79-412: Islington ( / ˈ ɪ z l ɪ ŋ t ən / IZ -ling-tən ) is an inner-city area of north London , England , within the wider London Borough of Islington . It is a mainly residential district of Inner London , extending from Islington's High Street to Highbury Fields, encompassing the area around the busy High Street, Upper Street , Essex Road (formerly "Lower Street"), and Southgate Road to
158-406: A 1,800-seat theatre with 10 bars. The theatre suffered damage in a fire in 1958 and has not reopened. Between 92 and 162 acts were put on each evening and performers who started there included Marie Lloyd , George Robey , Harry Lauder , Harry Tate , George Formby , Vesta Tilley , Tommy Trinder , Gracie Fields , Tommy Handley and Norman Wisdom . The Islington Literary and Scientific Society
237-540: A Million (1936). Limehouse Blues was also the name of a 1934 film, starring George Raft . Thomas Burke wrote Limehouse Nights (1916), a collection of stories centred around life in the poverty-stricken Limehouse district of London. Many of Burke's books feature the Chinese character Quong Lee as narrator. The area also features in the Fu Manchu books of Sax Rohmer , where a Limehouse opium den serves as
316-568: A club for working class boys in Limehouse run by his old school. Before this, Attlee's political views had been conservative , but he was shocked by the poverty and deprivation he saw while working with slum children, and this caused him to become a socialist . He joined the Independent Labour Party in 1908, and became mayor of Stepney in 1919. At the 1922 general election , Attlee became Member of Parliament (MP) for
395-516: A few years from 1956, after which it stood empty. In 1978 a campaign began with the goal to redevelop the building as a theatre. A public appeal was launched in 1981, and a festival of avant-garde theatre and music was held there and at other Islington venues in 1982. What has become the successful Almeida Theatre was founded. The Royal Agricultural Hall was built in 1862 on the Liverpool Road site of William Dixon's Cattle Layers. The hall
474-437: A long decline; and by the mid-20th century, it was largely run-down and a byword for urban poverty. The aerial bombing of World War II caused much damage to Islington's housing stock, with 3,200 dwellings destroyed. Before the war, a number of 1930s council housing blocks had been added to the stock. After the war, partly as a result of bomb site redevelopment, the council housing boom got into its stride, reaching its peak in
553-609: A number of references to the notorious criminality of the area in Victorian London. Victorian-era Limehouse was also the setting of the novel Dan Leno and the Limehouse Golem (1995) by Peter Ackroyd , a fictionalized account of the notorious 'Limehouse Golem' serial murders. The area also appeared in Anna May Wong 's 1929 film Piccadilly , where, as the toughly alluring Shosho, Wong was said to embody
632-455: A public pond were shown lining the street. The Peacock Inn at 11 Islington High Street dates from 1564, although the current façade dates from 1857. It featured in Tom Brown's Schooldays as the inn at which Tom stays prior to travelling to Rugby School . It closed in 1962, although the building still stands. Angel tube station on Islington High Street has the longest escalator on
711-525: A strong maritime character, which it retains through its riverside public houses and steps, such as The Grapes and Limehouse Stairs. The area gives its name to Limehouse Reach, a section of the Thames which runs south to Millwall after making a right-angled bend at Cuckold's Point , Rotherhithe. The west-to-east section upstream of Cuckold's Point is properly called the Lower Pool. The name relates to
790-452: A theatre, has remained on the same site, opposite the parish church, since 1543. The founder of the theatre, Dan Crawford, who died in 2005, disagreed with the introduction of decimal coinage. For twenty-plus years after decimalisation (on 15 February 1971), the bar continued to show prices and charge for drinks in pre-decimalisation currency. By the 19th century many music halls and theatres were established around Islington Green . One such
869-751: A trading voyage to Bantam , on the island of Java in present-day Indonesia . His sailing experience in Limehouse made him known as Captain Christopher Newport, of Limehouse, Mariner. Charles Dickens' godfather , Christopher Huffam, ran his sailmaking business from 12 Church Row (Newell Street). Huffam is said to be the inspiration for the Paul Dombey character in Dickens' Dombey and Son . James McNeill Whistler and Charles Napier Hemy sketched and painted at locations on Narrow Street's river waterfront. Contemporary residents include
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#1732765292302948-525: Is in Barnsbury ) and Islington High Street / Upper Street . Other multiply listed streets include Arlington Square (one of the UK's top 10 garden squares) Camden Passage , Compton Terrace, Colebrooke Row, Cross Street, Duncan Terrace, Essex Road , Gibson Square and Milner Square. Other Grade II–listed structures include: North London North London is the northern part of London , England, north of
