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The East End c. 1800
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The inner East End, stretching from
the City to the River Lea, was originally farm land, part of the parish of
St Dunstan Stepney (the church is still on the same site and today's
building dates
from the 13th century. As London became an important port the
East End was gradually built up along
the river and from the late 17th century the silk industry became
important and spread east from Spitalfields on the eastern fringes
of the City.
During the 19th century
urbanisation became rapid and the East End turned into a series of
working class suburbs. The silk industry collapsed,
precipitating the economic decline of the whole East End which
became known for poverty and deprivation.
This web
site includes articles on the Bishop of London's mid 19th century
drive to build ten new Bethnal Green
Churches, the surviving Pubs in the Whitechapel
Road and on East End schools..
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