In Old Spitalfields
Catherine Wheel Alley
The Bishopsgate Institute has a magnificent collection of nineteenth century watercolours collected by the first archivist Charles Goss, which offer tantalising glimpses of the last surviving tumbledown pantiled tenements and terraces, crooked alleys and hidden yards that once comprised the urban landscape of Spitalfields.
When we think of old Spitalfields, we usually consider the eighteenth and nineteenth century fragments remaining today, yet there was another Spitalfields before this. Before the roads were made up, before Commercial St was cut through, before the Market was enclosed, before Liverpool St Station was built, Spitalfields was another place entirely. Lined with coaching inns, peppered by renaissance mansions and celebrated for its production of extravagant silks and satins, it was also notorious for violent riots and rebellion, where impoverished families might starve or freeze to death.
Sunday Morning in Petticoat Lane, 1838
Old Red House, Corner of Brushfield St by J.P.Emslie, 1879
Paul’s Head, Crispin St by J.T. Wilson, 1870
The Fort & Gun Tavern and Northumberland Arms, corner of Fashion St by J.T.Wilson
Dunning’s Alley showing Lucky Bob’s formerly Duke of Wellington, Bishopsgate by J.T.Wilson, 1868
Bell Tavern, Bell Yard, Gracechurch St by J.T.Wilson, 1869
Bishopsgate at the Corner of Alderman’s Walk beside St Botolph’s church by C.J.Richardson, 1871
House of Sir Francis Dashwood, Alderman’s Walk, by C.J.Richardson, 1820
Entrance from Bishopsgate to Great St Helen’s by C.J.Richardson, 1871
Devonshire House, Bishopsgate by C.J.Richardson, 1871
The Green Dragon, Bishopsgate, coloured by S.Lowell
The Green Dragon, Bishopsgate by T. Hosmer Shepherd, coloured by S.Lowell, 1856
The Bull Inn by T.Hosmer Shepherd, 1856
The Spread Eagle in Gracechurch St by R.B.Schnebblie, 1814
Sir Paul Pindar’s Lodge, Bishopsgate c. 1760
North East View of Bishopsgate Street, 1814
Images courtesy Bishopsgate Insititute
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I’d risk the violence, rebellion, endemic diseases, amateur dentistry and sporadic wi-fi to see and live it first-hand. These are all beautiful pieces, but R.B. Schnebblie in particular had a wonderful talent.
What about the kings stores widegate street a City pub
Wonderful paintings, so much has disappeared for ever. There used to be a row of little cottages behind the old Salvation Army place on Whitechapel road, and where some of the SA people lived. I was told they were grave diggers cottages from the time of he plague. I saw them last in the middle of the 60s, I don’t know if they are still there behind the new place that was built. Valerie
A good set of watercolours shown here today, now we know what Bishopsgate really looked like in the 19thC all clean cut no clutter. We have real people shown in costume of the period on scene and the right scale too. I especially liked the Bell Tavern 1869 the one showing the street water pump and people. All credit to the artists for giving us Bishopsgate we are seeing the area through their eyes. All the paintings are still in mint condition; thanks to the custodianship/conservation of them by the Institute. Poet John PS old Spitalfields area may be lost but not forgotten in the 21stC
I really like all of these paintings but if I had to choose one it would be The Fort & Gun Tavern and Northumberland Arms, corner of Fashion St by J.T.Wilson. I get a sense of how wide the road is and how hard the horse is working. I feel as though I am standing right there and looking at all of these buildings in real life.
What a pity we have lost so many and that certain people are hell bent on destroying more.
Delightful.
Look at this! Sir Paul Pindar’s Lodge! Must have been just before it disappeared.
PS I have no life to speak of…
http://l7.alamy.com/zooms/9ddff4c9d8c94f2eb5af86dd3d80fb8c/sir-paul-pindars-house-bishopsgate-city-of-london-1860-artist-thomas-ddnn45.jpg
I love these brilliant paintings.
These are fabulous.
Oh to time travel back and stand in one of the coaching inn courtyards even for an hour! Thank you
Greetings from Boston,
GA, great pics of old Spitalfields. Kudos to the Bishopgate Institute for preserving them and to you for sharing them on the web…
A truly wonderful collection of paintings. Thank you.
Lovely to see paintings by an artist who understood perspective and reality! These are beautiful. Thank you!
Thank you GA , these are wonderful, what more can one say.
That’s where I want to live!
These are wonderful. Many thanks!