1027-976: Is in Holloway . The area is served by numerous bus routes, with a major bus interchange located near the Angel tube station . Red route and residents' parking restrictions apply throughout the area. According to latest figures published by the Department for Education, there are 47 primary and 10 state-funded secondary schools in Islington. Grade II* English Heritage list three Grade II* listed buildings within Central Islington (and many more in surrounding districts): Grade II (selected): The area contains numerous Georgian townhouses, shops and pubs. Many whole terraces are listed including much of Liverpool Road (one side of which
1106-558: Is known is that the Great North Road from Aldersgate came into use in the 14th century, connecting with a new turnpike (toll road) up Highgate Hill . This was along the line of modern Upper Street, with a toll gate at The Angel defining the extent of the village. The Back Road , the modern Liverpool Road , was primarily a drovers' road where cattle would be rested before the final leg of their journey to Smithfield . Pens and sheds were erected along this road to accommodate
1185-407: Is served by National Rail c2c and Docklands Light Railway . On 22 April 1991, two trains collided between Limehouse and Poplar during morning rush hour , requiring a shutdown of the system and evacuation of passengers by ladder. A number of London Buses routes serve Limehouse, including routes 15 , 115, 135 , D3 and night bus routes N15 , N550 and N551 . Limehouse is connected to
1264-584: The Finsbury division of Middlesex . In the early part of the 19th century, the arrival of the Regent's Canal in Islington and St Pancras stimulated London's northerly expansion, continuing when the development of the railway network accelerated urbanisation, promoting economic growth in the capital and allowing for the establishment of commuter suburbs . This trend continued in the twentieth century and
1343-535: The Köppen climate classification system. Long term climate observations dating back to 1910 are available for Hampstead , which is also the most elevated Weather Station in the London area, at 137m. This both hilltop and urban position means severe frosts are rare. Temperatures increase towards the Thames, firstly because of the urban warming effect of the surrounding area, but secondly due to altitude decreasing towards
1422-649: The London Underground system, at 318 steps. In 2006 a Norwegian man made headlines after skiing down the escalator at the station. Upper Street is Islington's main shopping street. The parish church, St Mary's , is located on Upper Street. The Angel business improvement district (BID), is an area centred on the Angel tube station , and which includes parts of southern Islington and neighbouring Clerkenwell . Islington features extensively in modern English literature and culture: There are over 60 sports and other types of physical activity on offer to
1501-824: The National Road Network by the A13 Commercial Road which passes west–east through Limehouse, while the A1203 Limehouse Link tunnel passes under Limehouse Basin, linking The Highway with the Docklands Northern Relief Road . The northern entrance of the Rotherhithe Tunnel emerges in Limehouse, to the west of the Basin and close to Limehouse railway station. Narrow Street forms a part of
1580-835: The Regent's Canal via the Commercial Road Lock to the north, and the River Thames via Limehouse Basin Lock to the south. The Limehouse Cut connects the Basin to the River Lea in the east. Sir Humphrey Gilbert lived here, and was an advocate of opening up the Northwest Passage . This inspired Martin Frobisher to sail to Baffin Island , and he returned with a mysterious black rock. Gilbert set up
1659-574: The River Thames . It extends from Clerkenwell and Finsbury , on the edge of the City of London financial district, to Greater London's boundary with Hertfordshire . The term is used to differentiate the area from South London , East London and West London . Some parts of north London are also part of Central London . There is a Northern postal area, but this includes some areas not normally described as part of north London, while excluding many others that are. The first northern suburb developed in
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#17327652923021738-647: The Society of the New Art with Lord Burghley and the Earl of Leicester , who had their alchemical laboratory in Limehouse; however, their attempts to transmute the black rock into gold proved fruitless. (Humphrey's brother Adrian Gilbert was reputed a great alchemist and worked closely with John Dee .) Captain Christopher Newport lived in Limehouse for several years up until 1595. He rose through
1817-570: The Soke of Cripplegate in the early part of the twelfth century, but London's growth beyond its Roman northern gates was slower than in other directions, partly because of the marshy ground north of the wall and also because the roads through those gates were less well-connected than elsewhere. The parishes that would become north London were almost entirely rural until the Victorian period . Many of these parishes were grouped into an area called
