Hell is a city much like London – a populous and a smoky city.” – P.B. Shelly

London is a city of great contrast. Its western part is the richest. The poorest part of London is the East End.

The East End is an area to the east of the City of London, from the Tower of London along the north bank of the river Thames.

The East End of London used to be the poorest district of the City. Among the overcrowded houses there was no drainage, and, despite the early foundation of hospitals and charities, the average age of death in 1840 was 16 years, 50% of all deaths among the labouring classes being children under 5. This was the life of Jack the Ripper¹,where life and gin were equally cheap.

The East End was the most savagely bombed in World War II. After the rebuilding many families accepted new homes and jobs in the New Towns started at this period.

But now it’s a developed area with new houses and a modern industrial centre. It covers a wide area. A part like Bethnal Green, which was once a country village, is quite different from the areas down by the river, where there are many wharfs and warehouses. In 1987 a light rapid transit railway was built that linked the docklands² and the City.

Greenwich is a district of south-east London with many attractive old buildings and parks. Set in the beautiful surroundings of Greenwich Park are The National Maritime Museum, Queen’s House and Old Royal Observatory which was built there in the 17^th century. Close by is the bustling riverside town of Greenwich with its historic buildings, street markets, specialist shops, plentiful pubs and restaurants.

The National Maritime Museum in Greenwich shows British sailing history. There is a gallery devoted to Britain’s greatest Admiral and national hero, Lord Nelson. He saved Britain from Napoleonic invasion and was shot at his greatest victory, Trafalgar, by a French sniper. The Museum explains how and why Britain became a leading maritime power and tells the story of important figures in history such as Captain James Cook who helped to extend the nation’s boundaries.

Here you can see ‘ The Cutty Sark’ and ‘Gypsy Moth’³. ‘The Cutty Sark’ is a famous British sailing ship, built in 1869, which carried tea from China and then, after 1879, wool from Australia. After 1922 she became a training ship for British sailors. Since 1957 she has been open to visitors. Her name comes from ‘cutty sark’ (short shirt) worn by one of the heroes in Robert Burn’s poem.

Notes

¹Jack the Ripper – is the name given to an unknown man who murdered and cut up several prostitutes in 1888. The name was used in a letter by someone who claimed to be the killer but may have been a journalist. People have tried ever since to find out who he was, but without success.

²Docklands – is an area of the houses and offices in the East End where London’s commercial docks used to be. The old docks were too shallow for large modern ships, so the London Docklands Urban Development Corporation was set up by the government in 1979 to develop it. The project had many problems, but the area now has a new life and includes one of Europe’s tallest buildings, the Canary Wharf tower. Docklands Light Railway – is a system of light trains used for public transport in the London Docklands which started operating in 1987. Many of its stations are linked to the London Underground.

³‘Gypsy Moth’ – название яхт известного английского путешественника Френсиса Чичестера. В 1966-1967 гг. он в одиночку совершил плавание вокруг света.

In ‘All Hands Gallery’ please do touch! Experience what life in the ocean waves is really like. Try your hand at working a crane, docking a ship, and sealing a leak. Send messages by flag.

The Museum also runs the Old Royal Observatory,the home of Greenwich Mean Time – GMT¹. The Observatory was built in 1676 by Charles II.

There are regular public shows in the Observatory Planetarium.

The Queen’s House was built in 1638 for Charles I’s wife. It is the earliest English building in the classical style. It set the pattern for the whole historic landscape seen at Greenwich today.

The Millennium Dome was built in Greenwich as the main centre for Britain’s celebrations for the year 2000. It is London’s newest attraction. Inside the Dome tourists will find ‘Skyscape’, a huge big screen cinema hall which can also be used for concerts and shows. You can visit the new world of ‘Learning’ in a magical orchard and see the 21^st Century Doomsday Book. You can experience the excitement of ‘Work’ in the future and see how much it has changed from the past. In the section ‘Body’ the visitors can have a journey of emotions through the human body and explore the opportunities and challenges that advances in science, genetics and medicine will bring.

 

Notes

¹GMT – means the time of day on the line of o⁰ longitude, i.e. a straight line between the North Pole and the South Pole which goes through Greenwich. It is the official time in Britain from October to March. Different time zones in other parts of the world are usually described with reference to GMT.

‘The Shared Ground’ will give a chance to observe British interior scenes and experience what could be done if people really joined together. ‘Living Island’ will provide a trip to a typical British sea resort with a beach, bandstand, pier and lighthouse and games with hidden messages. ‘Home Planet’ will take the tourists to the most amazing journey to the most incredible planet in the known universe – Earth – to find out what makes our planet unique.

‘Self Portrait’ will show thousands of faces of the nation in the picture gallery and photo exhibition. ‘Faith’ will help to get acquainted with the huge range of beliefs and religions which are part of the UK today. ‘Mind’ will give you a chance to play mind games with robots and to explore your senses and perceptions working out how to create better future. ‘Rest’ will provide the visitors with a mental flotation tank where they can escape the hectic pace of the modern life and enjoy empty space packed with sound, light and shapes. ‘Money’ will give you a virtual chance to blow a million pounds in a wild spending spree and find out what the City really does with the money.

The East End is also one of those areas of London where people from abroad have come to find work. For centuries foreigners have made London their home. Some have had to leave their country for religious or political reasons. Others have wanted to find a better life. Some brought new skills and started new industries. These days many Jews and Bengalis live in the East End, and within a small area you can see a mosque, a church and a synagogue.

In Britain today there are about two million coloured citizens. They are mainly immigrants from Britain’s former colonies. Immigrants started to enter Britain after 1950. In Britain they took the jobs which the native population didn’t want.

The men took the hard and heavy jobs in industry, and the women took the low-paid jobs in factory canteens or restaurants. Immigrants work on the buses, the underground and the railways, or as doctors and nurses in under-staffed hospitals.

The East End is especially famous as the centre of the clothing industry in London. The East End markets are famous throughout the world. Street – salesmen promise that the goods are of the highest quality and much cheaper than those you can buy in the West End.

Traditionally someone born in the East End is known as a “cockney” although this name is now given to anyone who speaks like a Londoner. Typically they change certain vowel sounds so that the sound in ‘late’ becomes more like that in “light’. Like some foreign learners of English they seem to have a few problems with “th” and use an “f” instead: “nuffink like it”.

The East End is the most densely populated district of London. There are poor houses, grey and black with smoke. Narrow dirty streets are lined by miserable houses and slums. St.Giles is the heart of London slums, the worst quarter of London. Most of the working people live in the East End. All the factories, mills, workshops and docks are concentrated in the East End.

Thus we may say that the East End is the hands of London, those hands which built the banks of the City, the palaces, hotels, theatres, rich houses and department stores in the West End.