Vine Yard/Lolsworth Buildings

[John Casey]

Hi all, am doing some genealogy and have discovered a couple of rellies living in Vine Yard, Spittlefields and Lolsworth Buildings, Whitechapel. Does anyone with more knowledge of the area than me know anything about either place by any chance? Thanks a lot for anything that comes up!

John

[Monty]

John,

Im at work at the mo but try this link...

...http://ripper-land.blogspot.com/

Its John Bennetts blog site.

I suggest you PM him, Rob Clack or Phil Hutchinson.

They may have images, snippets of info that could be useful to you.

DO NOT PM MONTY, he is an arse !

Monty, an arse.


PS See, told you he is an arse.

[John Bennett]

Hello John,

Interesting stuff, indeed. Hope this helps....

Vine Yard (also known as Vine Court) was originally an offshoot of Vine Street, once one of the major streets in Spitalfields, but one of its less reputable slums. It survived the construction of the 2nd phase of Commercial Street in the 1850s and was situated near Great Pearl Street (now Calvin Street). Booth's poverty map has it coloured black, meaning 'vicious, semi-criminal' (don't worry, I had ancestors who lived in similar places in the area!). It was demolished some time between 1930 and 1938.

Lolesworth Buildings were constructed towards the end of the 19th century as part of the redevelopment of the rookeries that were Flower & Dean, Thrawl and George Streets. The latter was renamed Lolesworth Street in 1893.

The buildings themselves were situated on the south side of Thrawl Street opposite the more famous Charlotte De Rothschild Dwellings. This area was demolished between 1973 and 1980 and is now the site of the Flower and Dean Estate.

That'll save you a PM!

All the best

The other John

PS MONTY - John Bennett, Phil Hutchinson and Robert Clack: is this the three-headed demon of Ripper-based eastendology? Maybe we're like the Goodies. Bagsy I'm Bill Oddie.

[John Bennett]

Arse

Oh, and Monty is not an arse. Not the last time I checked.

[John Casey]

I've not met Monty so can't comment on whether or not he's an arse....if however he IS, he ought to get in touch with Pink Floyd pdq, theres a rumour doing the rounds that they're going to be touring The Wall next year with Roger! They could do with someone to play the judge during the trial scene!

Somewhat more seriously, thanks for taking the time to answer my not at all Ripper related question! Most interesting! I wonder if any pictures of either place still exist (or ever existed for that matter!).

[John Bennett]

Somewhat more seriously, thanks for taking the time to answer my not at all Ripper related question! Most interesting! I wonder if any pictures of either place still exist (or ever existed for that matter!).

Your question is probably more relevant than you think. There are many on these boards who are interested in the topography of the area and certainly Lolesworth Buildings is important in that it was part of the post-Ripper slum clearance projects. Vine Yard is significant as a slum that survived such projects.

The story of the areas you mention are interwoven into the whole saga.

As for photographs, I've never knowingly seen one of Vine Yard. I'm sure Lolesworth Buildings has been photographed, but I haven't seen one of them either. I'm sure there is something, though.

JB