A day of contrasts

[helenwyler]

I had a brilliant day, full of contrasts, in the East End of London yesterday.


We were going to a wedding in Limehouse (near Wapping and London Bridge) in the Borough of Tower Hamlets (George Galloway territory). It's an area heavily bombed during World War II, quite run down, but still retaining the occasional beautiful church and grand building.

It was to be our first Bangladeshi wedding, and the time on the invitation was 1.00 pm. We arrived punctually, only to be told by the caterers, “Yes, it says 1.00, but nobody will be here till 2.00-2.30 pm.”

So we had at least an hour to kill. We walked along Commercial Street, a long busy road associated with Jack the Ripper, Spitalfields Market, and, in the past, much noisy industry and commerce. It was historically an area known for its immigrant ship crews and port workers, and attendant cheap lodgings, brothels, drinking inns and opium dens. It was also one of the first Chinatowns, before relocation to Soho.

Off Commercial Street is Cable Street, where the anti-fascist (Mosley) Cable Street Riots of 1936 took place. A plaque commemorates them, ending with 'They Shall Not Pass'. Cable Street is apparently exactly a mile long, and gets its name from the hemp ropes which were made into ships’ cables there (and needed to be a mile long) for the nearby ports and wharves.

It’s a poor area, lively but poor.

But then you turn down a short road into Narrow Street, which follows the backs of the old warehouses on the wharves, and quite suddenly you are in a different world. The old warehouses are now fashionable apartments for London’s wealthy, twinkling with well-polished brass door features, potted and climbing plants, and looking out over the Thames (near Canary Wharf) and Limehouse Marina.

Apart from the low-tide smell of the sea, there were tempting food smells wafting towards us, and we found ourselves outside Gordon Ramsay’s gastropub ‘The Narrow’. Well, with still forty minutes to kill, it just made sense to try it out. With a Bangladeshi sit-down meal awaiting us, we just had a bowl of cockles, a bowl of whelks, and a pint for OH (hot day!). I ordered a tomato juice with Worcester sauce and tobasco, and of course it arrived with a stick of celery in it, and two straws. What finesse! It came to £9.50…not too bad.

Back to Commercial Road. The wedding (well part of a 3 day ceremony) was in an old Picture House called the Throxy – fabulous! Still very much intact, it had all of its Art Decco features down to the last detail….the only thing missing was a Wurlitzer. From a Picture House it became a Bingo Hall, and is now a Banqueting Hall.

There were about 400 people, all seated at flower-bedecked tables. It was a stunning sight….hundreds of ‘best’ saris, deep rich colours, shimmering and sparkling with jewels and sequins. The bride and groom sat at opposite ends of the hall on sumptuously ornate gold sofas, against a background of huge swathes of gold and brightly coloured materials. Sheer Bollywood! No dancing though, as it was a Muslim wedding.

Back home via the refurbished St Pancras Station….what a stunning example of Victorian architecture that is. And it's the only wedding I've been to that I haven't returned home from a bit squiffy!


If you’ve read this far…well done, and thank you for your time!

[Torvaig]

Yes Helen, I did read "this far" and enjoyed it. Sounds like a very colourful day....

[Angela]

With a Bangladeshi sit-down meal awaiting us, we just had a bowl of cockles, a bowl of whelks, and a pint for OH (hot day!). I ordered a tomato juice with Worcester sauce and tobasco, and of course it arrived with a stick of celery in it, and two straws. What finesse! It came to £9.50…not too bad.

Good grief Helen! I've never tried a cockle -let alone a whelk!

Your day sounds so interesting and different - I've not been to London for about 5 years and I'd love it if a magic carpet would just transport me there and back!

[canuck]

Oh, Angela, can you swing by this end of town with your magic carpet and take me with you. It sounds fantastic. My only London visit was 23 years ago.

[Margaret M.]

Helen, sounds like a super time -- I felt like I was there. Thanks for taking the time to make us part of it.

[percy toboggan]

A colourful day indeed...I remember Commercial Road from way back (80's)...evem further back that whole area was home to the stoical poor who bore the brunt of Hitler's blitzkrieg.

I'm sure any by now ancient survivors who still live in that neck of the woods will think it was all worth it. Or not.

That said I enjoyed your writing...I've not seen it meself but I think the late Anthony Mengella's film 'Breaking & Entering' attempts to convey the stark contrasts between rich and poor in that part of London. It's on my 'to see' list, amongst a few others.

I'm unlikely to be invited to a 'Banglasdeshi' wedding, either in London or Bangladesh so your interesting words were as close as I'll get...I adore little travelogues like this one.....having all the world in one place makes it so much more economical too ;-)

[helenwyler]

Good grief Helen! I've never tried a cockle -let alone a whelk!

I have to admit the whelks (though fresh and actually quite tasty) were a bit of a conversation stopper. They required all our facial muscles working flat out to chomp through them.

The cockles I like very much, lightly doused with malt vinegar. Just don't peer too closely inside them . I never was very keen on anatomy.

[helenwyler]

.....having all the world in one place makes it so much more economical too ;-)

10/10 for restraint, Percy! I hope you didn't do yourself a mischief .

Angela and Canuck, I'm working on the magic carpet, as travelling to and across London is tiring. But you get a very good view from the Docklands Light Railway, and it's driverless...that's magic to me!

[Anne x]

Helen like I said earlier what a lovely day and experience I just love London all my visits have been for special occasions love the buzz of London although last July was hair raising with floods where we were staying etc but omg to go to a Gordon Ramsay Restaurant my hero dream dream one day

[Moira]

Great thread Helen. You had me looking for more.

Go search your memory banks - the Literature section needs a boost.

My one and only visit to London was a disaster. My memories of whelks are good though I could not collect, cook or eat one now..........

[badger]

Wonderful description Helen. I have family living off Shoreditch and just love it round there. Even found an inexpensive hotel in Brick Lane once to stay but next time I tried it was out of my range - don't know what happened. It's so much nicer than the West End which I really don't like any more. Spitalfields Market is wonderful and everywhere round there so friendly and lively, so much going on. Thanks for the memory

[northener]

Very descriptive Helen. Glad you enjoyed your day, it's been a few years since I wandered around that area.

[Moi x]

Super tale Helen. I can't say I've ever been to the East End. I tend to hang out with my pals in Chelsea and Pimlico, I've always envied the hard and stressful life of a true deb.

Moi x

[oldmarine]

I had a brilliant day, full of contrasts, in the East End of London yesterday.

Back to Commercial Road. The wedding (well part of a 3 day ceremony) was in an old Picture House called the Throxy – fabulous! Still very much intact, it had all of its Art Decco features down to the last detail….the only thing missing was a Wurlitzer. From a Picture House it became a Bingo Hall, and is now a Banqueting Hall.

There were about 400 people, all seated at flower-bedecked tables. It was a stunning sight….hundreds of ‘best’ saris, deep rich colours, shimmering and sparkling with jewels and sequins. The bride and groom sat at opposite ends of the hall on sumptuously ornate gold sofas, against a background of huge swathes of gold and brightly coloured materials. Sheer Bollywood! No dancing though, as it was a Muslim wedding.

Back home via the refurbished St Pancras Station….what a stunning example of Victorian architecture that is. And it's the only wedding I've been to that I haven't returned home from a bit squiffy!

If you’ve read this far…well done, and thank you for your time!

Hello Helen: Enjoyed the walk with you. It was so descriptive. Felt as though I was walking right along with you. Also enjoyed your description of the wedding. I've never been to a Muslim wedding, but I enjoyed this one. Felt like I was there with you.