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Rast- NEWSLETTER Volume 2 Issue 1

Summer 2001

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Chinese children in Pennyfields, Limehouse 1932 (see page 2)

CONTENTS:Programme 3Notes and News 4The Brown Bread of Bethnal Green 5Letters 6

A Bad Night on Bow Common 8The "Island" - 1 9Memories of the "Island — 2 11Coach Trip 16

Index of articles from. Newsletters Volume 1 issues 1-20 published from 1992 — 2001 is included in this newsletter.All illustrations used in the newsletter are from Tower Hamlets Local History Library, Bancroft Road, El.

ELHS Newsletter Summer 2001

Editorial Note:

The East London History SocietyNewsletter is published twice yearly and isfree to members of the Society.

The Newsletter is edited, typeset and producedby Rosemary Taylor with the assistance of aneditorial team comprising John Harris, DoreenKendall, David Behr, Philip Mernick andDoreen Osborne.

Letters and articles on East End history andreminiscences are always welcome and wemake every effort to publish suitable material.Whilst hand-written articles are acceptable,items of interest that are typewritten or evenbetter still, on disk will get priority!!

Enquiries to Doreen Kendall, 20 PuteauxHouse, Cranbrook Estate, Bethnal Green, E2ORF, Tel: 0208 981 7680, or Philip Mernick,email: harry@mernicks.freeserve.co.uk.

All queries regarding membership should beaddressed to John Harris, 13 Three CrownsRoad, Colchester CO4 5AD.

Check out the History Society's website atwww.eastlondonhistory.org.uk.

The present committee are: Philip Mernick,Chairman, Doreen Kendall, Secretary, JohnHarris, Membership, David Behr, Programme,Ann Sansom, Doreen Osborne, Bob Dunn,Howard Penberg and Rosemary Taylor.

The Chinese Community in Limehouse

Les Hearson and Hsiao Hung have set up ahistory project to record the experiences ofChinese immigrants to Britain in the early tomid-twentieth century. They are hoping tointerview people with first-hand knowledge ofthe Chinese community in Limehouse,whether immigrants themselves or theirdescendants, or people who lived inLimehouse Chinatown and remember what itwas like.

If you have any memories you would like toshare, please get in touch with Les Hearson,tele: 020 8586 7821 or write to him at 224Caledon Road, London E6 2EX, or email himat chineseineastlondonAhotmail.com.

Les Hearson or Hsiao Hung would bedelighted to hear from you.

The War Years

In October 1940, the 4th battalion GrenadierGuards camped on Wanstead Flats. They werethere to assist the police in the event of largescale rioting and looting which thegovernment assumed would take place duringair raids. All police stations in the east endalso stocked large amounts of weapons readyfor issue to the police.

When war was declared in September 1939,the RSPCA was overwhelmed by people whowere being evacuated from London, andwanted to have their pets put down. Nolivestock were allowed in public bomb sheltersand there were no measures taken to protectanimals against gas attacks. 60,000 pets,mostly cats and dogs were put down andburied in a secret mass grave somewhere inEast London.

John Harris

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ELHS Newsletter Summer 2001

EAST LONDONHISTORY SOCIETY

PROGRAMME2001-2002

Thursday 20 th SeptemberSouthwark and the Archaeology ofthe Jubilee LineSpeaker: James Drummond-Murray

Saturday 30 th SeptemberCoach Trip to the Royal GunpowderMills and the town of WalthamAbbeySee back page of newsletter fordetails and booking form.

Thursday 31 st JanuaryCollecting Tower HamletsSpeaker: Philip Merrick

Thursday 28th FebruarySo Your Ancestor Worked in theDocks?Speaker: Bob Aspinall

March and AprilTo Be Arranged

Thursday 23 rd May Open EveningMemories and Photos

Note:The lectures are held on Thursday eveningsat 7.30 pm in the Latimer CongregationalChurch Hall, Ernest Street, El. ErnestStreet is between Harford Street andWhitehorse Lane, off Mile End Road(Opposite Queen Mary and WestfieldCollege). The nearest Underground Stationsare Mile End and Stepney Green. Bus No.25.

Thursday 18th OctoberPearl Binder, an artist in the EastEnd 1925-35 (Illustrated)Speaker: Dan Jones

Thursday 22"d November The Spirit of SpitalfieldsSpeaker: Anne J Kershen

Thursday 6th DecemberMudchute FarmSpeaker: Maggie Lipscombe

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ELHS Newsletter Summer 2001

Notes and News

Mile End Park

In June 2001 the second phase of the parkopened with earth sheltered buildings, newlakes and wind power electricity. Many eventsare scheduled, including sculpture, art andwalks. A great future beckons as the parkfollows the Regents Canal from Victoria Parkto the Ragged School Museum.

It has been an interesting three years watchingthe clearance of roads, buildings and treesmaking way for huge diggers to create thelakes, and the green bridge, when traffic alongthe Mile End Road came to a halt for a day, tothe recycling of road bricks to create paths,and the instant huge trees and wild plantsplanted in very wet weather, when the wholesite looked as if it would never be finished formud.

