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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| Mural, Wenlock Rd, Hoxton, 1986 |
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| A Faris Ltd, Whitechapel High St, Whitechapel, Tower Hamlets, 1986-8 |
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| Newco, Whitechapel High St, Whitechapel, Tower Hamlets, 1986-8 |
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| Palaseum Cinema, 226, Commercial Road, Stepney, Tower Hamlets, 1986 |
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| Regents Canal, Hertford Union Canal, Stoneway Walk, Bethnal Green, Tower Hamlets, 1986 |
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| Bill Mayes, Sandwich Bar, Commercial Rd, Limehouse, 1986 |
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| Cable St Mural, Cable St, Shadwell, Tower Hamlets, 1986 |
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| Cheshire St, Spitalfields, Tower Hamlets, 1986 |
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| Synagogue, Fieldgate St, East London Mosque, Whitechapel, Tower Hamlets, 1986 |
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| Beauty Cloth Stores, New Road area, Whitechapel, Tower Hamlets, 1986 |
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| Caribbean House, Community Centre, Bridport Place, Hoxton, Hackney, 1986 |
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| Ford Square, Stepney, Tower Hamlets, 1986 |
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| Washing, Yard, Cranford Cottages, Cranford St, Shadwell, Tower Hamlets, 1986 |
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| West Ham, J R Travel, Bonner St, Bethnal Green, Tower Hamlets, 1986 |
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| Shop, Hackney Rd, Tower Hamlets , Hackney, 1986 |
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| Black Cat Cigarettes, Advertising, flats, Dingley Rd, Islington, 1986 |
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| We Want Decent Housing in the E1 Area, Varden St, Whitechapel, Tower Hamlets, 1986 |
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| Mural, Cannon St Rd, Shadwell, Tower Hamlets, 1986, 1986 |
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| Asia Dry Cleaners & Laundry, 52, New Road area, Whitechapel, Tower Hamlets, 1986 |
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| River Thames, Sailing Ship, Isle of Dogs, Greenwich, 1986 |
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| Muslim Halal Butcher, 4, Hessel St, Whitechapel, Tower Hamlets, 1986 |
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| Market trolley, Hoxton Market, Hoxton St, Hoxton, Hackney, 1986 |
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| St Leonard Shoreditch, Poor Relief, Hoxton Market, Hoxton St, Hoxton, Hackney, 1986 |
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| Three boys, Stepney Green, Tower Hamlets, 1986 |
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| Florists', Packing, Tissue, Donovan Bros, Crispin St, Spitalfields, Tower Hamlets, 1986 |
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| Mural, Caribbean House, Bridport Place, Hoxton, Hackney, 1986 |
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| Crown & Dolphin, Cable St, Cannon St Rd, Shadwell, Tower Hamlets, 1986 |
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| St Katherine's Dock, Tower Hamlets, 1987 |
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| Bath House, Bishopgate Churchyard, City, 1987 |
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| White Horse Rd, Limehouse, Tower Hamlets, 1988 |
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| Navy outfitters, India Dock Rd, Limehouse, Tower Hamlets, 1988 |
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| Nursery, Blackwall Tunnel Approach, Bromley by Bow, Tower Hamlets, 1988 |
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| Coffee Bar, Cheshire St, Spitalfields, Tower Hamlets, 1989 |