Brady Street to Baker’s Row (today’s Vallance Road). East Street, E1 East Street was one of the entrances into Spitalfields Market. Fashion Street, E1 Fashion Street is a thoroughfare running east-west from Brick Lane to Commercial Street. Fieldgate Mansions, E1 Fieldgate Mansions is a significant complex of tenement dwellings that was constructed between 1903 and 1907. Fournier Street, E1 Fournier Street is a street running east-west from Brick Lane to Commercial Street alongside Christ Church. Frostic Walk, E1 Frostic Walk leads from Chicksand Street to Old Montague Street. George Street, E1 George Street was a street running north-south from Flower and Dean Street to Wentworth Street, crossing Thrawl Street approx. half way along its length.. Goulston Street, E1 Goulston Street is a thoroughfare running north-south from Wentworth Street to Whitechapel High Street. Grey Eagle Street, E1 Grey Eagle Street was part of the Wilkes Estate with building leases granted in 1761. Hanbury Street, E1 Hanbury Street is a long road running west-east from Commercial Street to Vallance Road. Holloway, Holloway is an old East End street. Horner Buildings, E1 The Horner Buildings are a vestige of the Victorian construction of Old Spitalfields Market. Hughes Mansions, E1 Hughes Mansions originally consisted of three roughly similar blocks containing 93 flats spread over the three buildings. Hunton Street, E1 Hunton Street is one of the streets of London in the E1 postal area. Jerome Street, E1 Jerome Street was formerly Vine Street and part of the Wheler estate. Kent and Essex Yard, E1 Kent and Essex Yard ran north of Whitechapel High Street, close to the west side of Commercial Street. Lamb Street, E1 Lamb Street is one of the streets of London in the E1 postal area. Lolesworth Close, E1 Lolesworth Close is a short cul-de-sac on the east side of Commercial Street which was originally the western extremity of Flower and Dean Street. Myrdle Street, E1 Myrdle Street is one of the streets of London in the E1 postal area. Nelson Street, E1 Nelson Street is one of the streets of London in the E1 postal area. New Road, E1 New Road is one of the streets of London in the E1 postal area. Newark Street, E1 Newark Street is one of the streets of London in the E1 postal area. North Street, E1 North Street was one of the named entrance streets into Old Spitalfields Market. Old Castle Street, E1 Old Castle Street runs north-south from Wentworth Street to Whitechapel High Street, the southern section of which incorporates the former Castle Alley, murder site of Ripper victim Alice McKenzie. Osborn Street, E1 Osborn Street is a short road leading from Whitechapel Road to the crossroads with Brick Lane, Wentworth Street and Old Montague Street. Plumbers Row, E1 Plumbers Row is one of the streets of London in the E1 postal area. Sander Street, E1 Sander Street ran from Back Church Lane to Berner Street (Henriques Street). Selby Street, E1 Selby Street is one of the streets of London in the E1 postal area. South Street, E1 South Street provided access from Brushfield Street into Spitalfields Market. Spelman Street, E1 Spelman Street was formerly John Street and built up in the 19th century. Thrawl Street, E1 Originally built by Henry Thrall around 1656, Thrawl Street ran east-west from Brick Lane across a former tenter field owned by the Fossan brothers, Thomas and Lewis. Toynbee Street, E1 Toynbee Street, formerly Shepherd Street, was laid out in 1810-24 and redeveloped in 1927-36 as part of the London County Council’s Holland estate. Turner Street, E1 Turner Street is one of the streets of London in the E1 postal area. Vallance Road, E1 Vallance Road is a significant road running north-south from Bethnal Green Road to Whitechapel Road. Varden Street, E1 Varden Street is one of the streets of London in the E1 postal area. Vine Court, E1 Vine Court is a small turning south from Whitechapel Road. Wentworth Street, E1 Wentworth Street runs east-west from the junction of Brick Lane, Osborn Street and Old Montague Street to Middlesex Street. Whitechapel High Street, E1 Whitechapel High Street runs approximately west-east from Aldgate High Street to Whitechapel Road and is designated as part of the A11. Whites Row, E1 White’s Row is a narrow thoroughfare running east-west from Commercial Street to Crispin Street. Wilkes Street, E1 Wilkes Street is a street of early eighteenth century houses, some of which were refronted in the early nineteenth century. Winthrop Street, E1 Winthrop Street was formerly a narrow street running east-west from Brady Street to Durward Street. Wood’s Buildings, E1 Wood’s Buildings, a narrow passageway, extended north from Whitechapel Road and led to Winthrop Street. Woodseer Street, E1 Woodseer Street was formerly known as Pelham Street and part of the Halifax Estate. Ten Bells The Ten Bells has existed in various guises since the middle of the 18th century. The Culpeper The Culpeper used to be called the Princess Alice.