1896-598: The constituency of Limehouse , which he represented while Deputy Prime Minister. After WWII he moved constituencies to Walthamstow West . On 25 January 1981, MPs Shirley Williams , Roy Jenkins , William Rodgers and David Owen made the Limehouse Declaration from the bridge over Limehouse Cut in Narrow Street : it announced the formation of the Council for Social Democracy in opposition to
1975-409: The 13th and 14th centuries) co-existing with the rump of the manor of Islington. The ancient parish of Islington continued to serve the rump manor of Islington and also the various manors that had broken away from it. Some roads on the edge of the area, including Essex Road , were known as streets by the medieval period, possibly indicating a Roman origin, but little physical evidence remains. What
2054-563: The 14 League Cup matches have ended with 7 wins for Arsenal against 4 for Spurs with 3 draws. In the sole Charity Shield between the two clubs, then exclusively between the previous season's league champions and the FA Cup winners, the contest in 1991 was drawn with the Shield shared. Spurs had won the FA cup final in 1991 after beating Arsenal 3–1 in the semi-final, the first FA cup semi-final and
2133-573: The 17th century these traditional sources were inadequate to supply the growing population and plans were laid to construct a waterway, the New River , to bring fresh water from the source of the River Lea , in Hertfordshire to New River Head , below Islington in Finsbury . The river was opened on 29 September 1613 by Sir Hugh Myddelton , the constructor of the project. His statue still stands where Upper Street meets Essex Road. The course of
2212-454: The 1942 film Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror , when Holmes enlists the aid of rather unsavory residents to help catch a Nazi agent. St Anne's Limehouse was built by Nicholas Hawksmoor . A pyramid originally planned to be put atop the tower now stands in the graveyard. The church is next door to Limehouse Town Hall and close to Limehouse Library , both Grade II listed buildings ,
2291-626: The 1960s: several extensive estates were constructed, by both the Metropolitan Borough of Islington and the London County Council . Clearance of the worst terraced housing was undertaken, but Islington continued to be very densely populated, with a high level of overcrowding. The district has many council blocks, and the local authority has begun to replace some of them. From the 1960s, the remaining Georgian terraces were rediscovered by middle-class families. Many of
2370-593: The Business Design Centre. Some early development took place to accommodate the popularity of the nearby Sadler's Wells, which became a resort in the 16th century, but the 19th century saw the greatest expansion in housing, soon to cover the whole parish. In 1801, the population was 10,212, but by 1891 this had increased to 319,143. This rapid expansion was partly due to the introduction of horse-drawn omnibuses in 1830. Large well-built houses and fashionable squares drew clerks, artisans and professionals to
2449-464: The City and Westminster, made it a popular residence for the rich and eminent. The local inns harboured many fugitives and sheltered recusants. The hill on which Islington stands has long supplied the City of London with water, the first projects drawing water through wooden pipes from the many springs that lay at its foot, in Finsbury . These included Sadler's Wells , London Spa and Clerkenwell . By
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2528-777: The Commercial Road. On 30 July 1909, the Chancellor of the Exchequer David Lloyd George made a polemical speech in Limehouse attacking the House of Lords for its opposition to his " People's Budget " and speaking of the Budget's social aims. This was the origin of the verb 'to Limehouse', "To make fiery (political) speeches such as Mr. Lloyd George made at Limehouse in 1909". From 1906 to 1909, Clement Attlee worked as manager of Haileybury House,
2607-555: The Hackney districts of De Beauvoir and Old Street to the north east. Islington is the most densely populated borough in the UK according to the 2011 census, with a population density of 138.7 people per hectare, compared to an average of 52.0 for London. The urbanisation of Islington began with ribbon development along the Great North Road (the modern A1 ). which is known (south to north) as Islington High Street , Upper Street , Holloway Road and Archway Road as it passes through
2686-633: The Limehouse Chinatown mystique. The Limehouse district of London is depicted in the silent film Broken Blossoms or The Yellow Man and the Girl (1919), directed by D. W. Griffith , "where the Orient squats at the portals of the West". Limehouse is also the setting of the 1926 film The Blackbird , directed by Tod Browning and starring Lon Chaney . The Limehouse district features prominently in
