THE EAST END

 

See Also: CHILD WELFARE Barnado s; DISTRICT CHANGE; DISTRICT CHANGE East London's Growth; DISTRICT CHANGE Shoreditch; THE DOCKS; THE HUGUENOTS Silk; JACK THE RIPPER; JEWS The East End; PERIOD PROPERTIES The Spitalfields Trust; THE SECOND WORLD WAR The Blitz; SLUMS & AVENUES; SOHO; STREET MARKETS East End Street Markets; MENU

In the 19thC the creation first of the long-distance railway stations and then of the West End's great avenues. The big schemes forced the poor to move on. Many of them settled in the East End, thereby compounding the area's social deprivations. At the same time, the district was losing the steady work of the shipbuilding industry, which was relocating to the north-east and the Clyde. The docks lost much of their trade to Hull and Liverpool. The area's employment became increasingly reliant upon seasonal jobs, such as those provided by the gasworks.

 

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The Boss of Bethnal Green

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Joseph Merceron (1764-1839) was born in Brick Lane the son of a prosperous pawnbroker and property owner. His experience of handling financial matters led to him being appointed the vestry treasurer at the age of 23. He used this position in a corrupt manner to enrich himself. In the late 18thC Joseph Merceron dominated Bethnal Green's local government.

In 1818 he was convicted of falsifying rate assessments and licensing public houses that in fact brothels. He spent eighteen months in the King's Bench Prison. His spell there was spent in material comfort. Following his release, he continued to dominate Bethnal Green until his death two decades later. In 1906 social historians dubbed him the boss of Bethnal Green .

Location: Merceron Street, c.E1 5PR (purple, brown)

See Also: LOCAL GOVERNMENT Vestries

 

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Hackney

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See Also: THE OLYMPICS The 2012 London Olympics

 

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Jack London

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As a journalist, Jack London investigated the East End. His articles about the dire working conditions there found a receptive audience in the United States. However, similar scrutiny of conditions in the United States met a hostile reception.

Following London's death, the F.B.I. opened a file on him.

David Backhouse 2024