Ripperologist 92: June 2008

[Captain Hook]

Castle Alley

Jon Guy,

Your wishes have come true - one of them, at least. There is an article on Castle Alley in the latest Ripperologist.

Cheers
Hook (Captain).

[Jon Guy]

Nice one, Captain. I have the copy in my in box for some weekend reading.

[Roy Corduroy]

Canal

Quoting the article on Bucks Row:

"The warehouses, almost opposite where Mary Ann Nichols was found, were wool warehouses owned by Browne & Eagle Ltd. Essex wharf comprised mainly of office buildings, and adjacent to these was the sprawling Spitalfields Coal depot. They were called ‘wharves’ as originally they were served by a canal, of which there were a large number in a network across London in the LVP."

I can't locate a canal on any map of this area. Where was it?

Your help, as always, is appreciated. - Roy

[John Bennett]

I can't locate a canal on any map of this area. Where was it?

Your help, as always, is appreciated. - Roy

Hi Roy,

This reference to a canal is also in the A-Z (1st edition). Like you, I have never seen a canal in this part of East london, not even in maps going back as far as the 17th century.

A wharf is a fixed loading platform and is invariably associated with riverside trading.

My guess is that Essex Wharf was so named as it was indeed a fixed area for loading/unloading, but was served by a railways rather than a river. Maps show that there was a terminus of railway tracks there, often marked 'goods yard'.

Hope this helps.

JB