THE EAST END OF LONDON: Then vs. Now
Like the Lower East Side of New York, the East End was home to tens of thousands of Jewish immigrants from mainland Europe who lived in Whitechapel, Spitalfields, and the surrounding areas from the late 1800s up until the post-WWII years.
Like the Lower East Side of New York, the East End was home to tens of thousands of Jewish immigrants from mainland Europe who lived in Whitechapel, Spitalfields, and the surrounding areas from the late 1800s up until the post-WWII years.
Many of the shops were owned by Jews, Yiddish was heard in the streets, and sounds of prayer wafted from the many shuls sprinkled throughout the East End — such as this one, filmed in 1959:
At its height, the East End was home to over 80% of London’s Jews.
But various factors — including WWII Blitz bombings — led many Jews northwards to neighborhoods such as Stamford Hill, Golders Green, Hendon, and Finchley.
📷: Jews learning in a shelter during an air raid
But various factors — including WWII Blitz bombings — led many Jews northwards to neighborhoods such as Stamford Hill, Golders Green, Hendon, and Finchley.
📷: Jews learning in a shelter during an air raid
Today, little remains of the neighborhood’s rich Jewish history.
So here’s a small sampling of the many Jewish shops once ubiquitous in the E1 post code — and what they look like today.
(Tip: Enlarge all the pictures!)
Pictured: Petticoat Lane Market in 1902, and today.
So here’s a small sampling of the many Jewish shops once ubiquitous in the E1 post code — and what they look like today.
(Tip: Enlarge all the pictures!)
Pictured: Petticoat Lane Market in 1902, and today.
Ch. N. Katz sold paper and string at 92 Brick Lane.
He operated the business for over 55 years, and was one of the last Jewish businessmen in the area, selling the shop in the 1990s.
The building is now an art gallery, although the original brickwork above the window remains.
He operated the business for over 55 years, and was one of the last Jewish businessmen in the area, selling the shop in the 1990s.
The building is now an art gallery, although the original brickwork above the window remains.
A few doors down, A. Rosenberg's jewellery shop abutted the popular Russian Vapour Baths, outside which a crowd is gathered in 1904.
Today, you can’t bathe at 86 Brick Lane, but you could take a decent shower — since it is now a budget hotel.
Today, you can’t bathe at 86 Brick Lane, but you could take a decent shower — since it is now a budget hotel.
Across the road is a large building on the corner of Fournier Street that was home to Machzikei Hadas — or Spitalfields Great Synagogue — for 70 years.
(At one point, it was led by Rav Kook!)
The left-hand image shows it in 1974, before its conversion to the Brick Lane Mosque.
(At one point, it was led by Rav Kook!)
The left-hand image shows it in 1974, before its conversion to the Brick Lane Mosque.
Next door to the shul was the London Hebrew Talmud Torah, founded in 1895. It taught Hebrew and Yiddish to 100s of children.
It also became part of the mosque, and the words “London Hebrew Talmud Torah Classes for Jewish Children” were replaced with the mosque’s sign.
It also became part of the mosque, and the words “London Hebrew Talmud Torah Classes for Jewish Children” were replaced with the mosque’s sign.
Now to some more shops.
On the left, Jewish tailors look for employment on Whitechapel Road in the 1940s. Two of the businesses seen in the photograph are Adolph Cohen, hairdresser, and C. Fischelis, furrier.
It looks like the buildings still exist, albeit with new occupants.
On the left, Jewish tailors look for employment on Whitechapel Road in the 1940s. Two of the businesses seen in the photograph are Adolph Cohen, hairdresser, and C. Fischelis, furrier.
It looks like the buildings still exist, albeit with new occupants.
This is Frumkin’s kosher wine shop at 162 Commercial Road.
It was founded in 1894 by Aryeh Leib Frumkin, a Petach Tikvah pioneer — and the great-grandfather of Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks.
It’s now home to the J & J Londone jewellery store.
It was founded in 1894 by Aryeh Leib Frumkin, a Petach Tikvah pioneer — and the great-grandfather of Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks.
It’s now home to the J & J Londone jewellery store.
In this picture, a man sells milk from a cart outside Henry Nathan’s Jewish butcher shop in 1904.
The store at 47 Aldgate High Street, a timber-framed building that had survived the Great Fire of London in 1666, is now home to a pub named The Hoop and Grapes.