Millennium Trail

Look out for the Millennium Trail map ofTower Hamlets Cemetery; it has been printedto celebrate the Borough's first Local NatureReserve by the Tower Hamlets ParksDepartment and Friends of Tower HamletsCemetery. The 22 posts, bought with the£5000 grant for the Millennium will guide youaround the cemetery park, where you will finddescribed on a map by Terry Lyle, outstandingmemorials, trees, flowers, animals, butterfliesand bird areas, all drawn by Andy Maguire.English Heritage has listed 7 of the memorialsthis year.

Open House Weekend

While we're on the subject of the cemetery,you can come along on Open House Weekend,22nd and 23 rd September, when you can join inguided walks, or browse through the maps insearch of that illusive ancestor, and bring

yourself up to date on Diane's monumentaldatabase.

St Matthias Old Church will also be open onthat weekend, so please do put it on to yourtour. I know many of our members try to fit inas many places as possible, as this weekend isa rare opportunity to explore buildings that areoften inaccessible to the public.

Family History Society

The East of London Family History Societyplan to rent a room at Valentine's Park tohouse their research. This centre will be keptopen and run by volunteers from the society.

Doreen Kendall

January 1900At Bethnal Green Coroners Court, threeseparate inquests were heard. All threeconcerned infants, one aged 2 days, and twoaged 3 months. All the deaths had taken placeon a Saturday night, all had been accidentallysuffocated.

The Coroner remarked that this type of infantdeath was becoming common in BethnalGreen when the infant shared a bed with threeother people, and always on a Saturday night.He advised mothers to buy a 2 shilling 'MosesBasket' for use as a cradle, then these deathscould be avoided. He also advised mothers togo to bed early.

A Verdict of accidental death was recorded onall three infants.

John Harris

Strange But True

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ELHS Newsletter Summer 2001

The Brown Bread of Bethnal Green

A small mill run by the Cyclone Flour andMeal Company at 21a Patriot Square, BethnalGreen, behind a terrace of 18th century houses,was the embryo of the more highly capitalisedNatural Food Company which took it overwithin the first five years.

The mill was enlarged four times in its firsttwenty years up to 1915, and an imposingclock tower and offices fronting 210-214Cambridge Road, on the corner of PatriotSquare, with a factory and mill behind it wasbuilt. Bethnal Green had become the centre ofthe largest wholesale milling company in thecountry.

After the third expansion, in 1911, theproduction was doubled, and enabled ten toeleven million loaves to be made from theirwholemeal flour. 1500 agents sold thecompany's flour and bread at the time.

This achievement within 16 years of operatingwas all the more remarkable because themethod of milling wheat that it practised wasby millstones, which had almost entirely beenreplaced elsewhere by the 1890s with the moreeconomical roller mill for making flour whiterand quicker. The Natural Food Company keptthe traditional work alive, producing theirbrown bread and wholemeal.

The company grew because it identified itselfclosely with the wave of public support for thehealth improvement ideas of Dr. Allinson. Thestrict allegiance to high standards ofproduction and quality, and a zealous andeducative advertising policy was hard to matchby others. Bread competitions for the bakingtrade and for the housewife becameenormously popular, and Dr. Allinson judgedsome of these.

This publicity-seeking physician, whosesurgery was in Marylebone, owned one share

in both the companies, and was a director. Heallowed his name on a wide range of themanufactures. The brand loyalty conceptworked well for Dr. Allinson's Natural Foodfor Babies and Invalids, Prepared Barley, Oats,Custards, Blancmange, N.F. Cocoa, Anti-Tea,Brunak (beverage), Power (breakfast food),lunch biscuits, Petroleum Hair Restorer, HairTonic, Hair Dyes, Coal Tar Soap, SimpleOintment, Depilatory, Tooth Powder, andBenzoin Toilet Cream. These were also soldthrough chain stores such as Boots, the cashchemists, and co-operative stores. Theproducts, including Allinson wholemeal breadand flour, were mentioned in the company'spublications, and several of Dr. Allinson's fivelengthy 'Medical Essays' acquired a new leaseof life this way, after initial popularity 15-20years before.

From the 1880s to the early 1900s, Dr.Allinson issued personal testimonialcertificates of wholemeal bread quality tocomplying bakers. They found it advantageousto display the certificate in their shop windowsto attract more customers into changing fromwhite bread to wholemeal bread. The publichad read about, and heard of Dr. Allinsonbeing a successful dietician for ailments,advocating vegetarian foods with wholemealbread at every meal. His patients andsupporters in the 1890s, at the mostcontroversial part of his career, even calledthemselves Allinsonians.

