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History of Bethnal Green
The name Bethnal Green comes from the Anglo-Saxon healh ('angle, nook, or corner') and blithe (happy).It then changed to Bethan Hall Green which was pronounced Beth'n 'all Green by locals to finally become Bethnal Green. It was mainly marshland and forest until the 16th century.
Boxing has a long association with Bethnal Green. Daniel Mendoza, who was champion of England from 1792 to 1795 lived in Paradise Row, on the West side of Bethnal Green. The area is still strongly associated with boxing notably at the local leisure centre, York Hall.
In the 18th and 19th centuries there was a notorious mad house on the current site of the library. The park surrounding it is still referred to as ‘Barmy Park’.
During the 19th century, Bethnal Green became a centre for silk weaving. As a result, the population trebled between 1800 and 1830. As cheaper imports of silk flooded the market, the abundance of cheap labour in the area moved to boot, furniture and clothing manufacture.
By the end of the 19th century, Bethnal Green was a slum area with families living in overcrowded insalubrious conditions. Crime was rife. The infamous Jack the Ripper operated in the area and later, in the 1960s, the Kray twins lived there.
At the beginning of the 20th century, efforts were being made to clear slums and the world’s first council estate, Boundary Estate, was built there.
In recent years, as much of the East End, the area has been gentrified. It is now one of the trendiest areas in London with many shops, boutiques and a nightlife which attracts people from all over London. Accomodation varies from ex-local authority flats to georgian houses and loft apartments.
Places of interest – Click here for more information
• Brick lane Market (Sundays) • Columbia Road Flower Market (Sundays) • Museum of Childhood
Transport Links – Visit Transport for London for more information
Bethnal Green - Rail / Central Line
Stepney Green - Central Line
Whitechapel – Hammersmith & City and District Lines
Cambridge Heath - Rail
Local Authority
Tower Hamlets – http://www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/
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