Rough Guide to London (Study Task)

Study Task:
Rough Guide to London
Hoxton/ Brick Lane/ Spitalfields
Friday 7th October

  Local Asian man holding vintage market sign outside the Truman factory- Brick Lane

Once a run down & deprived area, Hackney has now a new lease of life with trendy young students, artists, musicians & fashion followers populating the area along side the Bangladeshi community.
Brick Lane is a well known street in Tower Hamlets, the East End of London (famous for its many curry houses & Vintage shops). The street was first named Whitechapel Lane but was changed due to a former brick and tile manufacturing company in the 15th century. The Brick Lane Market began in the 17th century by the Jewish community selling fruit and vegetables.
The first community to arrive in the area where the Huguenot, followed by the Irish then the Jewish community and finally the Bangladeshis who populate the area to this day. The area is nationally known for its involvement in weaving & tailoring in the clothing industry.

Object from Second hand shop:
Taken in BLITZ Vintage store off Brick Lane 

Blitz Vintage store: Hanbury street, just off Brick Lane is praised for being one of London’s first vintage department stores that sells designer wear such as Vivienne Westwood & Alexander McQueen at a fraction of its original price. This is only one of many  vintage stores dotted around the area who sell not only clothing but homewear & and accessories also. On first impressions the whole of Brick Lane, from top to bottom is filled with a wide array of colour, print and textures from bygones era what with it being packed with
old factories, the numerous Asian Saree stalls, Spice shops and Vintage stores all alongside the contemporary  businesses. This in itself is what I have been told to have attracted the younger generation of students, artists, designers, musicians, photographers


Words coming to mind:
· Bold
· Vibrant
· Trendy
· Inspiring
· Clash
· Glamorous

  From a shop:
“The Brick Lane Beigel” shop front

The Brick Lane Beigel bake:
This is the oldest and best known bagel shop in London, locals pride it for being a center point for social gatherings, as it’s a thriving 24 hour bakery that I was told  produces roughly 7000 bagels a night. Jewish old-timers stand around chatting with the young until the early hours of the morning and is always packed with customers as bagel prices begin at 25p.

Words that come to mind when thinking about the Brick Lane Beigel shop:
· Home cooking
· After hours
· Bright & welcoming
· Clean

  Image from a gallery or exhibition:
Whitechapel gallery “The Street: Reclaim the Mural” Exhibition  

Whitechapel gallery, Exhibition: “The Street: Reclaim the Mural” – Display of murals & street art between 1976 to present day with the aim of gaining wider recognition as an official art movement.
The exhibition was aimed at encouraging people to create street murals. It exhibited ten photographs of London’s most famous street murals (Mainly political).The choice was made to exhibit it in  this particular area as it is renound for having its fair share of graffiti art. It is because of this I have chosen “Battle of Cable Street” by David Binnington, Desmond Rochfort, Paul Butler & Ray Walker (1983).
Cabel street is a road just off Brick Lane.
The Battle of Cable Street occurred, Sunday 4 October 1936. It was a clash between the Metropolitan Police who were overseeing a march by the British Union of Fascists, led by Oswald Mosley, against anti-fascists, including local Jewish, socialist, anarchist, Irish and communist groups. The anti-fascist groups built roadblocks in an attempt to prevent the march from taking place. The locals used mundane objects as weaponry to throw at the police.
Labour party there to help fight against fascism

words that come to mind:
· Vibrant
· Exciting
· Interesting
· Intricate
· Historical
· Political
· Snapshot, atmosphere of racism & ignorance in 1930s

As I said previously, the Jewish community settled in this area for a while many years ago, where among the market stalls and industry a member opened a bakery producing Bagels. Where ever there is a community market place, people congregate to sell their own second hand goods, eventually giving rise to the vintage market.