Written by: Cathy Kim  |  Posted on: July 7th, 2015

A guided walk by Sue King, BKS member and Blue Badge Guide.

Sue King shares her knowledge and her enthusiasm for the area around Spitalfields

A good turnout of 23 members and their guests met outside Liverpool Street Station in the rush hour, and somehow all managed to find each other. (Note to organiser: must remember Korean flag to wave next time!)

Our tour started inside Liverpool Street Station with a chance to admire the Victorian architecture. Outside on the main forecourt we gathered near the Kindertransport statue where Sue gave us an introduction to the colourful history of the area and the various waves of immigrants, still continuing to the present day, who have had a major influence on this part of the East End.

Around to the north of the station we craned our necks to take in the impressive modern architecture of the 21C, with buildings built on rafts floating over railway lines – Exchange House, Broadgate Tower and 201 Bishopsgate.  These contrasted dramatically with the terraces of  18C houses in nearby Folgate Street, where Dennis Severs’ House is both a museum and a time-capsule of life for the Huguenot silk-weavers.

After a quick update on the origins of Spitalfields Market – the name derives from ‘St Mary’s Spital’ a priory hospital established just outside the City of London in the 13C – it was off winding round more narrow streets, stopping to look at Tracey Emin’s workshop and the Ten Bells pub, the latter associated with two of Jack the Ripper’s victims. Fournier Street and Princelet Street offered more fascinating insights into the struggles of the immigrants – Huguenots, Irish, Jewish and Polish – all escaping hardship at home and starting new lives in this part of London, outside the City boundary.

Throughout our tour Sue showed us many examples of ‘street art’, some by internationally renowned street artists, others a little more dubious, but all adding to the vibrancy and colour of the streets, alleyways and squares we walked through.

Finally we found ourselves on Brick Lane where the most recent wave of immigrants, the Bangladeshis, have set up home and opened a staggering number of curry houses. Sue had booked us into City Spice where we all enjoyed a spicy though somewhat delayed meal, and a chance to catch up with regulars and meet some new walkers.

Many thanks to Sue for her tour which was as always very informative and entertaining, and for once it didn’t rain!

Photos by Chris Bean and Cathy Kim

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