2765-591: The London Docklands. The sheer scale of the Canary Wharf proposals, and, in due course, the rapid implementation of the first phase of development, provided the impetus to the transport improvements which completely altered prospects for Limehouse as well as for the Isle of Dogs . The derelict Regent's Canal Dock was converted into Limehouse Marina. The Troxy concert venue is located in Limehouse on
2844-578: The River', a gastropub , now run by Gordon Ramsay . It is housed in the Grade II listed, former dockmaster 's and customs house , for Limehouse Dock. The Stepney Greencoat School is a Church of England primary school that was founded in 1710 by leading community members to local children, it has served the area as it transformed from an industrial to the mixed, multicultural settlement that Limehouse has become today. Limehouse station , opened in 1987,
2923-671: The Tower of London ). The role of the Tower Division ended when Limehouse became part of the new County of London in 1889. In 1900, metropolitan boroughs were created for the County of London, and Limehouse became a part of the Metropolitan Borough of Stepney . In 1965, the County of London was replaced by Greater London , and Stepney borough merged with neighbouring boroughs to form Tower Hamlets. From its foundation, Limehouse, like neighbouring Wapping , has enjoyed better links with
3002-521: The animals. The first recorded church, St Mary's , was erected in the twelfth century and was replaced in the fifteenth century. Islington lay on the estates of the Bishop of London and the Dean and Chapter of St Pauls . There were substantial medieval moated manor houses in the area, principally at Canonbury and Highbury. In 1548, there were 440 communicants listed and the rural atmosphere, with access to
3081-642: The area. Limehouse Basin was amongst the first docks to close in the late 1960s. By 1981, Limehouse shared the docklands-wide physical, social and economic decline which led to the setting up of the London Docklands Development Corporation . In November 1982, the LDDC published its Limehouse Area Development Strategy. This built on existing plans for Limehouse Basin, and offered a discussion framework for future development, housing refurbishment and environmental improvements across
3160-556: The back of the Thames wharves, boasts one of the few surviving early Georgian terraces in London. Next to the terrace is the historic Grapes pub, rebuilt in 1720 and well known to Charles Dickens, featuring as the Six Jolly Fellowship Porters in Our Mutual Friend . A few doors along was Booty's Riverside Bar but this closed down in 2012. Almost every building on the other side of Narrow Street
3239-464: The canal system. There is no tow-path in the tunnel so bargees had to walk their barges through, braced against the roof. Commercial use of the canal has declined since the 1960s. In the 17th and 18th centuries the availability of water made Islington a good place for growing vegetables to feed London. The manor became a popular excursion destination for Londoners, attracted to the area by its rural feel. Many public houses were therefore built to serve
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3318-414: The conditions for developers to renovate many of the early Victorian and Georgian townhouses. They also built new developments. Islington remains a district with diverse inhabitants, with its private houses and apartments not far from social housing in immediately neighbouring wards such as Finsbury and Clerkenwell to the south, Bloomsbury and King's Cross to the west, and Highbury to the north west, and also
3397-730: The death of Thomas Frank ") 17 Aug, 5 Henry V. [A.D. 1417], inquest held before "les Lymehostes" within the liberty and franchise of the City, before Henry Bartone, the Mayor, and the King's Escheator, as to the cause of the death of Thomas Franke, of Herewich , late steersman (conductor) or "lodysman" of a ship called "la Mary Knyght" of Danzsk in Prussia. A jury sworn, viz., John Baille, Matthew Holme, Robert Marle, Henry Mark, Alexander Bryan, John Goby, Richard Hervy, Walter Steel, Peter West, Richard Stowell, John Dyse, and Walter Broun. They find that
3476-429: The district. However, from the middle of the 19th century the poor were being displaced by clearances in inner London to build the new railway stations and goods yards. Many of the displaced settled in Islington, with the houses becoming occupied by many families. This, combined with the railways pushing into outer Middlesex, reduced Islington's attraction for the "better off" as it became "unfashionable". The area fell into
3555-425: The district. In 1716 the Great North Road came under the control of the newly formed Islington Turnpike Trust. The Trust grew rapidly, and soon had control of most major roads in the area, building a number of major road arteries through the expanding residential areas, including Caledonian Road , Euston Road , City Road and New North Road . Islington High Street runs approximately 500 metres (0.31 mi) from