The special ness of his wholemeal was that thewheat was pure whole-wheat, and was groundbetween two traditional millstones. Its flourthus retained more of the essential mineralsand nutrients the body needs, than other whiteflour millers could ever produce. The companyclaimed that the whole meal was from purewheat which had nothing added and nothingtaken away. This is why Dr. Allinson waswilling to give his name as a guarantee thatnone of the products were made of chemicalsor of impure additives. He knew, and the

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ELHS Newsletter Summer 2001

public sometimes knew, and the localgovernment food inspectors knew that therewere many fraudulent producers to be wary of.

A river bank site in Castleford, and a site nearthe docks in Newport, Monmouthshire werechosen to enable the milling capacity toincrease, and to bring about a more efficienttransportation system for their country-wideoperations by 1922. At that time the businesswas renamed Allinson Ltd.

The Bethnal Green site closed in 1971 when amulti-national company, Booker-McConnelltook over, and the Allinson brand name wasutilised by the new business to promote a newrecipe of wholemeal bread which revived theindustry and made its Castleford mill thelargest producer of wholemeal in Europe.

Christopher Lloyd

Cricketers Bridge, Victoria Park

A Pictorial History of Victoria Park,published by the East London History Societyis still available at £6.95 plus £2 postage andpacking. Please send your orders of DoreenKendall, 20 Puteaux House, Cranbrook Estate,Bethnal Green, London E2 ORF.

Letters from Near and Far

Doreen Kendall continues her sterling workanswering the many queries she receivesfrom all parts of the world, and providesvaluable information, through books andphotocopies, to those seeking to know whereand how their ancestors lived in the EastEnd of London.

Eileen and Fred Drew, from Bideford,Devon, write:

Thank you for the information (Doreen) sentme at the request of my Goddaughter. Both mywife and I were born and brought up in Bow,and both went to Bow Central School inCoborn ;Street, until 1936. We moved out toEpping after the War, and in retirement havecome to Devon. Victoria Park was our happyhunting ground as children, and used verymuch for leisure by our families. We still havefriends we were at school with, and from thesecontacts information about Bow tricklesthrough.

Charles W Buckingham JP, 6 Rees JamesRoad, Raymond Terrace, NSW 2324, writes:

Many thanks (to Doreen) for your letter andenclosures. I was very interested in the EastLondon Record No. 12, as I was seeking someinfo of my youth from school age at 5 years to14 years plus. Went to Subday School at PottStreet, the famous Congregational Church firstof all, and later to St Andrews, Viaduct Street,Bethnal Green. I was confirmed by the Bishopof London at age 9 years, sang in the choir andas a junior joined the Church Lads Brigade,and at the age of 12 became a Cadet inTraining on military lines, as then approved bythe army and War Office. During this period asmall group of us trained Choir Boys did stintswith St Paul's Cathedral Choir to augment thevery important royal and national days etc.

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ELHS Newsletter Summer 2001

As cadets we trained during the evenings each Joan Barker (Turpin), 'Merrythought'week, we had all the equipment, uniforms, Mendlesham Green, Stowmarket, Suffolk,rifles, bayonets, foot drill etc. There were quite 1P14 5RQ:a number of CLB companies in London andEngland, and locally in the East End, I was brought up in Bethnal Green leaving inHackney, Bow, Bethnal Green, Poplar etc and 1965 when I got married. My father (Albertwere inspected annually at local drill halls, one Edward Turpin) was born in Ravenscroftof which was at Tredegar Road, Bow, and at Buildings, Columbia Road in 1900, his parentsSt Simon's Church Hall, Roman Road area, were married in Hackney Parish Church, andbetween Globe Road and the Aberdeen, where his grandparents were married at St Leonard'sthe Rector was Major. Peerless, during 1925 to Church, Shoreditch.1932/34. It would delight me if the Church ofSt Simons still operates, and if there is any My father died in 1964 but during his lifetimehistoric memories of these happenings, and he took a leading part in the Anti-Fascistappreciate the Revd. Major Peerless has no movement and was a Labour Councillor anddoubt passed over in recent years. I am 88 Mayor in Bethnal Green.years with failing eyesight, so please excusemistakes. He wrote his life story in 1947, which I am

currently transferring to disc. This has beenEd. Note: There are several pictures in typed on A4 paper and runs to 144 pages. ItBancroft Library of the Revd. Peerless covers his childhood, his participation in thestanding in the ruins of the Church of St First World War, the Anti-Fascist Movement,Simon Zelotes, the day after it was bombed and his time as a fireman during the Secondduring the Blitz. The church was World War. He was also an artist and ademolished after the Second World War. member of the East London Group of artists

that I understand are now being written aboutand recognized. I have at home fifty oil

Roger A Hobday, Harbourne, Birmingham: paintings of the East End of London mainlypainted between 1943 and 1964 when he died,

Thank you (Doreen) for sending me the book plus a number of drawings showing areas ofBow Then and Now. It was most kind of you, the East End that have now vanished.and I have found an excellent photo in thebook of Tredegar Road in the 1890s, which I have photographed all the paintings, which Ishows me what my great grandparents won, some that are in the Bancroft Roadneighbourhood looked like, along with all the Library and a number of his drawings. I alsoexcellent photos and information of and about have four scrapbooks of paper cuttings.the Bow area, which help me to imagine andunderstand how and where my family lived. It I wonder if any of this is of interest to yourwas always one of my fondest dreams to come members.to England and visit the area where mygrandfather lived with his brothers andparents. I am most grateful to you, MsKendall, and I look forward to any postcardsthat hopefully might surface. I think the searchfor ancestral information can be really quiteexciting and fun.

