The East End of London, often referred to within the London area simply as the East End, lies east of the Roman and medieval walls of the City of London and north of the River Thames. Aldgate Pump on the edge of the City is regarded as the symbolic start of the East End. On the river, the Tower Dock inlet, just west of the Tower of London and Tower Bridge marks the beginning of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets and its older predecessors.
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| Shops, Spitalfields, Tower Hamlets, 1986 |
Beyond these reference points, the East End has no official or generally accepted boundaries; views vary as to how much of wider East London lies within it.
Beyond the small eastern extramural wards, the narrowest definition restricts the East End to the modern London Borough of Tower Hamlets. A more common preference is to add to Tower Hamlets the former parish and borough of Shoreditch (including Hoxton and Haggerston), which is now the southern part of the modern London Borough of Hackney.
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| Marchant & Fegan Ltd, 322, Kingsland Rd, Dalston, Hackney, 1986 |
Other commentators prefer a definition broader still, encompassing districts such as West Ham, East Ham, Leyton, Walthamstow, parts or all of Hackney (the district, rather than the larger modern borough) and Ilford.
These pictures of the East End were taken by Peter Marshall. For more fascinating vintage photographs, make sure to visit his Flickr site.
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| Closed Saturday, Open Sunday, shop door, Brick Lane, Spitalfields, Tower Hamlets, ca 1980 |
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| Great Eastern Mural, Westferry Rd, Isle of Dogs, Tower Hamlets, 1982 |
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| East & West Social Club, Cannon St Rd, Whitechapel, Tower Hamlets, 1986 |
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