East End Photographs and Drawings

[George Hutchinson]

Nats - it's been chaos all round the Ripper area for a year now. Yes, the pipes are being replaced though indeed there's just masses going on.

I am truly, truly upset that those old buildings on the edge of Leman Street have been torn down. I was there last week when the scaffolding was put up round it (I got some photos at the time I've yet to post) and asked one of the workmen what was happening. He personally didn't seem to think the buildings were coming down but that they were just being gutted.

I take it everyone knows which buildings we're talking about? They had been empty for years but had SO much character. They feature in a lot of old photos of Whitechapel High Street and were contemporary to JTR, facing Gunthorpe Street's entrance.

They were the last remaining old buildings on that stretch of road. The entire south side from Mansell Street to Leman Street is now just vile.

PHILIP

[Natalie Severn]

Hi Philip,
Yes I too have been noticing a lot of activity of this kind over the last year but was a bit taken aback by the extent of it it the Whitechapel area.I honestly have never seen so many road works crammed into such a relatively tiny areaAs John said its a bit bonkers.For example, Saturday morning last,at 8.30 am[trying to beat heavy traffic!]I took the car to go to Whitechapel - I needed some photos of a section of Commercial Street I needed for a painting .I took the Upper/Lower Thames Street route into the East End and as I neared Leman Street there was this enormous traffic jam stretching back to the Tower -as I now know some of the back street routes , I just about managed to dodge the worst of it but when I reached Whites Row I couldnt even get into the Car Park at first because Whites Row has been shut down-hopefully temporarilly.Coming back to head West, the entire section of Lower Thames Street had been shut down too-from Tower Bridge to Upper Thames Street.Unbelievable chaos even at that time in the morning-by then about 9.30 am.
That was why I left out "Atlantis" warehouse that day and returned on Tuesday but the chaos had moved itself by then almost to Plummers Row where Atlantis is situated. I never ever go by car usually [I am thinking of getting rid of it actually because London is no place for cars these days] but thought it would be quicker and cheaper to get some stuff from the warehouse myself.I just about managed to get through it,and I noticed the bull dozers around the area you mention on my way back.It is really upsetting.Wealth and Power is just destroying Whitechapel and its historic buildings as the City"s lust for land to build on spreads into Whitechapel.Mind with the banks all going bust maybe there will soon be a halt before the damage is total and irreversible.Quite tragic I agree over those upper Leman St buildings and all the others-Ughh!But what to do? The East End is London"s "heart",its oldest inhabited quarter [along with Southwark].Its a violation of everything to do with London"s history through the ages -from the Middle Ages onwards.
Best
Natalie

[m_w_r]

I had a text from Philip telling me the three old buildings on Whitechapel High Street behind the Lloyds building had been demolished.

I have taken some photos of the demolition of the buildings in question - there was one ornate shop front still standing last time I went past there to have a look; but I imagine that this is just a temporary thing, and that this will shortly be knocked down too. Unfortunately I can't post the pictures at the moment due to problems with my ISP... I will try to share them when I get things sorted out. I agree with previous comments regarding the loss of the architectural fabric of the area - it is really a shame to see these buildings come down. I seem to recall seeing something in the Tower Hamlets Council newspaper which suggested that the next victims of some sort of interference are to be 1-5 Tenter Ground... I'll try to find out more about the plans. I hope they don't take these buildings too.

Mark

[Mike Covell]

Another part of our history and heritage...Gone!

I suggest we take a trip to Buckingham Palace armed with sledge hammers and start tearing it down to build luxery apartments, offices and iconic glass and metal structures, that people would rather walk past than spend time admiring!!

[chrisjd]

Hi
are these the houses in question?
(pic taken Aug. 2007)

Christian

[m_w_r]

Hi chrisjd,

That's them. See also this page, elsewhere on Casebook.

Mark

[George Hutchinson]

Yep, Christian. As Mark says - that's the ones. Gone. Just a big gap there now and a big gap on the other side of the modern Lloyds building. It is so melancholic for me to see that shot above. Like one of a recently deceased distant relative.

PHILIP

[chrisjd]

Hi Mark, Phil,

sad, really.
I said that before: Isn't there something like the Spitalfields Trust that could try to save these things? The ST saved so many buildings in the Elder Str. and Princelet Str area.
Well, compared to them our three houses here probably were not worthy enough anyway.

C

[John Bennett]

I got some screen shots of the Spitalfields Historic Buildings Trust DVD here and I managed to identify some of the pictures.

First up, an easy one..

Fournier Street from Christchurch


No4 Wilkes Street from Puma Court


But this one looked familiar and indeed it is Hanbury Street, just east of No29, probably in 1970.


And this one of Hanbury Street at the same time shows the entrance to Barber's Yard, something I've never seen before.

[Suzi]

Hi Rob

That Railway Arms photo is beautiful. Thanks.

It bloody well is!!!!!!!!!!!! fabulous work John and Clacky ! Feel a FOTO day out coming on!!!

[Glenn Lauritz Andersson]

I agree with that too, but i must say that the two from Hanbury Street in the post above is awesome as well - especially the last one.
I am not generally a big fan of demolition pictures - they depresses me - but those two really were interesting stuff because they reveal quite a lot of details on the buildings (or what's left of them!). That last one with the sign 'Louis Philip' has an incredible atmosphere to it.

It's also sad. I just wish London would be more careful with their old buildings in the 'poor' areas. It's like the city's ashamed of these old buildings because of their history.
It's madness though. Just take a look at Fournier Street and it's evident how wonderful many of these streets could have looked if they were preserved.

All the best

[Suzi]

Hi Glenn et al
I was fascinated by this pic of Allenstein and Son

I see it as... Plain Fancy and Wire Stiffeners/Shapers for Hats and Caps Heeeeeeeeeeeee Brilliant........That IS what it says isn't it???

What some delightful images.......




Suzi x

[John Bennett]

Funnily enough, I went to Christchurch last Tuesday and got talking to one of the volunteers there, a Mr Stanley Rondeau.

Believe it or not, his ancestor John Rondeau built 4 Wilkes Street in the 1720s and was chummy with Edward Peck (the man who laid the foundation stone for Christchurch in 1715) as well as being sexton of the church while it was still being built! His ancestor that is, not Stan.

4 Wilkes Street was bombed in the war and was rebuilt. It is now that building with the 'Suskin' signs on it. According to Stan, it is now owned by the guy who also owns the Old Brewery site.

That was quite a fact-filled afternoon, I can tell you. Odder still, Stanley lives about 5 minutes away from me!

JB

[John Bennett]

Got a few more. Don't know the dates, sorry.

Artillery Passage from Widegate Street.


Old Jewish shop on the corner of Artillery Lane and Gun Street.


What is now the Market Coffee House, corner of Crispin/Brushfield Street

[Stephen Thomas]

Many thanks for that last lot of photos, John.

I think this one of mine may be one of the buildings on the Crispin Street photo