Bethnal Green, Brick Lane and Spitalfields

Monument to the 173 people who died in a crush at Bethnal Green tube station.

Julian McDonnell, known as Joolz Guides does walking tours on YouTube, but he also now has a book, which my son bought me for my birthday this year. It's called Rather Splendid London Walks. This is the first walk I've taken from the book.

Things started badly when I realised I'd left my mobile phone at home, still charging. Luckily, I was meeting my friend, Julie, for this walk and she offered to become my official photographer for the afternoon. She saved the day.

We met at Bethnal Green tube station and headed straight to Bethnal Green Gardens where there is a monument to the people who died in 1943 when they headed for the tube for cover after the air-raid siren sounded. A woman tripped carrying a baby and 173 people behind her were killed in the crush. The monument is called Stairway to Heaven.

We then headed off to Bethnal Green Library to view the painting depicting The Blind Begger with his dog. The story goes that after losing his sight in the Battle of Evesham, Henry de Montfort, a wealthy land owner, didn't want suitors chasing after his daughter for her money, so he pretended to be poor. In truth Henry died in the battle of Evesham in 1265! The name still resonates as there is a pub called The Blind Begger (where Ronnie Kray shot George Cornell, as it happens). The painting can be found either end of the main room of the library.

The Blind Begger and his dog. Bethnal Green Library.

Bethnal Green Library

Backtracking, you come to the Victoria & Albert Museum of Childhood. Years ago I visited this place, but it's had a total revamp since then. Queues of people were waiting to go in. Carrying on down the road, and round the corner on Old Ford Road is York Hall, a leisure complex opened in 1929 with swimming pools, gym and Turkish Baths. It is still a leisure centre.

V&A Museum of Childhood

York House

Crossing over and doubling back you come to Paradise Row where there is blue plaque to Daniel Mendoza, and English boxer during the 1790's. On the opposite side of the road stands Salmon and Ball pub, which has a patch of pavement where gallows were erected for local criminals. This was your Saturday night TV folks, well, reality TV street entertainment! We could not see anything marked on the pavement, but took a photo of the pub anyway.

Salmon & Ball pub

Oxford House is in Derbyshire Road, off Bethnal Green Road. This was where students from Keble College, Oxford stayed in upstairs rooms and gave lessons to the poor.

Oxford House

If you want a touch of the Italian, then visit E Pellicci in Bethnal Green Road. The cafe is Grade II-listed and still has the original 1940's interior. The cafe is tiny with some outside seating. We thought about stopping here, but all tables were taken. This is the place where the Krays used to come for breakfast (there's a lot about the Krays around here because they lived close by).

Further along the road is S & R Kelly & Sons, a traditional pie and mash shop. My worst nightmare for food, but very popular in the East End of London. Not far away is Repton Boxing Club where the actor Ray Winston used to box, and Audley Harrison (Olympic GB Gold Medalist) used to train.

Repton Boxing Club

Back to the Krays.....the Carpenter's Arms is the pub the Krays bought for their mum. Next door is the primary school where the Krays went. Nice legacy. We took a break at Spitalfields City Farm and went to pet the donkeys and say hello to the pig, sheep, goats and rabbits. We bought a cuppa and sat in the sunshine for a while before the final leg of our walk.

In Woodseer Street you can see some of the oldest examples of social housing. Albert Cottages (1857) and Victoria Cottages (1864). One family lived upstairs and one downstairs. It must have been cramped, as they are small cottages. I bet they go for a small fortune now!

Entering Brick Lane is like stepping into a different world. This multicultural street is buzzing, and my friend says you can barely walk here at the weekends. I have walked part of the way down here before, but I never realised it was such a long road. With plenty to see, plenty of places to eat, this diverse road has a lot to offer. We saw Truman's Brewery chimney. Brewing had taken place here since 1660. Although beer is not brewed there anymore, you can still buy the beer. Here we also cadged Joolz extra point for spotting the coal hole cover with beer tankards on it. We got so excited we frightened a lady standing nearby!

Mosque, Brick Lane

At 29 Hanbury Street was a courtyard where Jack the Ripper murdered his second victim. Later residents charged sixpence for a room so people could gawp at the courtyard. There is nothing there now, just a modern building block.

Dennis Severs' House on Folgate Street has been on my 'visit list' for a while. At least I now know where it is. The house is only open on certain days, and there is nothing outside to even tell you this is the house. However, the windows have silhouettes of cats, and it has a sort of creepy feel about it. Do have a look at the website. This one is definitely worth a visit.

Close by is Spitalfields Market. We didn't go inside (that's for another day), but the names of the roads were interesting...Gun Street and Artillery Lane. In the 1540's this area was leased to the Fraternity of Artillery of Longbows, Crossbows and Handgonnes (hand cannon). In Crispin Street was the Night Refuge and Convent which was a home for destitute people. Close by is Christchurch Spitalfields built by the Huguenots (designed by Nicholas Hawksmoor). It had ten bells in it, hence the name of the pub on the opposite corner, Ten Bells.

Christchurch, Spitalfields

Night Refuge and Convent

We had now walked into Whitechapel with it's splendid art gallery (once a library), and not too far away is what once was Whitechapel Bell Foundry, established in 1570. It only closed in 2017. Many church bells were made here including Big Ben.