Brook Street, E1

Brook Street was an old name for this section of Cable Street.

Brook Street, E1 - looking east (c. 1910)

Brook Street is now renamed as part of Cable Street. The side street with the posts is Schoolhouse Lane and the building on the far right is the Friends’ Meeting House.
Credit: Vin Miles (contributor)

Until Victorian times, the current Cable Street had different names for each of its sections. From west to east these were Rosemary Lane, Cable Street, Knock Fergus, New Road, Back Lane, Bluegate Field, Sun Tavern Fields and Brook Street.

In the Victorian era, most sections of Cable Street were combined into one name, with the former names abolished. Other terrace names were abolished at the same time, all becoming simply ’Cable Street’.

Brook Street was once known for its cheap lodging houses, inns, brothels and opium dens.

Chapter V of Walter Besant’s East London (published 1899) has the title of 'The Factory Girl'. Besant traces the life story of a typical working-class woman and the particular chapter was illustrated by Joseph Pennell (1857-1926). One of the illustrations shows Brook Street, which Besant labelled the "boulevard of her quarter".

The photo (sourced by Vin Miles) shows a location just outside the Friends; Meeting House in about 1910. 36A is on the corner of Schoolhouse Lane and in the far distance, the roads bends away to become White House Street.

Brook Street held onto its distinct name until the 1930s. The Post Office was trying to simplify London street names to stop confusing postal workers - there were too many duplicate names. There were several Brook Streets across London and so this name went too.

Main source:	Wikipedia
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CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE LOCALITY

Tricia Shadwell Added: 27 Apr 2021 12:05 GMT	St George in the East Church This Church was opened in 1729, designed by Hawksmore. Inside destroyed by incendrie bomb 16th April 1941. Rebuilt inside and finished in 1964. The building remained open most of the time in a temporary prefab. Reply
colin Passfield Dora Street, E14 Added: 1 Jan 2021 15:28 GMT	Dora Street, E14 My grandmother was born in 1904 at 34 Dora Street Reply
Beverly Sand Havering Street, E1 Added: 3 Apr 2021 17:19 GMT	Havering Street, E1 My mother was born at 48 Havering Street. That house no longer exists. It disappeared from the map by 1950. Family name Schneider, mother Ray and father Joe. Joe’s parents lived just up the road at 311 Cable Street Reply
Boo Horton Stepney Green, E1 Added: 31 May 2021 13:39 GMT	Angel & Trumpet, Stepney Green The Angel & Trumpet Public House in Stepney Green was run by my ancestors in the 1930’s. Unfortunately, it was a victim on WWII and was badly damaged and subsequently demolished. I have one photograph that I believe to bethe pub, but it doesn’t show much more that my Great Aunt cleaning the steps. Reply
fariba Tower Bridge Business Complex, S Added: 28 Jun 2021 00:48 GMT	Tower Bridge Business Complex, S need for my coursework Source: university Reply
Kim Johnson Limehouse Causeway (1908) Added: 24 Jun 2021 19:17 GMT	Limehouse Causeway (1908) My great grandparents were the first to live in 15 Tomlins Terrace, then my grandparents and parents after marriage. I spent the first two years of my life there. My nan and her family lived at number 13 Tomlins Terrace. My maternal grandmother lived in Maroon house, Blount Street with my uncle. Nan, my mum and her brothers were bombed out three times during the war. Reply
Linda Pereira Street, E1 Added: 18 Feb 2021 22:03 GMT	Pereira Street, E1 My grandfather Charles Suett lived in Periera Street & married a widowed neighbour there. They later moved to 33 Bullen House, Collingwood Street where my father was born. Reply
Carolyn Hirst New Road, E1 Added: 16 Jul 2022 15:21 GMT	Henry James Hirst My second great grandfather Henry James Hirst was born at 18 New Road on 11 February 1861. He was the eighth of the eleven children of Rowland and Isabella Hirst. I think that this part of New Road was also known at the time as Gloucester Terrace. Reply