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ELHS Newsletter Summer 2001

A Bad Night on Bow Common

8.34 pm on Wednesday 11 th September 1940,the air raid warning sounded over London,nothing unusual for the time of year, the eastend had been raided three times that day, thedocks and surrounding streets had fires thatwere our of control. The BBC had beenbroadcasting warnings all day that the invasionmay be launched at any time in the next weekand that these air raids were part of theinvasion plan.

The fourth air raid was something special, itwas the biggest air raid carried out on Londonand it was met by the biggest anti aircraftbarrage ever seen, the sky was full ofexploding shells and the shrapnel rained downon the roof tops. This drove off the first waveof bombers who were heading for CentralLondon carrying incendiaries. They turned,and flew across the east end as they made theirway down the Thames and (you guessed it)dropped all the bombs on the east enders.

As the Police, Air Raid Wardens, and FireFighters struggled to get some order amongthe blocked roads and burning buildings, oneman stood out, this is the story of that man onthat particular night.

George Wiseman, born in 1892, left school atthe age of eleven to train as a horse keeper.George was the manager of Wiseman's stablessituated in Furze Street, which was a streetleading off from Devon's Road, Bow. Thestables held fifty shire horses. On this nightGeorge would need all his expertise becausethe stables had been hit by incendiaries, andset on fire. It looked as if the horses weredoomed, because the stables were on twolevels, twenty two being housed at groundlevel and twenty eight on the first floorreached by a steep cobble stoned ramp. To addto the danger, a gas main had been broken andwas burning in the middle of the road.8

George Wiseman led the horses out of thestables one by one, leading them through theflames and smoke with a sack over their headsto stop them from becoming panic-stricken.When out in the street they were handed overto volunteers who then tied them to people'sdoorknockers, and the old-fashioned footscrapers which most of the old houses had inthose days. A rope was also tied between alamppost and a telegraph pole and more horsetied to that. At this time the second wave ofbombers had arrived and they were carryinghigh explosive bombs. They began bombingthe burning area, and some of the horses werewounded, but George doctored their wounds,and they recovered.

After the raid was over the horses were takento a yard in Canning Town while their ownstables were repaired. Three months later theywere back and carrying out their usual job,which was delivering meat supplies from thedocks.

In 1947 all the horses were retired to thecountry. They were replaced by motorvehicles. George Wiseman also decided toretire, he was manager for his uncle whoowned Union Cartage in Bow Common Lane,whose name was also Wiseman. For hisbravery and courage, George Wiseman wasawarded a certificate by the National HorseAssociation of Great Britain, which stated:

To George Wiseman who is justly entitled tothe recognition of the Association for havingon the 11 th of September 1940 exhibitedgallantry in saving equine life by assisting inrescuing 50 horses at Bow from a burningstables adjoining a blazing gas main duringan air raid.

Harry Salton

ELHS Newsletter Summer 2001

The "Island"

In the last newsletter we published JeanHewitt's article on Dr Bragg, and the Missionon the 'Island'. She follows it up with herinterview of John Payne, who was closelyconnected to Dr Bragg, and who lived on theIsland. Jean's first article inspired Jim Crouch,also a resident of the Island to set down hisreminiscences, and I received both articlessimultaneously. John Payne moved to theIsland in 1917, Jim Crouch in 1947, so I haveincluded extracts from both in this newsletter.Editor.

John Payne's Story, told to Jean Hewitt

I am the eldest of three. After David, Ada arrivedmaking the family overcrowded in our upstairs flatin Cheviot Street, Hackney. My father found abigger place. We moved to a terraced house inMonier Road when I was about seven in 1917. Itwas small, but we had it all to ourselves and wecould keep chickens in the back yard.

We went to Smeed Road School round the corner.It was a tall building with a floor each for Infants,Juniors and Seniors. There was a good bigplayground around it.

The Island got its name from being a tightly-packed community with four clear boundaries andonly one road in and out which was our MonierRoad. It led up a steep slope into Wick Lane.When well-laden carts travelled that way they hadto harness an extra horse to pull the load up theslope to the Wick Lane Canal Bridge.

The boundaries of the Island were like this. Arailway line between Victoria Park and Old Fordstations formed the western boundary and beyondthat, Victoria Park. A timber yard lay to the north,bordering onto the Hertford Union Canal. This raninto the Hackney Cut Navigation stretch of theRiver Lea, which formed the eastern boundary. Tothe south an embankment twenty feet high, createdthe effect of a prison-like enclosure. Some fivehundred dwellings were crammed into the dozenroads of the Island, interspersed with several

factories, including Yardley's Sunlight Soap andthe Broadwood Piano Factory.

