East End Watch

[Jenni Shelden]

i was expecting the Doctor to appear - oh my - that's interesting...

[George Hutchinson]

Well, I agree it's out of keeping but my personal opinion is that the current Whitechapel station is one of the messiest and ugliest in London. It's horrible, but it does lead appropriately to what lies outside...

Whilst the thread is resurrected, there's major stuff going on down in Berner Street.

Work on the playground of the Harry Gosling School continues. I spoke to some workmen there this afternoon, who were digging deep holes right where the front of the next building up the street from the IWEC stood (and layers there suggested we were looking at part of the old foundations).

The flower bed over the top of Liz Stride's murder site has gone. It's totally ripped out and there's no tarmac on the spot. I had hoped that maybe what I was seeing was cobbles from DY, but it turns out its the footing for the flower beds they've taken away. A lot of the wall is gone and it's easy to see inside at present.

I've bought a new Flip camera for taking videos and it's SO much better in quality than my previous one. I made a few clips today I'll upload to YouTube, including of Henriques Street.

The final thing is that one of the guys who works in the London Fruit Exchange had a chat to me last week. He told me there is nothing underneath the current building, so hopes of old foundations are lost. It's a big, open, concrete celler in long rows. He also gave me a copy of the 2004 plans to totally demolish part of Brushfield Street, the Fruit Exchange & White's Row car park. It's a bloody good thing it didn't happen as, although a nice building in keeping with the area aesthetically, it would have had a bleeding great office right on the MJK site with no public access.

PHILIP

[Andrew Firth]

Philip,

Thanks for these updates. Did I read somewhere that you had some news regarding the "spookiest house on Bell Lane", that you were planning to post here?

All the best
Andrew

[halomanuk]

Philip,what is going to replace the Liz Stride site ? Just nothing at all now ?

[George Hutchinson]

Hi both.

The workmen today were great. I asked them and they said they had just been told to dig a 'bloody big hole'. It looks like another set of gates are going in next to the large gates they've already inserted. This suggests to me that the current playground is due to become a car park. I think that DY is in no danger of being built upon at present.

Andrew - not so much news on the Bell Lane house, as it's now common knowledge the Bell Lane side has been demolished and only the facade remains in Tenter Ground (which is probably going to stay with some modern structure behind it, rather like the Wash Houses in Old Castle Street).

What I needed to do - and still do - is put up the photos I have of it being demolished.

PHILIP

[Scott Nelson]

The workmen today were great. I asked them and they said they had just been told to dig a 'bloody big hole'.

Did they find any traces of blood in the hole? Or was it too far from any of the murder sites?

[George Hutchinson]

Depends if you're asking me or de Locksley.

If you're asking de Locksley, they found a rusty surgeon's knife and a small box containing a human heart in the hole.

PHILIP

[Andrew Firth]

Philip,

I had a look at the new video you've posted on YouTube of Henriques Street. First of all, yes, it's a huge improvement on picture quality!

I noticed that the new(ish) wooden gates have now been replaced by steel railing type of gates, presumably permanent. I guess that whatever happens to the triangle of land where the flowerbed used to stand, visitors will at least now be able to see the murder site. Seeing as it was hidden behind a high wall for nearly a hundred years, it's nice to finally have a relatively unobscured view.

I reckon that photos of the spot will become far more commonplace now!

All the best
Andrew

[George Hutchinson]

In that case I'm going to hang around with a big tablecloth to block it!

PHILIP

[Suzi]

Bloody right you are!!! And as to that Whitechapel Station 'plan' ........I'm speechless!!!- Yes really!!!

Take me ......NOW!

..... and apart from the shitetiness of it all where's the hundreds of people and it would never be the same without that wee smell!

Post a Youtube link up Frip xx

[WARSPITE]

Just had my first time up on the roof of Whites Row car park. Great views,although the staircase stinks of wee. I was listening to the speakers from 2 walks down below in Duval St,each pointing out the site of Marys room which were nowhere near the broken kerbstone. Bell Lanes still quiet and spooky, and I think the police thought I was soliciting! Is this area still frequented by ladies of the night?

[John Bennett]

I think the police thought I was soliciting! Is this area still frequented by ladies of the night?

It certainly is. I've seen them loitering on Wentworth Street, Commercial Street and in the doorway of the White's Row Carpark.

***

On another matter, I passed the 'Market Trader' pub (corner of Middlesex Street and New Goulston Street) on Friday night and it has now been renamed 'The Bell', its original name and the the one it had when James Sadler and Frances Coles popped in their on their fateful night.

JB

[m_w_r]

John -

I noticed yesterday that you can presently see inside the Seven Stars on Brick Lane, if you squint through the windows either side of the door. Well worth doing.

Regards,

Mark

[Monty]

The Bell

I was there Friday, did anyone notice the sign for 'Jack the Rippers tipple' and 'Mary Kelly Victim No 5'?

Bad taste me thinks.

Had a swift one in The Alice. 10 Bells was packed out whereas The Alice was virtually empty. Apart from a couple of guys playing pool. Also had a ruby in the Monsoon...very reasonable.

And how long has that security gate been on the entry to the read of the Wentworth dwellings?

Monty

[John Bennett]

Goodness gracious, the Mont was among us down here and we didn't know it?

The security gate on Wentworth Dwellings has been there a while now. Not sure how long exactly.

And the pub's been advertising the 'Ripper Tipple' for ages too. It's that sort of thing that got the 'Ten Bells' into trouble all those years ago. New management, so I think they're trying to drum up trade - they even rang Richard Jones saying they'd welcome tours.

Every time I pass by it's closed for a private function.