LATEST LONDON-WIDE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE PROJECT

Reginald John Gregory Colindeep Lane, NW9 Added: 8 Aug 2022 14:07 GMT	Worked in the vicinity of my ancestor’s house, Between the years 1982-1998 (unknown to me at the time) I worked in an office close to the site of my ancestors cottage. I discovered this when researching family history - the cottage was mentioned in the 1871 census for Colindeep Lane/Ancient Street coming up from the Hyde. The family lived in the ares betwen 1805 and 1912. Reply
Barry J. Page Highbury & Islington Added: 27 Jul 2022 19:41 GMT	Highbury Corner V1 Explosion Grandma described the V1 explosion at Highbury Corner on many occasions. She was working in the scullery when the flying bomb landed. The blast shattered all the windows in the block of flats and blew off the bolt on her front door. As she looked out the front room window, people in various states of injury and shock were making their way along Highbury Station Road. One man in particular, who was bleeding profusely from glass shard wounds to his neck, insisted in getting home to see if his family was all right. Others were less fortunate. Len, the local newsagent, comforted a man, who had lost both legs caused by the blast, until the victim succumbed to his injuries. The entire area was ravaged and following are statistics. The flying bomb landed during lunch hour (12:46 p.m.) on June 27th 1944. 26 people lost their lives, 84 were seriously injured and 71 slightly injured. Reply
ANON Lydford Road, W9 Added: 20 Jul 2022 13:36 GMT	The Square & Ashmore park The Square and Ashmore park was the place to be 2000-2005. Those were the greatest times on the estate. everyday people were playing out. the park was full of kids just being kids and having fun, now everyone is grown up and only bump into eachother when heading to the shops or work. I miss the good days( Im 25yrs old as im writing this) Reply
The Underground Map Added: 18 Jul 2022 13:56 GMT	Map of Thornsett Road Esrlsfield Reply
Richard Elgin Crescent, W11 Added: 12 Jul 2022 21:36 GMT	Elgin Crescent, W11 Richard Laitner (1955-1983), a barrister training to be a doctor at UCL, lived here in 1983. He was murdered aged 28 with both his parents after attending his sister’s wedding in Sheffield in 1983. The Richard Laitner Memorial Fund maintains bursaries in his memory at UCL Medical School Source: Ancestry Library Edition Reply
Anthony Mckay Grim%27s Ditch (Harrow) Added: 11 Jul 2022 00:12 GMT	Bankfield Cottages, Ass House Lane, Harrow Weald Bankfield Cottages (now demolished) at the end of Ass House Lane, appear twice in ’The Cheaters’ televison series (made 1960) in the episodes ’The Fine Print’ and ’Tine to Kill’ Source: THE CHEATERS: Episode Index Reply
Bob Land The Underground Map Added: 29 Jun 2022 13:20 GMT	Map legends Question, I have been looking at quite a few maps dated 1950 and 1900, and there are many abbreviations on the maps, where can I find the lists to unravel these ? Regards Bob Land Reply
Alison Archway Added: 26 Jun 2022 18:20 GMT	On the dole in north London When I worked at the dole office in Medina Road in the 1980s, "Archway" meant the social security offices which were in Archway Tower at the top of the Holloway Road. By all accounts it was a nightmare location for staff and claimants alike. This was when Margaret Thatcher’s government forced unemployment to rise to over 3 million (to keep wages down) and computerised records where still a thing of the future. Our job went from ensuring that unemployed people got the right sort and amount of benefits at the right time, to stopping as many people as possible from getting any sort of benefit at all. Britain changed irrevocably during this period and has never really recovered. We lost the "all in it together" frame of mind that had been born during the second world war and became the dog-eat-dog society where 1% have 95% of the wealth and many people can’t afford to feed their children. For me, the word Archway symbolises the land of lost content. Reply

NEARBY STREETS

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Bromley Street, E1 Bromley Street is one of the streets of London in the E1 postal area.

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Butcher Row, E1W Butcher Row is a road in the E1W postcode area

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Caroline Street, E1 Caroline Street is one of the streets of London in the E1 postal area.

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Cornwood Drive, E1 Cornwood Drive is a road in the E1 postcode area

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Cranford Street, E1W Cranford Street is a road in the E1W postcode area

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Devonport Street, E1 Devonport Street connects Commercial Road and Cable Street.