There was a firm called Crane who had a horseand two-wheeled cart. He transported all sorts ofstuff. One of his regular assignments was to carrya load of dark brown 'foot' sugar' to a factorywhere it was used to make syrup. We childrenwould follow the cart and help ourselves to someof the sugar. The only traffic was horse-drawn sothe cobbled streets were safe to play in. Keengardeners would run out to collect the horse-droppings as manure for their back gardens.

There were several shops near us. There was abutcher's, a barber's and a fish shop. One shopcollected rags and bones. The baker was aGerman. He kept his ovens heated all the week. OnSundays he didn't bake bread but he let peoplebring their joints or stews and put them in hisovens for their Sunday dinners. All the week themen were out at work so the family only sat downtogether once a week, on Sundays.The neareststreet market was the Roman Road. We went tothe swimming baths there from school once aweek. When we came out we could buy a bag ofdates for three pence. Whoever bought the bagwould share it round the whole class.

Old Mitford Bridge and Mitford Castle

There were no pubs in the Island – only an off-licence. People would take a jug to the MitfordArms, the nearest pub in Cadogan Terrace, and getit filled with ale or beer during the week. Atweekends they would go into the pubs. The onlyother amenities in the Island included theMunicipal Baths where one could have a hot bathor do a load of washing for sixpence. Then therewas a small, independent church called the Tin

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Tabernacle, on the corner of Smeed Road andBeechy Road.But the biggest social centre was the Old FordMedical Mission which took place in Park Hall.This was a big hall owned by the Anglican StMark's Church on the corner of Victoria Park.They rented it out to a Committee of Christian menwho saw the need of medical care in such a poordistrict. In 1919 they appointed Dr Bragg to headthe medical and evangelistic work.

This is how I was introduced to the Mission. Soonafter we came to live in the Island I became illwith pneumonia. Although it was Sunday night myfather was so anxious about me that he went acrossthe road to Park Hall and asked Dr Bragg to comeand see me, which he did. He was a well-built,stocky man, a perfect gentleman. He had been aMajor in the Army was he was a man to beobeyed! After seeing me he said, 'Now whenyou're better you must come across to thechildren's meeting.' That's how I started, andDavid and Amy came too.

Park Hall was a big hall seating up to 300 peopleon long wooden benches. That's where we sat towait for the doctor's surgery, which took place inthe next house. It was reached through anadjoining doorway. Working men were treatedfree. Others had to pay sixpence. Mid-weekmeetings were held there too, for boys and girlsseparately. I also attended the clubs, which wererun by a team of helpers that Dr Bragg introducedto the Mission. Some were medical students fromLondon hospitals; others were missionarycandidates preparing to go to China. We had a lotof fun and I especially enjoyed the annual outingsand camps.

My father had an unusual occupation. He was adealer in cereals like oats and maize. He went toIndia to assess a whole field of maize (or corn onthe cob). If he liked the look of it he would agreeto buy the lot.

I loved my mother and I think she was a Christianlady because she had Bible texts on all the walls.Sadly, she died in child-birth when I was only ten.My father went haywire and took to drink. The heremarried a most unpleasant woman who was

unkind to the three of us as well as to her owndaughter who she brought into our home.

I left school at 14 and began to work. My fatherfelt that we boys should have a trade behind us. Iwanted to be a chemist, but that was not possibleso I became a French polisher.

Miss Morrow was a deaconess at St Mark'sChurch. She lived in Cadogan Terrace and sheused to invite me and a friend in to have tea andswill rolls — a treat we didn't get at home. Themission became an outlet for us. But I was soupset at my mother's death that I turned awayfrom God and the Mission. I went around with agang of mates and we made a nuisance ofourselves by disrupting the meetings and playingpranks. Eventually, however, I returned to theMission, thanks to Dr Bragg, and I began to help,rather than hinder the work of the Mission.

There was much more open drunkenness in thosedays. You could tell the time the pubs closedbecause you would see a string of men staggeringhome. We had the privilege of seeing a number oflocal characters converted. One of them was anotorious chap called Mr Evans. He was known toterrorise his family and he had even done time inprison for manslaughter. One afternoon heastonished everyone by wandering into the men'smeeting, drunk as usual. Everyone thought he wasplanning some trouble but, undaunted, Mr Keeblewent to welcome him. 'Mr Evans, it's good to seeyou here. Why not come along to the meetingtonight?' `I'll be here,' he promised, and he camedressed for the first time, in collar and tie. Thatnight he responded to Dr Bragg's gospel message.