3634-658: The east. The manor of Islington was named by the Saxons Giseldone (1005), then Gislandune (1062). The name means "Gīsla's hill" from the Old English personal name Gīsla and dun ("hill", " down "). The name later mutated to Isledon , which remained in use well into the 17th century when the modern form arose. The manor, which was served by the ancient parish of Islington, later sub-divided, with new estates such as Neweton Berewe , Bernersbury , Hey-bury and Canonesbury – names first recorded in
3713-716: The fiercest derbies in English football and one that separates families in north London." The games in the Premier League (and formerly the Football League ) are known formally as the North London derby. To date, 167 matches have been played with 66 wins for Arsenal, 54 wins for Spurs and 47 draws. In other matches, simply referred to generically as North London derbies, the 6 FA Cup contests resulted in 4 Arsenal victories to Spurs' 2 with no draws, while
3792-528: The first of five North London derbies to be held at Wembley Stadium . The 1991 Charity Shield is the sole occasion so far in which a trophy has been at stake, though in 1971 (0–1) and 2004 (2–2) Arsenal were crowned league champions at the final whistle of the North London derby in Tottenham. North London has, like other parts of London and the UK in general, a temperate maritime climate according to
3871-495: The former now used as a community centre and the latter as a hotel. Across the road is the Sailors' Mission , where Situationist International held its conference in 1960. The building subsequently became a run-down hostel for the homeless which became notorious for its squalor, although it has since been converted into a luxury apartment block. Further to the southwest, Narrow Street , Limehouse's historic spine, which runs along
3950-508: The government asked the Boundary Commission for England to reconsider the boundaries of parliamentary constituencies. The Commission's approach was to start with existing regions of England (in this case London) and then group the local authorities within that area into sub-regions for further sub-division. The North Thames sub-region includes all parts of London lying north of the river; the 19 boroughs which lie wholly north of
4029-721: The granting of block votes to the trade unions in the Labour Party to which they had previously belonged. They soon became leading politicians in the Social Democratic Party . Today, Limehouse is part of the constituency of Poplar and Limehouse and has been represented in the House of Commons since 2019 by Apsana Begum MP (Independent), and in the London Assembly since 2016 by Unmesh Desai AM ( Labour ). The area inspired Douglas Furber (lyricist) and Philip Braham (composer) in 1921 to write
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#17327652923024108-452: The hideout of the Chinese supervillain . The notion of East End opium dens seems to have originated with a description by Charles Dickens of a visit he made to an opium den in nearby Bluegate Fields , which inspired certain scenes in his last, unfinished, novel The Mystery of Edwin Drood (1870). More recently, the popular graphic novels of Alan Moore , From Hell (1989) and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (1999) contain
4187-401: The houses were rehabilitated, and the area became newly fashionable. This displacement of the poor by the aspirational has become known as gentrification . Among the new residents were a number of figures who became central in the New Labour movement, including Tony Blair before his victory in the 1997 general election . According to The Guardian in 2006, "Islington is widely regarded as
4266-432: The intersection of Pentonville Road and City Road at the south end to Islington Green at the north end, where it branches into Upper Street and Essex Road (former Lower Street). The earliest reference to Islington High Street is its appearance on a 1590 map of the area. At this time, nine inns (including the famous Angel , which has subsequently given its name to the area around High Street), as well as housing and
4345-471: The late 19th century, often featured in pulp fiction works by Sax Rohmer and others. Like much of the East End it remained a focus for immigration , but after the devastation of the Second World War many of the Chinese community relocated to Soho . On 12 February 1832, the first case of cholera was reported in London at Limehouse. First described in India in 1817, it had spread here via Hamburg . Although 800 people died during this epidemic, it
4424-413: The local lime kilns or, more precisely, lime oasts , by the river and operated by the large potteries that served shipping in the London Docks . The name is from Old English līm-āst "lime-oast", and appears in a 1335 record. The name is found used in 1417: Inquisicio capta sup' litus Thomisie apud Lymhosteys pro morte Thome Frank. (" Inquest held on the shore of the Thames by Lymhosteys for
4503-404: The needs of both the excursionists and travellers on the turnpike. By 1716, there were 56 ale-house keepers in Upper Street, also offering pleasure and tea gardens, and activities such as archery, skittle alleys and bowling. By the 18th century, music and dancing were offered, together with billiards, firework displays and balloon ascents. The King's Head Tavern , now a Victorian building with
