Save Dorset Street

[Monty]

There you go Simon,

With all that assuming again.

The exchange is, in my opinion, a wonderful building. Certainly iconic, and part of the heritage of the area.

Dorset St no longer exists, hasn't done for years, so I can understand why Simon has been misled, however the title is noty important.

Monty

[PaulB]

Hi All,

The quicker all access to any vague remnants of Millers Court is eradicated and replaced with buildings/amenities better suited to the health, well-being, equality and prosperity of the area, the better.

Or is there more in the game-plan? Like renaming the Henriques Street School the "Elizabeth Stride Primary"? Or twinning Whitechapel with Milwaukee?

Jack the Ripper is dead.

Get over it.

Regards,

Simon

Simon, I don't see where the preservation of the Fruit and Wool Exchange is being argued because of the connection Dorset Street has with Jack the Ripper, or, indeed, even because the existing building is itself worth preserving. It was argued that the proposed new building isn't in keeping with the area, doesn't approach being an improvement on the Exchange, and doesn't satisfy community needs. Whilst the area is admittedly a typical inner-city architectural hotch-potch, but the immediate proximity of the Exchange Buildings to Christ Church at one end, the preserved Refuge facade at the other, Fournier Street, the Market, and so on, creates a very strong argument for a considered and sympathetic replacement.

"Moonbeggar", it would be hoped that the same people who conducted the wonderful and exciting excavations on the Market site opposite would similarly look into the archaeological aspects, especially as Dorset Street is important as one of the earliest streets constructed over Lolesworth.

[Simon Wood]

Hi All,

The quicker all access to any vague remnants of Millers Court is eradicated and replaced with buildings/amenities better suited to the health, well-being, equality and prosperity of the area, the better.

Or is there more in the game-plan? Like renaming the Henriques Street School the "Elizabeth Stride Primary"? Or twinning Whitechapel with Milwaukee?

Jack the Ripper is dead.

Get over it.

Regards,

Simon

[moonbegger]

save Dorset street

Has anyone had the thought to get in touch with the guys that put together the ( Time Team ) TV show with Tony Robinson , with the idea of maybe excavating part of the old street , and Millers court , during or before any building work goes ahead. i know its pretty much recent history , but i think its as equally important to the history of London , and maybe even some great photo's of what was thought to be lost forever . just a thought .

[adrian]

LESS THAN FORTY EIGHT HOURS TO SAVE THE FRUIT AND WOOL EXCHANGE and DORSET
STREET
Tower Hamlets Planning Office have decided that this coming TUESDAY, the 28that 5pm is the deadline for objections to be submitted against Exemplar's plans
to demolish the Fruit and Wool Exchange. If you haven't done so yet, please
write to object. The proposed replacement building isn't cutting edge modern
architecture. It's large, ugly, and dated. 'Blocky' in the words of its own
architect.

We believe it's;
- wrong to demolish the Portland stone Fruit and Wool building
- wrong to build such an ugly new building opposite Hawksmoor's Christ Church on Commercial Street
- wrong to eradicate from the map Dorset Street, once home to Georgian silk
weavers and Wedgewood's first London showroom
- wrong to open a large new restaurant facing residential Crispin Lane and
White's Row (rather than on a revitalised Dorset Street)

We want to see;
- a mixed use development with homes
- retail space at ground floor level throughout
- the retention of Dorset Street
- high quality architecture for Commercial Street facing Christ Church.

If you agree please URGENTLY E MAIL
Pete.Smith@towerhamlets.gov.uk

Individually worded e mails are always best. Or you can add your name to our
petition (see below). Or do both.

http://www.change.org/petitions/petition-against-exemplars-plans-for-the-fruit-and-wool-exchange-eradication-of-historic-dorset-street-demolition-of-the-gun-pub-and-barclays-bank

Thank you.
The Spitalfields Community Group.

[adrian]

Saving Dorset Street

- IT'S ON THE AGENDA AGAIN -
ON-LINE PETITION TO SAVE
LONDON FRUIT & WOOL EXCHANGE, BRUSHFIELD STREET You might remember that we reported that the area around what was once Dorset Street was under threat from developers who wanted to build on the site against the wishes and needs of local people and businesses. Although it is fully agreed that parts of the site such as the Whites Row multi-storey carpark are far from perfect the site does have qualities that need preserving such as theLondon Fruit & Wool Exchange building in Brushfield Street.
Thanks to your objections lodged before Christmas the original plans were put aside...but only to reappear again in an altered form. The new proposal states: "Demolition of Whites Row multi-storey car park, 99-101 Commercial Street (The Bank), 54 Brushfield Street (The Gun public house), and partial demolition of the London Fruit & Wool Exchange behinf the retained Brushfield Street facarde and the erection of six storey building with a basement, for business, employment and retail use (Use Classes B1/A1/A2/A3 & A4) with landscaping and associated works together with a new pavilion building for retail accommodation (Use Class A1)"
Despite the claims to improve the area local residents and businesses have not been consulted and a meeting of the Stategic Development Committee of Tower Hamlets council will be held on Tuesday 6th March to discuss this development.
We therefore ask you to sign the on-line petition by clicking the link below:

http://www.change.org/petitions/petition-against-exemplars-plans-for-the-fruit-and-wool-exchange-eradication-of-historic-dorset-street-demolition-of-the-gun-pub-and-barclays-bank