Another chap I remember had been a sergeantmajor during the 1914-18 War. He had anallotment and on his way home he would go to thepub. Every Saturday he was drunk. If he fell downin the pub they would send for his son who wasteetotal. He would go to the pub and yell, 'Soldier,on your feet,' and drunk as he was, he would geton his feet and so long as the son drilled him, 'left,right, left, right' he kept going. If he stopped hewould fall over. He'd get to his home and the sonwould say, 'right turn.' In he would walk and he'dbe using his gardening fork as a rifle. He would`Shoulder arms' and 'Present arms'. The army

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training made him respond like that. It was an small local community being known by thisentertainment for us children and we would turn name was that several streets in the area hadout to watch the spectacle. river type connotations such as Roach Road,

Dace Road, Bream Street and Stour Road. TheThen there was 'Mad Lou'. I have seen her floor

island was on a peninsular that was virtuallymany a Policeman and it would take several of

placed centrally in between two waterways.them to hold her. They would arrest her fordrunkenness in the street and walk her to the The Hackney Cut which joined the River Lea

at the Old Ford Locks, and the Hertford UnionPolice Station at Bow. Her husband cameafterwards and he would be drunk too. Neighbours Canal that we also call the 'Cut'. The canals

told him, 'They've just taken your old woman in.' seemed to snake round two sides of the island`Where?' `Up at Bow Road.' He'd go up and almost as if they were forming a protectivecreate at Bow Road and they'd let his wife off. barrier from outsiders for the residents. FromThey'd go to the Magistrate on Mondays and he Wick Lane the entrance to the Northernwould regularly fine them half a crown. Out she Outfall Sewer and the Wick Lane Railwaywould come, with her husband and knock the Bridge formed the unofficial borders. Thehelmet off the policeman on duty. Back in the

bridge was notorious locally for the number ofcourt they'd be fined another five shillings for

high-sided lorries that became trappedassaulting the policeman.underneath it as a result of the low headroom.Unfortunately, when there was amodernisation of the railway system the

An extract from Jim Crouch's Victoria Park branch line which formed areminiscences of living on the Island direct link to the Docks, became one of the

casualties. Over the years the old Victoria ParkIn 1947 my family moved from Libra Road in Station was demolished and the track fell intoBow, to Monier Road, which was also in Bow disrepair and became a victim of theand was part of a very close knit East End rebuilding programme for the East Cross linkcommunity situated in an area known locally motorway until finally in 1999 the bridge wasas 'the island'. On the day that we chose to demolished.make our visit to view our new home there hadbeen an accident when a boy attempting to Situated on the land by the side of the Oldgain access to the library in Wick Lane via the Ford Locks was a row of brick built cottagesroof, had fallen through the glass roof lights, with their immaculately kept gardens, whichwhat a welcome! seemed to act as sentinels of the locks. The

cottages were also on a peninsular that wasThere were rows of terraced houses and local bounded by the River Lea on one side and theshops which were broken only by derelict Hackney Cut on the other. Over the years thebomb sites, or houses, which at the time had cottages which provided accommodation fornot been demolished, and were still showing the resident lock keepers, have changed handsthe signs of bombing caused by the Second several times, eventually being purchased by aWorld War. Where roads had not been television company and is the venue for thetemporarily repaired as a result of bomb Big Breakfast programme.damage, the surfaces were mainly cobbled.

The community that lived in the area that wewere soon to become part of was knownlocally as the islanders or as 'people that camefrom the island'. Apparently the reason for the

There were occasions when the Hackney Cutoverflowed and it was not uncommon forpolice to drive around the streets informingresidents of the possible risk of localisedflooding. The areas most likely to be affected

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ELHS Newsletter Summer 2001

were the lower ends of Dace Road where there understand why they were reputed to bewas a pedestrianised access to the locks and haunted.the towpath, and the factories that actuallybacked onto the river. The Hackney Cut ran When we moved to the house, which was to beparallel to the small terraced houses that our new home, it was one of the recentlyformed Bream Street and to the rear of the erected prefabs at the bottom end of Monierfactories in Roach Road. This road passed the Road, I became a pupil of Smeed Roadend of Monier Road and Wyke Road where it School. I remained here until I changedeventually joined Rippoth Road. schools in 1951. Because of the close

proximity of the school to the Pilgrim HouseThe first impression of Monier Road was Settlement in Dace Road, it was natural tolooking from the Wick Lane end down attend the after school club in the nearby bricktowards the far end where there was a tall built Pilgrim House hall. The hall is markedbrick built factory chimney which seemed to on the ordnance survey map of 1893. To thestand out like a commanding local monument. newcomer the interior of the hall, which had aThe chimney was in fact the smokestack of a wooden floor, and glazed roof lights, whichlarge timber company by the name of framed the large stage at the end of the hall,Youngers, which was identified by the name was most impressive. Behind the curtains onthat was fixed in place in big white letters on the stage, which were always drawn, was aits outward facing area, and went from the top large upright piano, which on occasions wasof the chimney to the bottom. played by Miss Dawson, who was also the