4582-462: The north bank of the Thames Path and had previously been the principal street in Limehouse. It includes the Cycleway 3 between Tower Gateway to Barking , one of London's first Cycle Superhighways . Though no longer a working dock, Limehouse Basin with its marina remains a working facility. The same is not true of the wharf buildings that have survived, most of which are now highly desirable residential properties. Limehouse Basin connects to
4661-453: The other. The area of the canal east of the tunnel and north of the City Road was once dominated by much warehousing and industry surrounding the large City Road Basin and Wenlock Basin. Those old buildings that survive here are now largely residential or small creative work units. This stretch has an old double-fronted pub The Narrowboat , one side accessed from the towpath. The canal was constructed in 1820 to carry cargo from Limehouse into
4740-560: The popular jazz standard " Limehouse Blues ", which was introduced by Jack Buchanan and Gertrude Lawrence in the musical revue "A to Z". Much later, it was reprised in the ballet "Limehouse Blues" featuring Fred Astaire and Lucille Bremer in the musical film Ziegfeld Follies (1946) and by Julie Andrews in Star! (1968). In both instances the actors were in yellowface. Other notable performances on film include those by Hoagy Carmichael in To Have and Have Not (1944) and by Borrah Minevich and His Harmonica Rascals in One in
4819-426: The public in Islington, at more than approximately one hundred clubs, leisure centres , parks, community centres , and other venues. The Islington Boxing Club, on Hazellville Road, was founded in January 1974 and was originally based in the community hall of York Way Court, close to King's Cross Station . The borough is home to top-flight professional football club Arsenal , whose sixty-thousand capacity stadium
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#17327652923024898-440: The river ran to the east of Upper Street, and much of its course is now covered and forms a linear park through the area. The Regent's Canal passes through Islington, for much of which in an 886-metre (2,907 ft) tunnel that runs from Colebrook Row east of the Angel, to emerge at Muriel Street near Caledonian Road. The stretch is marked above with a series of pavement plaques so walkers may find their way from one entrance to
4977-402: The river than the land, the land route being across a marsh . Limehouse became a significant port in late medieval times . Although most cargoes were discharged in the Pool of London before the establishment of the docks, industries such as shipbuilding , ship chandlering and rope making were established in Limehouse. Limehouse Basin opened in 1820 as the Regent's Canal Dock . This
5056-564: The river, meaning some of the hillier northern margins of North London are often a degree or so cooler than those areas adjacent to the Thames. Occasionally snow can be seen to lie towards the Chilterns while central London is snow-free. Typically the warmest day of the year at Hampstead will average 29.3 °C (84.7 °F) with around 14 days in total achieving a value of 25.1 °C (77.2 °F) or higher. The average coldest night should fall to −5.6 °C (21.9 °F). On average 35.8 nights will report an air frost, some 119 days of
5135-448: The river, plus parts of cross-river Richmond upon Thames . An earlier 2013 study, whose recommendations were not adopted, took a different approach by assigning all of Richmond to the south. This list includes all boroughs included in the North Thames area: Football in the region is dominated by Premier League teams Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur . The two clubs contest the North London derby , which has been described as "one of
5214-401: The said Thomas Franke was killed by falling on the sharp end of an anchor The area was part of the historic (or ancient) county of Middlesex , but military and most (or all) civil county functions were managed more locally, by the Tower Division (also known as the Tower Hamlets) , under the leadership of the Lord-Lieutenant of the Tower Hamlets (the post was always filled by the Constable of
5293-456: The sailing ranks from a poor cabin boy to a wealthy English privateer and eventually one of the Masters of the Royal Navy . He became rich pirating Spanish treasure vessels in the West Indies . In 1607 he sailed the Susan Constant , followed by the Godspeed and Discovery , as Admiral of the Fleet to Jamestown . He helped secure England's foothold in North America through five voyages to Jamestown. He sailed his entire life, dying on
5372-410: The spiritual home of Britain's left-wing intelligentsia." The Granita Pact between Gordon Brown and Tony Blair is said to have been made at a now defunct restaurant on Upper Street. The African National Congress 's headquarters in exile was based on Penton Street. It was the target of a bomb attack in 1982 . The completion of the Victoria line and redevelopment of Angel tube station created
