Comments on: The Spitalfields Nobody Knows

By: DR. CHARLES JENKINS

DR. CHARLES JENKINS — Tue, 24 Oct 2023 16:21:20 +0000

My grandfather was a cabinet maker in one of the workshops of Gibraltar Walk – sadly, he died during the First World War and is buried in Northern France.

By: michael Edward hardie

michael Edward hardie — Sun, 02 May 2021 16:20:49 +0000

don’t forget All Saints school that was attached to All Saints Church.
I went to All Saints school until it was pulled down.
Also went to the youth club attached to the church.
It was run by Rev Colin Gee( a lovely man).

By: Neil Bartlett

Neil Bartlett — Tue, 06 Mar 2018 09:47:49 +0000

These interesting and well penned histories, complemented by further insight comments are a modern day delight. Very much enjoyed thank you.

By: Hayley

Hayley — Tue, 17 Oct 2017 19:27:27 +0000

My 5x great grandfather Valentine Stokes lived in the watch house, it’s lovely that it’s still there.

By: Patrick Marrinan

Patrick Marrinan — Thu, 30 Jul 2015 20:42:21 +0000

St. Anne’s (latterly St. Patrick’s School), Buxton Street, Spitalfields was run by the Marist Brothers for many years, there being a large Catholic (mainly Irish) community in the area in the late 19th Century. The order sent Brother Walfrid, founder of Celtic Football Club in Glasgow to run the school and he did much good work not just educating a very poor community but in helping to raise funds to feed them and meet other needs. As in Glasgow he arranged football matches to raise funds for the poor. Indeed his team, Celtic remained a charity from 1887-94 before professionalism (and greed) led them to become a limited company. Walfrid is remembered very well in Glasgow and a fine statue of him sits outside Celtic’s stadium. Little is known of the fine work this great humanitarian did in London but one can be assured that it followed the pattern used in Glasgow. He was in many ways the a product of post famine Ireland doing what he could to help others in the desperate conditions of Victorian Britain’s squalid inner cities.

By: Sonia Murray

Sonia Murray — Sun, 19 Aug 2012 14:34:57 +0000

A very talented artist! Perspective in the drawing of Gibraltar Walk, a difficult subject, is perfect. Lovely to see that these old London streets have not been bulldozed to make more high rise monstrosities!

By: colin magraw

colin magraw — Sun, 19 Aug 2012 09:53:28 +0000

I grew up and played in all these places ,had friends who were cabinet makers who worked in gibralter walk and the train steps as we called them (Pedley St Railway bridge)was always scary to a kid going over them.
We played football with coats for goalposts in Allan Gardens .My mum aunts and neighbours all used to go to Allan gardens to sunbathe in the summer. One of my first girlfriends used to live in the house opposite the Watchouse in St Matthews row her father played the organ in St Matthews church.They had a great vicar there at the time his name was Cyril Rowe.

By: Elaine Napier

Elaine Napier — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 23:20:40 +0000

This is lovely – really interesting and the drawings are charming. My family history is all around the East End, orris weavers, trimming manufacturers, bootmakers. So interesting to see all these secret corners – I knew that the watchman of St Matthew’s was entitled to hold a blunderbuss and rattle to keep away resurrectionists, but had no idea that this building still existed. Keep showing us this wonderful history please!

By: Peter Holford

Peter Holford — Sun, 29 May 2011 21:58:11 +0000

I recently discovered that my gg-grandparents lived on Gibraltar Walk in 1825. I found various websites describing the slum conditions in 1848, 1871 and 1932 with photos to match (1932 ones of course). I just imagined that the whole area would have been redeveloped. This is a surprise and good to see that the old bits of the East End that I vaguely remember are thought worthy of preserving.

By: Rachel K

Rachel K — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 14:15:03 +0000

I love the way you bring Spitalfields to life, with the links between the old and the new. These illustrations are gorgeous, showing you the structure under all the grime!