The store at 47 Aldgate High Street, a timber-framed building that had survived the Great Fire of London in 1666, is now home to a pub named The Hoop and Grapes.
Large parts of the East End underwent heavy redevelopment and many of the buildings that existed up until the 1960s aren’t around anymore.
So, for example, the building where barber Abe Cohen and his family once cheerily greeted hirsute customers no longer stands.
So, for example, the building where barber Abe Cohen and his family once cheerily greeted hirsute customers no longer stands.
The same applies to Perchick’s Stores, which are currently out of Coleman’s Mustard… and Lyon’s Tea… and everything else.
Instead, you can find a small office building at 76 Old Montague Street.
Instead, you can find a small office building at 76 Old Montague Street.
The headquarters of The Original Kosher Wine Company on Osborn Street, shown here c. 1900, no longer exist either.
Today, the building on the corner of Whitechapel Road houses several stores, as well as flats above a Turkish restaurant.
Today, the building on the corner of Whitechapel Road houses several stores, as well as flats above a Turkish restaurant.
Here, Mr. Davis Cohen and his sons Moses and Jacob stand outside their shop, c. 1890.
You could still get some form of salmon — though not smoked — at 21 Spital Square today, since it’s home to Itsu, a Japanese restaurant offering sushi, salads, and noodle dishes.
You could still get some form of salmon — though not smoked — at 21 Spital Square today, since it’s home to Itsu, a Japanese restaurant offering sushi, salads, and noodle dishes.
Where tailor J. Minsky once waited for customers in need of a new pair of trousers at 32 Christian Street (in 1905), boys and girls now play football on the Berner Pitch.
The Goldstein brothers standing in the doorway of their butcher shop on the corner of Old Montague Street and Kings Arms Court in 1966.
This, too, is gone, replaced by new housing.
This, too, is gone, replaced by new housing.
Across the street from Goldsteins was this kosher restaurant, which sold Pepsi AND Coca-Cola!
A residential building sits on this now non-existent stretch of Monthope Street, although the block of flats seen at the far right is still around.
A residential building sits on this now non-existent stretch of Monthope Street, although the block of flats seen at the far right is still around.
Yaakov Nirenstein in the doorway of his bookshop at 81 Wentworth Street, c. 1900.
Nirenstein's daughter Miriam later married Chimen, the son of Rav Yechezkel Abramsky, who took over the shop.
The bibliophile’s delight was replaced by a row of houses.
Nirenstein's daughter Miriam later married Chimen, the son of Rav Yechezkel Abramsky, who took over the shop.
The bibliophile’s delight was replaced by a row of houses.
But there are plenty of buildings that are still around.
Take furniture manufacturers H. W. Lerner, pictured on the left at 44 Cheshire Street in the 1970s.
Today, it is a hair salon.
Take furniture manufacturers H. W. Lerner, pictured on the left at 44 Cheshire Street in the 1970s.
Today, it is a hair salon.
L. Levin and S. Rapaport divided a small storefront at 73 and 73a Hessel Street.
Levine was a butcher, while Rapaport sold provisions and smoked salmon.
The most recent business at that address was the Chandpur Frozen Food store (also fruit & vegetables).
Levine was a butcher, while Rapaport sold provisions and smoked salmon.
The most recent business at that address was the Chandpur Frozen Food store (also fruit & vegetables).
Several doors down was D. R. Zysman’s delicatessen, where you could buy pickles that were finger lickin’ good.
The building was torn down and a new one built on that spot — but I spotted a remnant of the original brick wall on the right. Do you see it too?
The building was torn down and a new one built on that spot — but I spotted a remnant of the original brick wall on the right. Do you see it too?
The area also had Jewish theatres.
The Grand Palais at 131 Commercial Road put on Yiddish plays starting in 1934.
With Yiddish-speaking audiences dying off or moving away, the theatre closed in 1970; workers are seen here removing the signs.
Today, it’s a fabric wholesaler.
The Grand Palais at 131 Commercial Road put on Yiddish plays starting in 1934.
With Yiddish-speaking audiences dying off or moving away, the theatre closed in 1970; workers are seen here removing the signs.
Today, it’s a fabric wholesaler.
Another was the Pavilion Theatre.