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Drewton Street, E1 Drewton Street was previously James Street.

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Dunstan Place, E1W Dunstan Place first appeared on the 1830 map, replacing an area called Globe Yard.

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East Arbour Street, E1 East Arbour Street is one of the streets of London in the E1 postal area.

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Edward Mann Close East, E1 A street within the E1 postcode

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Elf Row, E1W A street within the E1W postcode

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Exmouth Court, E1 Exmouth Court appears on the 1900 map.

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Exmouth Place, E1 Exmouth Place is on the 1860 map.

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Flamborough Street, E14 Flamborough Street is a road in the E14 postcode area

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Flamborough Walk, E14 A street within the E14 postcode

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Glamis Place, E1W Glamis Place is a road in the E1W postcode area

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Glasshouse Fields, E1W Glasshouse Fields was Glasshouse Street until 1862.

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Hardinge Lane, E1W Hardinge Lane is a road in the E1 postcode area

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Hardinge Street, E1W Hardinge Street existed in the 1750s or before as St George’s Path.

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Havering Street, E1 Havering Street is a road in the E1 postcode area

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Head Street, E1 A street within the E1 postcode

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Heckford Street Business Centre, E1W A street within the E1W postcode

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Heckford Street, E1W Heckford Street is one of the streets of London in the E1W postal area.

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Horseferry Road, E14 Horseferry Road is a road in the E14 postcode area

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Ionian Building, E14 A street within the E14 postcode

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Jardine Road, E1W Jardine Road is a road in the E1W postcode area

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Johnson Street, E1 Johnson Street first appears as John Street on 1820s mapping, but not on 1810s maps.

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Juniper Street, E1 Juniper Street is now simply a cul-de-sac

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King David Lane, E1 King David Lane connects Cable Street with The Highway.

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Lake Street, E1 Lake Street was at first called Thomas Street.

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Lighterman Mews, E1 Lighterman Mews is a road in the E1 postcode area

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Lukin Street, E1 Lukin Street is one of the streets of London in the E1 postal area.

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Matlock Street, E1 Matlock Street is a road in the E14 postcode area

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Milk Yard, E1W Milk Yard is a road in the E1W postcode area

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Montpelier Place, E1 Montpelier Place is a road in the E1 postcode area

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Musbury Street, E1 A street within the E1 postcode

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Newlands Quay, E1W A street within the E1W postcode

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Old Church Road, E1 Old Church Road is a road in the E1 postcode area

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Peartree Lane, E1W Peartree Lane is a road in the E1W postcode area

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Pinchin Johnsons Yard, E1W Pinchin Johnsons Yard is one of the streets of London in the E1 postal area.

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Pique Mews, E1W A street within the E1W postcode

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Pitsea Street, E1 Pitsea Street is a road in the E1 postcode area

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Poonah Street, E1 Poonah Street first appears as a name in 1891.

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Raby Street, E14 Raby Street is a road in the E14 postcode area

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Ratcliffe Cross Street, E1W Ratcliffe Cross Street is one of the streets of London in the E1 postal area.

Ratcliffe Cross Street, E1W

Ratcliffe Lane, E14 Ratcliffe Lane is one of the streets of London in the E14 postal area.

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Redcastle Close, E1 Redcastle Close arrived with the construction of the Glamis Estate.

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Ronald Street, E1 Ronald Street appeared in a series of parallel streets first emerging in the 1830s.

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Rotherhithe Tunnel, E14 Rotherhithe Tunnel is a road in the E14 postcode area

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Schoolhouse Lane, E1W Schoolhouse Lane connects Cable Street and The Highway.

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Senrab Street, E1 Senrab Street is one of the streets of London in the E1 postal area.

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Shadwell Pierhead, E1W Shadwell Pierhead is one of the streets of London in the E1W postal area.

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Spert Street, E14 A street within the E14 postcode

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St. Georges Square, E14 A street within the E14 postcode

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NEARBY PUBS

George Tavern The George Tavern contains original brickwork some 700 years old.

George Tavern

Ratcliff

Ratcliff (or Ratcliffe) is a former locality now split between the modern day districts of Limehouse, Stepney and Shadwell after being absorbed into them.

