Aerial view of Mitre Square today?

[Rob Clack]

Rob was calmness personified, werent you Robert?
Monty.

I was born calm

While I am on this thread, Kearley and Tonge 1980?



Rob

[George Hutchinson]

You mustn't upset people with connections like Rob, Monty. You could find yourself subjected to a lens-capping.

PHILIP

[Monty]

They do indeed Phil,

I remember spending one glorious sunny Sunday morning in the square listening to Rob and Nats arguing over cobbles whilst I was getting my dimensons right.

Rob was calmness personified, werent you Robert?

Monty.

[George Hutchinson]

Hi, man with scary ID (no, not you, Monty)

The pavements are not original and it's a myth about the cobbles being original too. There may be one or two left but they are not in situ. They run the other direction to how they appear in William Stewart's A NEW THEORY from 1938.

PHILIP

[Monty]

TrapDoorSpider,

Well, not on that very spot, but close.

Monty

[TrapDoorSpider]

VERY helpful. Thanks to all!

Many thanks, Gents, for the information and images. This was much better than I expected. As I said, I had been there at night, and couldn't see my surroundings very well, but got the impression it was still a rather closed-in square. This was in 1993. But it's clearly a wide-open space, and doesn't resemble in any way, really, the original square. Isn't it strange, though, how the curbing (though it looks new in these photos) matches the outlines of the original square. Is it possible that it is the original curbing and cobblestones, which somehow survived despite the demolition of practically all the old buildings that once faced the square? And I agree with the rest of you. Despite the pretty flower beds and new buildings, there is something indelibly "dark" about the place. It must be strange to sit on that bench, at night, and think, "Right here, on this very spot . . ."

[George Hutchinson]

This is "Ripper corner" with the red area being where Catherine Eddowes was found. It is the work of Colin Roberts (Septic Blue).

Cheers,

Robert

Damn! 120 years and the answer was right under our noses all the time. You think you know someone...

Mike - you've seen the place, we've MET the Leman Street Nutter. And you wonder why a woman in a car was giving the evil to a single man with a camera hanging around outside a school about the time they chuck out?

PHILIP

[Mike Covell]

I also visited Lemen Street, purely because I was looking for a decent sandwhich shop!! I took some pics of RDS "Alleged" bolthole!!

[Monty]

Mike,

Swallow Gardens and Pinchin Street are very atmospheric.

Mitre Square fascinates me, as most here will testify. However, the lesser visited places like the mortuary sites and the back of the Wentworth Dwellings really do give u a sense of the time.

Monty

[Mike Covell]

I am hoping to take the wife next time, sort of a romantic break!!
Last time I was pushed for time because I had appointments in Islington and Royal London Hospital Archives, so i spent a lot of time in taxis!!

I loved George Yard too, great area but really dark, and ominous!!

As I got to Bucks Row, the school was chucking out, so there were kids walking all over the crime scene, giving it lip!!

[Monty]

Mike,

When youre there next time, and if you are not on a shedule, re step Watkins beat.

Ive done it a few times and averaged 12 minutes. Its fascinating to pass along church of St Katherine Cree, see what he saw.

Monty

[Mike Covell]

When I was there a couple of cars were parked up, one with a lady sat in it, watching my every move!!

I tried to imagine the height of the buildings around the Square and it must have been scary during the day, nevermind the night!

I walked into the square via Mitre Street, then sat on the bench, before taking some pictures. A local pub was seen and heard opposite, but other than that it was quite and atmospheric.

I left via what was Church Passage, but will be back in the next year, hopefully to do one of Phillips tours!!

[Monty]

Tis small Mike,

If anyone happens to pass through the square from Duke Street take a line next to the school, where the benches are.

You will find the orignal 'footprint' in the paving of what once was Church Passage. And you will note how narrow it was.

Monty

[RJM]

Colin does great work with his aerial mapping. I haven't looked lately but I'm sure a lot of it was wiped out with the recent crash. If it was, I'm sure we would like to see you put it back up when you have the time, Colin. If it wasn't, maybe someone could post a link.

I agree Mike, lots of atmosphere. Could you image how much more menacing it would have been in 1888 when the buildings were taking up more of the pavement and Church Passage (now St. James Passage) was only a narrow covered entrance rather than the wide open entry of today.

I had to wait quite a while until there were no vehicles or people to get the empty shot from Mitre Street!!!

Cheers,

[Mike Covell]

Robert,

I love the image merge on the first shot showing rippers corner.

It is such a small square in reality, but is oozing menace, and not somewere I would want to be at night.