Dating to the 1850s, it began hosting plays in Yiddish in the early 20th century.
It operated until 1935, and was demolished in 1962.
The site on Whitechapel Road still stands empty, leaving only echoes of Sholom Aleichem and Sholem Asch.
Dating to the 1850s, it began hosting plays in Yiddish in the early 20th century.
It operated until 1935, and was demolished in 1962.
The site on Whitechapel Road still stands empty, leaving only echoes of Sholom Aleichem and Sholem Asch.
Another local institution was the HQ of the “Jewish Times” (די צייט), a Yiddish newspaper founded in 1913, at 325 Whitechapel Road.
The paper stopped rolling off the presses in 1950, but the location still spreads knowledge in the form of a library that stands on the site.
The paper stopped rolling off the presses in 1950, but the location still spreads knowledge in the form of a library that stands on the site.
Let’s visit some more shuls:
The Old Castle Street Synagogue dated back to the 1870s. It was home to various congregations, including Chabad.
The shul closed in the 1960s, and the block was eventually razed and replaced with an apartment complex, a hotel, shops, and offices.
The Old Castle Street Synagogue dated back to the 1870s. It was home to various congregations, including Chabad.
The shul closed in the 1960s, and the block was eventually razed and replaced with an apartment complex, a hotel, shops, and offices.
On May 10, 1941, a German bomb smashed into the 250-year-old Great Synagogue on Dukes Place.
This is what the decorated arch above the aron kodesh looked like — and on the right, Rev. Hermann Mayerowitsch stands under it, the only thing remaining amid the rubble.
This is what the decorated arch above the aron kodesh looked like — and on the right, Rev. Hermann Mayerowitsch stands under it, the only thing remaining amid the rubble.
Digression: Rare footage of the Great Synagogue just months before it was bombed:
After the GS was destroyed, services moved to the corner of Coke Street and Adler Street (named for Chief Rabbi Nathan M. Adler).
Seen on the left in 1968, the shul closed in 1977. Instead of delivering prayers up to heaven, the site now transports parcels as a courier service.
Seen on the left in 1968, the shul closed in 1977. Instead of delivering prayers up to heaven, the site now transports parcels as a courier service.
Another East End shul was at 2 Heneage Street.
Opening in 1934, it incorporated several congregations over the years and was known as the Ezras Chaim, Ein Yaakov, and Poltava Synagogue by the time it closed in 1973.
The building is now home to various shops.
Opening in 1934, it incorporated several congregations over the years and was known as the Ezras Chaim, Ein Yaakov, and Poltava Synagogue by the time it closed in 1973.
The building is now home to various shops.
Finally, back to the one we began with.
In 1919, Yehuda Hersh and Malka Fisher posed outside their umbrella shop.
Since then, 45 Hanbury Street has seen many occupants come and go — most recently, a cocoa bar — but parts of the century-old railing and cornice still persevere.
In 1919, Yehuda Hersh and Malka Fisher posed outside their umbrella shop.
Since then, 45 Hanbury Street has seen many occupants come and go — most recently, a cocoa bar — but parts of the century-old railing and cornice still persevere.
In closing, I recommend this evocative essay that appeared in @Commentary in 1960.
Written when the Jewish character of the East End was already in decline, the first sentence pretty much sums it up: “The East End is not what it used to be”…
commentary.org/articles/a-she…
Written when the Jewish character of the East End was already in decline, the first sentence pretty much sums it up: “The East End is not what it used to be”…
commentary.org/articles/a-she…
For more pictures and stories of the East End, as well as colorful tales of its shops and characters who inhabited its streets, visit @thegentleauthor’s fascinating blog at spitalfieldslife.com
Other acknowledgments:
jewisheastendmemorymap.org
jewisheastend.com
stgitehistory.org.uk
jewishmiscellanies.com
theundergroundmap.com was instrumental in finding out the modern-day locations of shops that are no longer standing.
And of course, this little guy:
jewisheastendmemorymap.org
jewisheastend.com
stgitehistory.org.uk
jewishmiscellanies.com
theundergroundmap.com was instrumental in finding out the modern-day locations of shops that are no longer standing.
And of course, this little guy:
I just have to include this picture taken at the corner of Grimsby Street in the 2000s.
Bonus points if you recognize where it is.
Bonus points if you recognize where it is.
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
