Mile End
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mile End is an area of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in East London, England. Mile End is 3.6 miles (5.8 km) east north-east of Charing Cross.
Contents |
[edit] Locale
Mile End takes its name from a milestone signifying the point one mile east of the boundary of the City of London at Aldgate. Although historically the stone's position was near Stepney Green tube station. Mile End New Town developed along Bow Road, during the Georgian era. In the modern era Mile End is used to describe the area about half a mile east of Stepney Green, around Mile End tube station. Mile End Gate is at the junction of Mile End Road and Cambridge Heath Road, this was the location of the principle toll gate on the road to Bow Bridge[1].
Mile End is in a part of London known as the East End and home to the main campus of Queen Mary, University of London. Parts of the Barts and Royal London Medical school are also based on this campus, using facilities at the nearby Mile End Hospital.
The area also boasts an unusual landmark, the "Green Bridge". This structure (built c.2000) allows Mile End Park to cross over the Mile End Road and makes an interesting contrast with the more usual approach of building bridges for cars. It contains garden and water features and some shops and restaurant space built in below.
Mile End as a parliamentary constituency had a reputation as a Labour Party stronghold, but also sent Communist Member of Parliament (MP) Phil Pirratin to the House of Commons between 1945 and 1950. At that time, it had a large Jewish population. The area now is covered by the Bethnal Green and Bow seat which has returned to its left-wing roots with the election of Respect MP George Galloway in 2005.
[edit] History
[edit] Peasants' Revolt
Main article: Peasants' Revolt
In 1381, an uprising against the tax collectors of Brentwood quickly spread first to the surrounding villages, then throughout the South-East of England but it was the rebels of Essex led by a priest named Jack Straw, and the men of Kent led by Wat Tyler who marched on London. On the 12th June, the Essex rebels, 60,000 men, camped at Mile End and on the following day the men of Kent arrived at Blackheath. On the 14th June, the young king Richard II rode to Mile End where he met the rebels and signed their charter. Unfortunately, their subsequent behaviour caused the king to have the leaders and many rebels executed.
[edit] Birth of London's Yiddish theatre
In 1883, Jacob P. Adler arrived in London with a troupe of refugee professional actors. He enlisted the help of local amateurs, and the Russian Jewish Operatic Company made their debut at the Beaumont Hall, close to Stepney Green tube station. Within two years they were able to establish their own theatre in Brick Lane[2].
[edit] Second World War
Besides suffering heavily in earlier blitzes, Mile End was hit by the first V-1 to strike London. On 13 June 1944, this 'doodlebug' impacted next to the railway bridge on Grove Road, an event now commemorated by a plaque. Eight civilians were killed in the blast[3]
[edit] Media References
The neighbourhood was immortalised (humorously but unfavourably) in the pop band Pulp's song, Mile End, which was featured on the Trainspotting soundtrack. The song describes a group of squatters taking up residence in an abandoned 15th floor apartment in a run-down apartment tower.
[edit] References
- ^ 'Stepney: Communications', A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 11: Stepney, Bethnal Green (1998), pp. 7-13 accessed: 29 March 2007
- ^ The Jewish Museum accessed on 31 Mar 2007
- ^ BBC Second World War memories accessed 27 Mar 2007