Whitechapel is a neighbourhood whose heart is Whitechapel Road itself, named for a small chapel of ease dedicated to St Mary.By the late 1500s Whitechapel and the surrounding area had started becoming 'other half' of London. Located downwind of the genteel sections of west London which were to see the expansion of Westminster Abbey and construction of Buckingham Palace, it naturally attracted the more fragrant activities of the city, particularly tanneries, breweries, foundries (including the Whitechapel Bell Foundry which later cast Philadelphia's Liberty Bell and also Big Ben), slaughterhouses and, close by to the south, the gigantic Billingsgate fish market, famous in its day for the ornately foul language of the extremely Cockney fishwomen who worked there.
Population shifts from rural areas to London from the 1600s to the mid 1800s resulted in great numbers of more or less destitute people taking up residence amidst the industries and mercantile interests that had attracted them. By the 1840s Whitechapel, along with the enclaves of Wapping, Aldgate, Bethnal Green, Mile End, Limehouse and Stepney (collectively known today as the
East End), had evolved, or devolved, into classic 'dickensian' London.
Whitechapel Road itself was not particularly squalid through most of this period - it was the warren of small dark streets branching from it that contained the greatest suffering, filth and danger, especially Dorset St., Thrawl St., Berners St. (renamed Henriques St.), Wentworth St. and others.
In the Victorian era the base population of poor English country stock was swelled by immigrants from all over, particularly Irish and Jewish. 1888 saw the depredations of the Whitechapel Murderer, later known as 'Jack the Ripper'. In 1902, American author Jack London, looking to write a counterpart to Jacob Riis's seminal book
How the Other Half Lives, donned ragged clothes and boarded in Whitechapel, detailing his experiences in
The People of the Abyss. Riis had recently documented the astoundingly bad conditions in the leading city of the United States. Jack London, a socialist, thought it worthwhile to explore conditions in the leading city of the nation that had created modern capitalism. He concluded that English poverty was far rougher than the American variety. The juxtaposition of the poverty, homelessness, exploitive work conditions, prostitution, and infant mortality of Whitechapel and other East End locales with some of the greatest personal wealth the world has ever seen made it a focal point for leftist reformers of all kinds, from George Bernard Shaw, whose Fabian Society met regularly in Whitechapel, to Vladimir Ilyich Lenin, who boarded and led rallies in Whitechapel during his exile from Russia.
Whitechapel remained poor (and colourful) through the first half of the 20th Century, though somewhat less desperately so. It suffered great damage in the V2 German rocket attacks and the Blitz of World War II. Since then, Whitechapel has lost its notoriety, though it is still thoroughly working class. The Bangladeshis are the most visible migrant group there today and it is home to many aspiring artists and shoestring entrepreneurs.
Since the 1970s, Whitechapel and other nearby parts of East London have figured prominently in London's art scene. Probably the most prominent art venue is the Whitechapel Art Gallery, founded in 1901 and long an outpost of high culture in a poor neighbourhood. As the neighbourhood has gentrified, it has gained citywide, and even international, visibility and support.
Whitechapel, is a London Underground and London Overground station, on
Whitechapel Road was opened in 1876 by the East London Railway on a line connecting Liverpool Street station in the City of London with destinations south of the River Thames. The station site was expanded in 1884, and again in 1902, to accommodate the services of the Metropolitan District Railway, a predecessor of the London Underground. The London Overground section of the station was closed between 2007 and 27 April 2010 for rebuilding, initially reopening for a preview service on 27 April 2010 with the full service starting on 23 May 2010.