The name Ratcliffe derives from a small red sandstone cliff that stood above the surrounding marshes. Located at the western end of Narrow Street it was by the eighteenth century made up of lodging houses, bars, brothels and opium dens. It acquired an unsavoury reputation with a large transient population. In 1794 approximately half of the hamlet was destroyed in a fire but, even so, it continued as a notorious slum well into the nineteenth century.

Ratcliffe was originally known for shipbuilding but from the fourteenth century more for fitting and provisioning ships. By the early seventeenth century it had the largest population of any village in Stepney, with 3500 residents.

A number of sailing warships were built for the Royal Navy here, including one of the earliest frigates, the Constant Warwick in 1645.

From the late sixteenth century Ratcliffe and surrounding areas were notable areas for non-conformist Christianity. The parish church of Ratcliffe, St James in Butcher Row, was built in 1838 and served the area until 1951 when the parish was merged with St Paul, Shadwell.

In late 1811 seven murders took place in Ratcliffe Highway (St George’s Street), allegedly committed by a sailor named Williams, who committed suicide after being captured.

By the latter half of the nineteenth century, the condition of the area had improved somewhat - the 1868 ’National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland’ describes Ratcliffe as inhabited by persons connected with shipping and having extensive warehouses, with the area ’well paved, lighted with gas, and supplied with water from the reservoir at Old Ford’.

LOCAL PHOTOS

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Thames Tunnel TUM image id: 1554042170 Licence: CC BY 2.0	George Tavern (2015) Situated at 373 Commercial Road, the George Tavern’s building contains original brickwork some 700 years old, and is mentioned in texts by Geoffrey Chaucer, Samuel Pepys and Charles Dickens. Credit: Wiki Commons/Jimmyketchup TUM image id: 1642691257 Licence:	Juniper Street is a turning off of King David Lane, E1 Before the Glamis Estate arrived on the scene in the 1970s and largely replaced it, Juniper Street was a road of densely packed terraces. TUM image id: 1625068922 Licence:	Rotherhithe Street, Bermondsey with the ship ’Argo’ visible in the distance. By the mid 18th century Rotherhithe had a strong maritime and shipbuilding tradition. The Surrey Docks arrived during the 19th century and added 136 acres of interlinked waterways. TUM image id: 1606859545 Licence: CC BY 2.0	Victorian-era London brickwork Credit: Wiki Commons TUM image id: 1642692980 Licence: CC BY 2.0
Monza Street (1920s) Credit: Tower Hamlets Local History Library and Archives TUM image id: 1563465302 Licence: CC BY 2.0	Spring-Heeled Jack, terroriser of Victorian London. Credit: Victorian penny dreadful TUM image id: 1626121670 Licence:	"Locomotive exiting the Thames Tunnel and arriving at what is now Wapping station" Illustrated London News 8 January 1870 Credit: Illustrated London News TUM image id: 1659272556 Licence: CC BY 2.0	R. Passmore & Company in Limehouse. This was sitauted on the corner of Narrow Street and The Highway. Free Trade Wharf was behind. TUM image id: 1620207989 Licence:	The foreshore of the River Thames near Ratcliff Cross Stairs, E14 (2020). Canary Wharf is in the background. Credit: Wiki Commons/Ttocserp TUM image id: 1623673072 Licence:

In the neighbourhood...

Click an image below for a better view...

Rotherhithe Street, Bermondsey with the ship ’Argo’ visible in the distance. By the mid 18th century Rotherhithe had a strong maritime and shipbuilding tradition. The Surrey Docks arrived during the 19th century and added 136 acres of interlinked waterways.
Licence: CC BY 2.0

Victorian-era London brickwork
Credit: Wiki Commons
Licence: CC BY 2.0

Monza Street (1920s)
Credit: Tower Hamlets Local History Library and Archives
Licence: CC BY 2.0

R. Passmore & Company in Limehouse. This was sitauted on the corner of Narrow Street and The Highway. Free Trade Wharf was behind.
Licence:

The foreshore of the River Thames near Ratcliff Cross Stairs, E14 (2020). Canary Wharf is in the background.
Credit: Wiki Commons/Ttocserp
Licence:

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