Like many parts of the East End of today Bethnal Green has benefited from the continual programme of regeneration driven jointly by developers and the Borough of Tower Hamlets but there are still large parts of this relatively compact area which are still desperately awaiting modernisation and improvement.
My day began at Bethnal Green Station just one short stop away from Mile End on the district line ,which looks today very much like it did fifty or sixty years ago. The best known landmark right here must be The Museum of Childhood, lifted and moved here lock stock and barrel in the 1870’s – even including some parts of the original cast iron structure of the old building – from its site as part of the Victoria & Albert Museum. Practically every young school child in the whole of the London area – and sometimes from even further afield – would have come here on an organised school trip at some time over the past 20 years or so.
Right opposite the station is Bethnal Green Road a long straight road and the main thoroughfare with a mish-mash of old buildings of mostly no particular architectural note lining each side.
A strange mixture, with the very occasional gem like the white and brown art deco facade of the oddly named Frank E Trimmings still standing out among the dross.
Looking out from the station exit, on one corner is the old Victorian facade of the Salmon and Ball - still a popular working pub - and on the other side a tiny terrace called Paradise Row. This is supposedly the very spot that features in the old music hall song “ On Mother Kellys Doorstep” popularised by Marie Llloyd and Gracie Fields, where Nellie a young Jewish immigrant used to sit on the doorstep of old Ma Kellys pawnshop.
Also on the right and just under the railway bridge taking the trains from Essex into Liverpool Street, Hollybush Place leads into a maze of little streets and small factory buildings lying between Bethnal Green and Hackney Road which runs parallel to it. The trade of skilled cabinet makers - polishers , carvers, veneerers and makers of all kinds of traditional furniture flourished here for almost 100 years. We bought the beautifully hand carved cabriole legs to make our range of Georgian side tables here – right up until the end of the 1980’s ,when Chinese imports put an end to most of them and many other British manufacturing industries.
With a pub on almost every street corner it used to be said that you could buy almost anything on this road ,which apart from the proliferation of betting shops and gaudy fast food eating places remains basically just about the same as it was for many years. .
Market traders line the street on the left hand side on and off for practically its whole length and vary according to the day of the week. This is the place where the grandfather of Len Goodman, head judge of the Strictly Come Dancing team had his greengrocery business and where there is still a branch of Kelly’s the pre-war pie and mash shop. It’s just had a make over and a posh new shop front but the Ocean Dinner Club in Stepney still get their once a month portions old fashioned pie and mash here.
About half way down the imposing facade of The Marquis of Carnarvon dominates the corner of Vallance Road , once home to the notorious Kray family. Although the pub was their local Ronnie and Reggie the infamous Twins didn’t appear to use it that much – a bit too near home for comfort I imagine – no doubt preferring other similar haunts. I remember seeing the piano playing cockney duet Chas and Dave performing here long before they became famous outside the East End.
The Krays were well known throughout the East End and latterly the West End too for their organised gangland activities and their particularly violent behaviour throughout the 50’s, 60’s and 70s, at the end of which they got their just desserts. In effect they were in some degree the victims of their own success, taking on the establishment and thumbing their nose at the law. In his latter days of imprisonment Reg took up the artists brush and produced some quite reasonable pieces of work – in a kind of naive.impressionist way. Already a figure of criminal distinction Reg has now been immortalised in East End celebrity with a painting of his “ Christ on the Cross “ now hanging permanently in the illustrious Museum of London. An unusual picture by an equally unusual person, but to be honest when I first saw it I thought the face of the main subject looked more like his twin brother Ronnie than Jesus.
I was now not far away from my final destination The Bethnal Green Working Mens Club in nearby Pollards Row. Built in 1895 by the old Borough of Bethnal Green and once the home of the working /drinking classes this typically grand late 19th century building has for several years now been the venue for a variety of avant - guarde acts attracting a mainly young 20’s to 30’s mixed audience and performers. A listed building the Victorian red brick structure looks pretty much OK, but the inside has been severely neglected over the years. When I last visited the place about five years ago it was bad enough, but now it’s even worse. It’s a real shame as although it’s now a bit more rough than ready it still provides good entertainment at incredibly reasonable prices.
On the opposite corner stands another building of considerable architectural note - the old Bethnal Green Town Hall its magnificent carved stone work and bell tower reaching into the sky. Now completely redundant it’s a sad reminder of corporate neglect.
I was there for prostitution- not the actual thing of course, but for the early evening performance of The Fanny Hill Project’ an unusual show by Theatre State and the invention of two extremely talented young women. Inspired by their joint interest in British Culture, Tess Seddon and Cheryl Gallacher have created a range of unique events in modern theatre. I thoroughly recommend their work which is bound to appeal not just to the young but to those of all ages who appreciate this contemporary art form.
Based on the so called erotic novel by John Cleland about prostitution in the 18th century it blended together the life of the heroine Fanny and a real life modern woman – who after graduating was unable to obtain any useful kind of work in the UK and eventually finds herself homeless in New York . It was a fast moving show, intelligent and funny and included drama , dance , comedy and audience participation. The show finished at about 9pm – and after a quick last drink of their excellent real beer in the bar I resisted the urge to visit the Mexican restaurant on the top floor and was home just in time to watch the ten o clock news.
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