music teacher at Smeed Road School. The hallMonier Road was the only road capable of was accessible from the school by a small sidetaking motorised vehicles and horse drawn entrance, which was situated adjacent totraffic on to the island and apart from the two Snoxells' Dairy, which lead from the schoolother pedestrian access routes was the only playground into Dace Road.means of access. The sounds of rubber tyres ofthe motor vehicles and the iron rims of the For the privilege of becoming a member of thewagon wheels from horse drawn vehicles as club we had to pay the princely sym of onethey drove and clattered over the cobbled half penny 'subs' which was given on entranceroads always gave plenty of advance warnings to the Hall, and we also had our names putof their approach. down in the attendance register. Not many

children were ever refused entry as not everyThe pedestrian routes consisted of a small child had the entrance fee and the promise ofalleyway, which lead from Wick Lane into payment on the next visit was the usualRemus Road, and a set of steps, locally known practice. The after school club for childrenas the "Thirty Nine Steps". The steps, which between the ages of 7-9 which was held aboutaccording to local legend were haunted, lead three times a week on Monday, Wednesdayfrom the Northern Outfall sewer embankment and Friday, subject to school holidays, wasin Wick Lane. They provided access from the always well attended. The added bonus ofend of Dace Road for the many factory attending the club was the large amount ofworkers that were employed in this area. The decent toys that you could play with. Theresteps were also a short cut and escape route for were not many of us with the luxury of largelocals in an emergency. Having used them rocking horses, wooden train sets and pedalduring the winter months, not only were they cars and for the girls large prams, dolls anddark, but also often shrouded in mist or fog dolls houses etc. The women in charge wereand could be quite eerie. It is easy to

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ELHS Newsletter Summer 2001

very strict by also very fair. One of them wasMiss Catty, who was also well respected.

During the summer the club would organisepicnics to nearby Victoria Park or even coachoutings to the countryside, which wasnormally Epping Forest. For some unknownreason it always seemed to rain on thesespecial days, but it did not dampen our spiritsand we usually had a good time. We had totake our own lunch and bottles of water andjam sandwiches were the order of the day.

On special occasions there were film showsput on at the settlement where a projector wasset up at one end of the hall. When we were allseated either on chairs or on the floor, aselection of flickering black and white silentmovies were shown, favourites like CharlieChaplin, Laurel and Hardy, Harold Lloyd etcand the occasional silent western with TomMix or Buck Jones, which were well received.The added bonus was that the show did notcost us anything other than the half pennysubs.

At Christmas time there was an annual party inthe hall where we all received a portion ofjelly and ice cream and a few sandwiches,biscuits and cakes all washed down with aglass of lemonade. In addition to the party weeach received a small present from FatherChristmas. If you had above averageattendance you had the chance to go to anotherparty that was held at Queen Mary's Collegein the Mile End Road. There were evenoutings arranged to the local Christmaspantomime, which was held at the PoplarCivic Theatre in Fairfield Road.

I left Smeed Road School at the age of elevenand progressed to secondary education. Therewere no comprehensive schools at that time.The move coincided with acceptance into thePilgrim House Under Fourteens Club. Thiswas where we learned the basic skills of TableTennis, Draughts, Chess, Darts, Dominoes and

a game that I had no knowledge of, ShoveHalfpenny. At the time we did not realise thisbut the latter three were associated with pubgames. On occasions we were even allowed tohave the wireless on, this was considered to bevery 'grown up.'

Jim Crouch

Old Ford Lock at Victoria Park, 1933

East London History Society —50th Anniversary Call for Papers

The East London History Society willbe celebrating its 50th anniversary nextyear 2002, with a special publication tocommemorate the event.

Articles are welcomed from all ourmembers, on any topic connected withthe East End of London. If possible,please supply articles on disk andinclude photographs and illustrations.

Please send your material to DoreenKendall, 20 Puteaux House, CranbrookEstate, Bethnal Green, London E2 ORF,or Philip Mernick, 42 Campbell Road,Bow, London E3 4DT .

The deadline is 31' March 2002.

13

ELHS Newsletter Summer 2001

INDEX TO NEWSLETTERS VOLUME 1 ISSUES 1-20

Volume 1: Main Articles Authors Reference

Issue 1 Poplar and the Scottish Estate Edward J Harrison Poplar1992 Stepney Green Clock Tower Percy T Palmer Stepney

Issue 2 Reflections of Changing Times – Pt 1 George Renshaw Bethnal Green1992 Welsh Connection – Richard Jones David Sullivan

Reminiscences of a Poplar Childhood Phyllis Upchurch Poplar

Issue 3 Reflections of Changing Times – Pt 2 George Renshaw Bethnal Green1993 Ladies of Charity Rosemary Taylor East London

Issue 4 Illustrated London News for 1842 Colm Kerrigan East London1993

Issue 5 Save Canal Works Tom Ridge Bethnal Green1993 Bethnal Green in the 1920s – Part 3 George Renshaw Bethnal Green

Issue 6 The Blitz Christine Abbott East London1994 The Flowery – Recollections John Curtis Spitalfields

Issue 7 The Influenza Epidemic of 1918-1919 John Harris East London1994 In Search of Captain James Cook &

