You might have noticed by now that I love old buildings, especially when I can see the layers of history reflected on the walls.
I have been very lucky over the years to have been able to visit many great examples, across different parts of London, before they were refurbished; however, as old buildings get sold on and are progressively "updated" to meet the needs of new uses, they lose their connection to the past.
This is why when last September, during the Open House weekend, we were able to visit the Shoreditch Townhall and discovered the basement remains raw, I had to photograph its many fascinating spaces. These are just a few.
The building is a survivor and has an authentic Eastend history I will share in another post, I promise.
For today, I just wanted to share these images and some historical facts:
This is the building where the inquest into the murder of Mary Kelly (Jack the Ripper's last victim) took place in 1888.
The building where Sylvia Pankhurst was arrested at a rally in 1913.
And where Dorothy Thurtle, a lifelong campaigner for women's rights, became the first female mayor of London's boroughs in 1936.
It was also the building where the Krays watched boxing matches and hosted illegal games of cards in the antechamber of the men’s toilets in the 60s
