Bakers Row was named after Richard Baker, a local 18th century carpenter.
Bakers Row forms the gateway to a network of cobbled streets which form part of Little Italy - a nickname which applies to the western area of Clerkenwell. The name Little Italy was coined due to the strong Italian connections - evident for almost 200 years.
Baker’s Row was almost totally destroyed during a heavy bombing raid in 1940, during the Blitz. The area was selected for ’total clearance’, a London County Council policy which took advantage of areas damaged by bombs to clear overcrowded tenements. This plan was classified as top secret until April 1945, as publication would have helped German Intelligence assess the effectiveness of their bombing raids.