5451-499: The whole of Limehouse. It was based on four major projects: Limehouse Basin, Free Trade Wharf, what was then known as the Light Rapid Transit Route (DLR) and the Docklands Northern Relief Road, a road corridor between The Highway and East India Dock across the north of the Isle of Dogs. In the mid-1980s, developments on the nearby Isle of Dogs (particularly at Canary Wharf), proved to be the catalyst to delivering infrastructure improvements which benefitted Limehouse and some other areas of
5530-484: The world. Crews would be paid off at the end of their voyages and, inevitably, permanent communities of foreign sailors became established, including colonies of Lascars and Africans from the Guinea Coast . Large Chinese communities developed at Shadwell , Limehouse and the adjoining Pennyfields area of Poplar . These were established by the crews of merchantmen in the opium and tea trades, particularly Han Chinese . The area achieved notoriety for opium dens in
5609-412: The year will register at least 1mm of precipitation, and on 7.4 days a cover of snow will be observed. All annual averages refer to the observation period 1971–2000. Limehouse Limehouse is a district in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in East London . It is 3.9 miles (6.3 km) east of Charing Cross , on the northern bank of the River Thames . Its proximity to the river has given it
5688-578: Was Collins's Music Hall , the remains of which are now partly incorporated into a bookshop. The remainder of the Hall has been redeveloped into a new theatre, with its entrance at the bottom of Essex Road . It stood on the site of the Landsdowne Tavern, where the landlord had built an entertainment room for customers who wanted to sing (and later for professional entertainers). It was founded in 1862 by Samuel Thomas Collins Vagg and by 1897 had become
5767-695: Was 75 ft high and the arched glass roof spanned 125 ft. It was built for the annual Smithfield Show in December of that year but was popular for other purposes, including recitals and the Royal Tournament . It was the primary exhibition site for London until the 20th century and the largest building of its kind, holding up to 50,000 people. It was requisitioned for use by the Mount Pleasant sorting office during World War II and never re-opened. The main hall has now been incorporated into
5846-663: Was an important connection between the Thames and the canal system, where cargoes could be transferred from larger ships to the shallow-draught canal boats. This mix of vessels can still be seen in the Basin: canal narrowboats rubbing shoulders with seagoing yachts . From the Tudor era until the 20th century, ships crews were employed on a casual basis. New and replacement crews would be found wherever they were available – foreign sailors in their own waters being particularly prized for their knowledge of currents and hazards in ports around
5925-486: Was destroyed by bombing in the Second World War , including hundreds of houses, Taylor Walker & Co 's Barley Mow Brewery and a school. One notable exception is a former public house , known locally as 'The House They Left Behind', because it was the only Victorian terrace to survive. It still stands today, with the aid of three large supporting pillars. Further along the street is 'Bread Street Kitchen on
6004-676: Was established in 1833 and first met in Mr. Edgeworth's Academy on Upper Street. Its goal was to spread knowledge through lectures, discussions, and experiments, politics and theology being forbidden. A building, the Literary and Scientific Institution, was erected in 1837 in Wellington (later Almeida) Street, designed by Roumieu and Gough in a stuccoed Grecian style. It included a library (containing 3,300 volumes in 1839), reading room, museum, laboratory, and lecture theatre seating 500. The subscription
6083-407: Was fewer than had died of tuberculosis in the same year. Unfortunately, cholera visited again in 1848 and 1858. The use of Limehouse Basin as a major distribution hub declined with the growth of the railways, although the revival of canal traffic during World War I and World War II gave it a brief swansong. Today, Stepney Historical Trust works to advance the public's education in the history of
6162-649: Was reinforced by motorcar-based commuting until the establishment—shortly after the Second World War —of the Metropolitan Green Belt , which prevented urban London from expanding any further. The 2011 London Plan included a North sub-region, to be used for planning, engagement, resource allocation and progress reporting purposes. It consisted of the London Boroughs of Barnet , Haringey and Enfield . The 2004-2008 and 2008-2011 London Plan sub-regions varied in their composition. In 2017,
6241-568: Was two guineas a year. After the library was sold off in 1872, the building was sold or leased in 1874 to the Wellington Club , which occupied it until 1886. In 1885 the hall was used for concerts, balls, and public meetings. The Salvation Army bought the building in 1890, renamed it the Wellington Castle barracks, and remained there until 1955. The building became a factory and showroom for Beck's British Carnival Novelties for
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