Comments on: At the Fruit & Wool Exchange

By: MARK B

MARK B — Sat, 02 Jul 2022 20:16:45 +0000

It was home to Alcoholics Anonymous’s first telephone helpline back in 1948.

By: Paul William Gibson

Paul William Gibson — Wed, 22 Sep 2021 16:50:07 +0000

I have come across the Central Markets Committee’s invitation made out to my father to the opening of the London Fruit exchange to take place on the 30th October 1929.

By: jeannette

jeannette — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 01:57:38 +0000

ah, i see you are acquainted with mickey the midget and his works.

By: Save The London Fruit and Wool Exchange

Save The London Fruit and Wool Exchange — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 11:05:16 +0000

To S. Aylward,
Perhaps you are even more connected to the London Fruit and Wool Exchange…in July 1948, a letter was written to The Times by the then Mayor of Stepney. It is signed “T. AYLWARD, Mayor of Stepney. Mayor’s Parlour, The London Fruit Exchange, Duval Street, E.1.”

It is interesting to find a Mayor’s Parlour in the Exchange – and for S. Aylward, maybe you are related to T. Aylward, Mayor of Stepney, based in Spitalfields’ Market Fruit Exchange. That would be a wonderful connection and let’s hope the Exchange is saved and adapted, as you say, and then all this East End history will not be lost.

By: S AYLWARD

S AYLWARD — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 07:44:11 +0000

I have just heard about the possible demolishment of yet another piece of East End history the Fruit and Wool Exchange. And very poignant to me as my Great Grandfather had fruit and veg stalls in the once thriving Watney Street Market, this is possibly where he and his goods started their day. Why is it developers of today want to wipe out these grand and beautiful buildings of the past, in favour of yet another horrible glass and steel contraption. To me and I am sure many others they are a blot on the landscape, infact they just block out the area and do not sit sympathetically with their surroundings.
I am sure the glass boxes will not be standing in a hundred years time and people will not be speaking with affection about them.
I know we have to move on and develop, but why can’t this splendid building just be adapted to met todays needs.
The Heritage of Spitalfields still needs protecting from the big business developers.

By: Frances Brotzel

Frances Brotzel — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 13:54:25 +0000

I cannot believe that anyone would want to demolish such a magnificent building for the sake of another glass ediface to modern commerce.
They do not make buildings like this nowadays and a magnificent facade and interior such as this should be preserved, used, and still be a proud reminder of a wonderful era and area.

By: Matt Rosemier

Matt Rosemier — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 17:10:09 +0000

One of the main reasons why so many people, including myself, find the East End so wonderfully attractive is because of the rich heritage here. The history of the centuries past lends flavor and color (I’m a Yankee ex-pat) to this area, and that history is represented in the buildings that have survived the blitz and the wrecking ball of the 1960s and 70s’.

In the past two years, the street behind my flat (Underwood Road) has lost 5 historical building, including Mother Levy’s Jewish Maternity Hospital, they’re going to replace the old Shoreditch Station with a 7-storey block of flats, and now this.

If LBTH has their way, the east End will be all but indistinguishable from any other modern neighborhood.

I wish I had known about the plans to demolish he Fruit and Wool Exchange a little sooner. I could have rallied a lot of resistance on and off line.

With fingers crossed…

By: J. Mann

J. Mann — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 14:03:06 +0000

Its a pity we only hear about these wonderful buildings only when they are under threat. Buildings fall into disuse for one reason and another and without a purpose they are at risk of decay, mysterious fires and eventual redevelopment. These well designed, curious old buildings with a past are why visitors flock to Spitalfields and the East End. I do not want to see our landscape / cityscape over developed and neither do visitors to the area. The Fruit and Wool Exchange is an elegant building and along with The Gun and bank no doubt evoke many stories and memories. These buildings can have a new life but need preserving to maintain character and retain Spitalfields historic past.

Lets hope community pressure works this time.

By: Ann Bell

Ann Bell — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 10:47:59 +0000

It is imperative that these old sites are preserved. If we lose our history everything else worth fighting for is lost. In our small town we lost a heritage site through devious efforts on someones part. it is stll missed as it is part of our unique history. These people should be thoroughly ashmaed of themselves, money isnt everything in the end. Good luck with the campaign

By: Adam Kynnersley

Adam Kynnersley — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 08:57:48 +0000

Is this a joke? A much as I enjoy visiting the Gun Pub, the F&W Exchange itself is a fine bulding to walk past and browse inside. It has so much character and history, and I for one would not welcome any modern, trashy new build type develpoment. We are lucky that we have such a blend of old and new architecutre in the area as City meets Spitalfields but there is no further need for change. I am 100% against any redevelopment.