Dame Alice Row Doreen Kendall Mile EndChristmas Boxes 1760 Derek Morris Mile EndMemories of Bow Billy Scotchmer Bow

Issue 8 VE Day Special – 50 years ago John Harris East London1995 The End of the War Robert Dunn Bow

Twas a Famous VictoryBilly Scotchmer Bow

Issue 9 Sweet memories? (Tate and Lyle)

Edith Haylock &1995

Rose Warren SilvertownMemories of Bow Common

Harry Salton Bow

Issue 10 With the Home Guard in East London Stephen Sadler Hackney1996 Freddie and Louisa Ashwell Rosemary Taylor Poplar

In Search of the Queen Rat Liz Thompson ThamesMemories of an East EndTravelling Salesman George Rider East LondonEntertainment in the Thirties Billy Scotchmer East London

Issue 11 Tower Hamlets Honours King Cole Rikki Shields Bethnal Green1996 Edward Francis Coke and the

Legend of the Red Church Stephen Sadler Bethnal Green

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ELHS Newsletter Summer 2001

Volume 1: Main Articles Authors ReferenceWorld Jubilee Jamboree, 1957 George Smith BowWilliam Morris in Victoria Park Rosemary Taylor Victoria Park

Issue 12 .Fireworks at the Regent's Canal Alfred French Mile End1997 Limehouse Causeway Frederick Pepper Limehouse

Memories of Howrah House Miss E Youles Poplar

Issue 13 Memories of Upper North Street1997 School Allan Hunt Poplar

As Much as I want you to Know Douglas Cairns LimehouseMemories of Senior Citizens Doreen Kendall Old Ford

Issue 14 Titanic Special John Harris &1998 Rosemary Taylor East London

Civilian War Dead John Harris East LondonReminiscences of a Box-maker Patrick Dunn ClaptonWhen I was a Child Iris Hay (nee Parker) StepneyMy Pictures of War in East London Stephen Sadler Bethnal Green

Issue 15 The Arrival of the NHS John Harris East London1998 Postman's Park – the memorial plaques

(East End Connections) Doreen Osborne St Martin's Le GrandMurder at the Bow Palace John Harris Bow

Issue 16 Bethnal Green Methodist Church Allan Gardiner Bethnal Green1999 Ernest Wignall and the

Free Boots for Poor Children Scheme Anne Lubin East LondonWill Crooks MP Ray Jefferd Poplar

Issue 17 The Cemetery Bomb John Harris TH Cemetery1999 Lifeboat Shelter John Harris Poplar

Down the Nile in the East End Grace Blacketer HoxtonPre War Recollections of Bow Harry Willmott Bow

Issue 18 Mary Smith – Limehouse Knocker-up Doreen Osborne Limehouse2000 Memories of the Blitz Harry Willmott Bow

Stepney Gas Works Tom Ridge StepneyThree Mills School Ivy Alexander Stratford

Issue 19 Natural History Museum Joyce Groen Wapping2000 Childhood Memories of Victoria Park James Crouch Victoria Park

Issue 20 Lonnie's Long, Long Gone Peter Lamacq Ilford2001 Dr Bragg of the Old Ford

Medical Mission Jean Hewitt Old FordMurder on the Highway Rosemary Taylor Ratcliffe

15

fT 0 AUTUMN COACH TRIPast

4~4 SUNDAY 30TH SEPTEMBER 2001THE ROYAL GUNPOWDER MILLS

& THE TOWN OF WALTHAM ABBEY0 CISEver since the Middle Ages, the River Lea and its branches have

worked many mills. Gunpowder mills have existed on this site since 1662, and explosivescontinued to be made here till the Second World War, when it became too vulnerable toenemy bombing. It continued to be used for research into explosives till 10 years ago.

Recently it has opened as a museum, with an exhibition and film show. A 'Land Train',towed by a tractor, takes visitors past the surviving buildings, and deep into the woods,where the remains of others are buried. If lucky, you may see deer and foxes.

We shall be visiting this first. Lunches are available in the café, or bring a picnic. Later inthe afternoon, we shall visit the town of Waltham Abbey, where there is a local museum(free), and the fine church where King Harold was buried. Teas are available in the town.

The pick-up will be at Mile End, at the bus pull-in in Grove Road (not our usual place butjust round the corner), at 9.45 am. We should not be too late back as it is a short journey.

The coach fare will be £7.00. Entrance to the Gunpowder Mills is £4.90 full rate, or £4.25concessions, £2.50 children. If you have any queries, please ring me on 020 8524 4506.Please send your bookings to me, Ann Sansom, 18 Hawkdene, London E4 7PF

AUTUMN COACH TRIPThe Royal Gunpowder Mills and the Town of Waltham Abbey

Sunday 30th September 2001

I/We would like seat/s for the coach trip.

NAME/S

ADDRESS

TEL. NO. I enclose a cheque/PO for £

(Cheque made payable to the East London History Society.)