SPITALFIELDS HISTORY
Spitalfields takes its name from the hospital and priory, St. Mary's Spittel that was founded in 1197. Lying in the heart of the East End, it is an area known for its spirit and strong sense of community. It was in a field next to the priory where the now famous market first started in the thirteenth century.
As an international city, London is celebrated for its diversity in population. And the East End has always been recognised for the wealth of cultures represented within the city. Spitalfields served as a microcosm of this polyglot society, the 'melting pot' fusion of east and west. Historically, it has played host to a transient community - primarily for new immigrants. Spitalfields had been relatively rural, until the Great Fire of London. By 1666, traders had begun operating beyond the city gates - on the site where today's market stands. The landmark Truman's Brewery opened in 1669 and in 1682, after the Great Fire of London destroyed much of the city King Charles II granted John Balch a Royal Charter that gave him the right to hold a market on Thursdays and Saturdays in or near Spital Square . The success of the market encouraged people to settle in the area and in 1685, following the edict of Nantes, the Huguenots fled France and brought their silk weaving skills to Spitalfields; (around the conservation area of Fournier Street they built their grand houses, which can be seen today and where many artists such as Gilbert and George now live) soon to be followed by Irish labourers in the mid-1700s. After the Huguenots had moved on to America, East European Jews started to inhabit the district, escaping the Polish pogroms and harsh conditions in Russia; or enterprising Jews from the Netherlands. From 1880 to 1970s Spitalfields was overwhelmingly Jewish, it was probably the largest Jewish area in Europe, receiving refugees from all over Europe, the Balkans and Russia, with over 40 Synagogues. By the middle of the 20th century the Jewish community had mostly moved on. More recently, since 1970 a thriving Bangladeshi community has flourished. Today, the area boasts evidence of a Huguenot church, a Methodist chapel, a Jewish synagogue, and Muslim mosque. Its cultural traditions are steeped in silk weaving, leather ware, clock making, cigar making, barrow boys and a thriving fruit and vegetable market. Poor housing conditions, sweat shops, East End music hall and the legacy of Jack the Ripper, plus the immense variety of colours from the ever-vibrant Bangla Town all contribute to the rich tapestry that is Spitalfields today. As the area grew in popularity, Spitalfields became a parish in its own right in 1729 when Hawkesmoor's Christ Church was consecrated.
For the next 200 years the market continued to blossom. Trading from a collection of sheds and stalls, doing its best to cope with London's growing population and appetite for fresh fruit and vegetables. As time went by, it became a centre for the sale of home grown produce, which was being traded there six days a week.
Spitalfields fell into decline after the 1820's and gained a reputation as cheap area in which to live, proving a magnet to numerous waves of immigrants. During the 1840's the potato famine led to an influx of men from Ireland, bringing in workers to build the nearby docks. More recently, Bangladeshi settlers have contributed to the richness of life in the borough of Tower Hamlets, many of them establishing restaurants in and around Brick Lane.
By 1876, a former market porter called Robert Horner bought a short lease on the market and started work on a new market building, which was completed in 1893 at a cost of £80,000.
In 1920 the City of London acquired direct control of the market, extending the original buildings eight years later.
For the next 60 years, Spitalfields' nationwide reputation grew, as did the traffic congestion in the narrow streets around it. With no room for the expansion it so badly needed, the market was forced to move and in May 1991 it opened its doors at its new location in Leyton.
For the last 14 years Old Spitalfields Market has again established itself as a thriving market.
A visitor to the market stalls and independent shops can find that hidden jewel, from jewel encrusted vintage boots, art deco sofas to rare vinyl for enthusiasts.
At the end of 2005, after 18 years of sensitive preparation, the Spitalfields regeneration programme was completed. This regeneration has resulted in the creation of two new public spaces, Bishops Square and Crispin Place, a public art programme, an events programme, the restoration of several historic streets in E1 and a selection of carefully selected new retailers and restaurants. Spitalfields is no longer considered just a Sunday destination it has evolved into one of London's favourite and most vibrant areas.