THE PETITION NEEDS TO BE SIGNED VERY URGENTLY....LIKE NOW!
Whilst signing the petition why not leave a comment like the historian and broadcaster DAN CRUICKSHANK did:
"To save the special architectural, historic, social and economic character of Spitalfields which this monolithic office scheme theatens"
To see what is trying to be saved visit the SPITALFIELDS LIFE link below which has interesting pictures of the site:

http://spitalfieldslife.com/2012/02/15/at-the-fruit-wool-exchange/

[jason_c]

Well I would submit that it might be a nice way to remember a victim when the argument is often made that Ripperology and the tours are a celebration of a serial killer.

You say, "I cant think of many other examples of murder victims having their places of murder named after them."

Well, my friend, there is an example right in front of your very nose.

The park where stood the bombed-out church of St. Mary Matfelon, the original "White Chapel" that gave the area its name, "was renamed to 'Altab Ali Park ' in memory of a Bangladeshi clothing worker who was the victim of a racially motivated murder on 4 May 1978, and of other victims of racist attacks during the 1970s." Wikipedia

Best regards

Chris

I stay nowhere near Whitechapel so Altab Ali Park is hardly under my very nose. It sounds like Altab Ali Park was a politically motivated naming decision. This same motivation will not be behind any decision to rename a street after Mary Kelly. I cant think of too many serial murder victims having streets named after them.

And again, why no "Kitty Ronan Way"?

[ChrisGeorge]

A passageway named Mary Kelly Way is tacky in my personal opinion. I cant think of many other examples of murder victims having their places of murder named after them. And why no suggestions of "Kitty Ronan Lane?"

Well I would submit that it might be a nice way to remember a victim when the argument is often made that Ripperology and the tours are a celebration of a serial killer.

You say, "I cant think of many other examples of murder victims having their places of murder named after them."

Well, my friend, there is an example right in front of your very nose.

The park where stood the bombed-out church of St. Mary Matfelon, the original "White Chapel" that gave the area its name, "was renamed to 'Altab Ali Park' in memory of a Bangladeshi clothing worker who was the victim of a racially motivated murder on 4 May 1978, and of other victims of racist attacks during the 1970s." Wikipedia

Best regards

Chris

[jason_c]

A passageway named Mary Kelly Way is tacky in my personal opinion. I cant think of many other examples of murder victims having their places of murder named after them. And why no suggestions of "Kitty Ronan Lane?"

[GordonH]

There is now a petition about this organised by a local resident which can be signed here:

http://gh.cm/wGYwdG

They are looking for people with London addresses.

[The Grave Maurice]

I think a good argument could be made that the developer should allow an easement or a passageway that might be named "Mary Jane Kelly Way" to remember the woman who many of us think was the Ripper's final victim.

That's an excellent suggestion, Chris.

[WARSPITE]

Yes the only thing I shall miss about the gorgeous Whites Row carpark is the many happy minutes Ive spend peering down on Dorset St neighbourhood from the top floor, whilst avoiding the muggers. It adds nothing to the atmosphere, but strangely it usually quiet at night, which for me means less city tossers gawping at you or using Dorset St as a throughfare to the next stop on their pubcrawl. The less people ignorant of their local history the better.
Whats it going to replace it anyway?

[ChrisGeorge]

Ripper tours and Ripper-related tourism must bring ££££s into the local economy - pubs and meals etc, as well as boosting the world-wide knowledge of and interest in the area.

There may be a prejudice against memorialising horror, but there is an alternative view that needs to be advanced. The plaques could also be seen as about the VICTIMS and woman, which might attract support from feminist groups.

Phil

Hi Adrian, Phil, John, et al

There have been major Ripper conferences in the area in the last three years, 2009, 2010, 2011, with conventioneers bringing revenue to local hotels. This is in addition to the frequent Ripper tours through the neighborhood and the meetings of the Whitechapel Society at the Aldgate Exchange public house. Therefore, it can definitely be shown that interest in the Whitechapel murders benefits the local economy. I think a good argument could be made that the developer should allow an easement or a passageway that might be named "Mary Jane Kelly Way" to remember the woman who many of us think was the Ripper's final victim.

Best regards

Chris

[Bridewell]

I have just read the thread and now note that all objections had to be made by yesterday, so I have missed the opportunity to register.
The site itself is, as the Grave Maurice and Phil H have already stated, much changed since 1888 & the removal of the hideous car park would be a blessing. For me it is the loss of a long-standing thoroughfare which is the real concern as there is really nothing of any relevance, architecturally remaining, as far as the Kelly murder is concerned. There is certainly no atmosphere about the place, which is exposed to public view in a way that it certainly wasn't in the 19th century. I wonder if the matter isn't better opposed by a legal challenge, rather than a mere aesthetic objection? As the site has been regularly visited by members of the public continuously over many years, might it not be possible to claim an easement, so as to ensure the possibility of continued access?

[John Bennett]

Thanks for posting this Adrian.

Despite the reservations expressed about this objection (including my own), this makes the reasons for that objection abundantly clear.

I have signed.