Limehouse
Limehouse shown within Greater London
OS grid reference	TQ365815
London borough	Tower Hamlets
Ceremonial county	Greater London
Region	London
Constituent country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	LONDON
Postcode district	E14
Dialling code	020
Police	Metropolitan
Fire	London
Ambulance	London
European Parliament	London
UK Parliament	Poplar and Canning Town
London Assembly	City and East
List of places: UK • England • London

Coordinates: 51°30′57″N 0°01′55″W / 51.5158, -0.0318

Limehouse Town Hall

Limehouse is a place in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. Greater London is the top-level administrative subdivision covering London, England. The British national grid reference system is a system of geographic grid references commonly used in Great Britain, different from using Latitude and Longitude The districts of England are a level of subnational division of England used for the purposes of local government The London Borough of Tower Hamlets ( is a London borough to the east of the City of London, England and north of the River Thames in East The ceremonial counties are areas of England that are appointed a Lord-Lieutenant, and are defined by the government as the Counties for the purposes of the Lieutenancies Greater London is the top-level administrative subdivision covering London, England. The region, also known as the government office region, is currently the highest tier of local government sub-national entity of England, with only one Greater London is the top-level administrative subdivision covering London, England. Constituent country is a phrase used often by official institutions in contexts in which a country makes up a part of a larger entity or grouping England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland This list of sovereign states, alphabetically arranged gives an overview of States around the world with information on the extent of their Sovereignty. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located A post town is a required part of all postal addresses in the United Kingdom, and a basic unit of the postal delivery system The London postal district is the area in England, currently of 241 square miles to which mail addressed to the LONDON Post town is delivered UK Postal codes are known as postcodes. UK postcodes are Alphanumeric. The E (Eastern postcode area, also known as the London E postcode area, is the part of the London postal district covering much of east London, England The UK Telephone numbering plan, also known as the National Telephone Numbering Plan, is the system used for assigning Telephone numbers in the United There are a number of law enforcement agencies in the United Kingdom. "Metropolitan Police" redirects here See also Metropolitan police. The fire service in the United Kingdom operates under separate legislative and administrative arrangements in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and The London Fire Brigade ( LFB) is the statutory The London Ambulance Service NHS Trust (LAS is the largest "free at the point of contact" ambulance service in the world that does not directly charge its patients London is a Constituency of the European Parliament. It currently elects 9 MEPs using the D'Hondt method of Party-list proportional This is a list of the 646 constituencies currently represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, as at the 2005 general election Poplar and Canning Town is a Borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Greater London is divided into fourteen territorial constituencies for London Assembly elections each returning one member City and East is a Constituency represented in the London Assembly. A Gazetteer of place names in the United Kingdom showing each place's County, Unitary authority or council area and its geographical coordinates List of places --> List of cities in the United Kingdom List of towns in England Lists of places This is a partial list of places in London, England See List of places in England for lists of settlements in other counties A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system. The London Borough of Tower Hamlets ( is a London borough to the east of the City of London, England and north of the River Thames in East It is on the northern bank of the River Thames opposite Rotherhithe and between Shadwell to the west and the Isle of Dogs to the east. The Thames ( is a major River flowing through southern England. Rotherhithe is a district of central south-east London in the London Borough of Southwark. Shadwell is an inner-city district situated within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets located on the north bank of the Thames between Wapping to the west The Isle of Dogs is a former island in the East End of London that is surrounded on three sides (east south and west by one of the largest Meanders in

Geographically, Limehouse is commonly thought to be centred on Narrow Street and the Limehouse Basin. Narrow Street is just that a narrow street running parallel to the River Thames through the Limehouse area of east London. The Limehouse Basin in Limehouse, in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets provides a navigable link between the Regent's Canal and the River Thames It gives its name to Limehouse Reach, a lengthy section of the Thames which actually runs all the way from Shadwell to Millwall. For the football team see Millwall FC. Millwall is an area in London, on the western side of the Isle of Dogs, in

History

Limehouse Basin looking north, DLR in background. (January 2006)

Canal lock on the Regent's Canal entering the Limehouse Basin

Construction on Commercial Road

Taken from Narrow Street, this shows the proximity of Limehouse to four of the high rise buildings of Canary Wharf

Etymology

The name relates to the local lime kilns located by the river and operated by the large potteries that served shipping in the London docks^[1]. A lock is a device for raising and lowering boats between stretches of water of different levels on river and canal Waterways. The Regent's Canal is a Canal across an area just to the north of central London, England. The Limehouse Basin in Limehouse, in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets provides a navigable link between the Regent's Canal and the River Thames Commercial Road (part of the A13) 2 miles (325km in length is in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in the East End of London. Narrow Street is just that a narrow street running parallel to the River Thames through the Limehouse area of east London. Canary Wharf is a large business and shopping development in London, located in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, centred on the old West India Docks A lime kiln is a Kiln used to produce quicklime by the Calcination of Limestone ( Calcium carbonate) The earliest reference to Les Lymhostes occurs in 1356^[2]

Maritime links

From its foundation, Limehouse, like neighbouring Wapping, has enjoyed better links with the river than the land, the land route being across a marsh. Wapping (pronounced 'Wopping' is a place in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets which forms part of the Docklands to the east of the City of London. In Geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of Wetland which is subject Limehouse became a significant port in late medieval times, with extensive docks and wharves. ||-||-|-||-||-||-||-||-||-|} A port is a facility for receiving Ships and transferring cargo Although most cargoes were discharged in the Pool of London before the establishment of the docks, industries such as ship building, ship chandlering and rope making were established in Limehouse. Originally the Pool of London was the stretch of the River Thames forming the south side of the City of London. A ship chandler is a Retail dealer in special supplies or equipment for ships A rope is a length of Fibers twisted or Braided together to improve strength for pulling and Connecting.

Limehouse Basin opened in 1820 as the Regent's Canal Dock. This was an important connection between the Thames and the canal system, where cargoes could be transferred from larger ships to the shallow-draught canal boats. The Thames ( is a major River flowing through southern England. This mix of vessels can still be seen in the basin, canal narrow boats rubbing shoulders with sea-going yachts^[3]. Canals are artificial channels for water There are two types of canals water conveyance canals which are used for the conveyance and delivery of water and Waterways A narrowboat or narrow boat is a Boat of a distinctive design made to fit the narrow Canals of England and Wales. A yacht is a recreational boat It designates two rather different classes of Watercraft, sailing and power yachts

The dock basin with its marina remains a working facility. For other uses of this word see Marina (disambiguation. A marina is a sheltered Harbor where Boats and Yachts The same is not true of those wharf buildings that have survived, most of which are now highly desirable residential properties. A wharf is a landing place or Pier where ships may tie up and load or unload

From the Tudor era, until the 20th century, ships crew were employed on a casual basis. Social and economic revolution Following the Black Death Plagues and the agricultural depression of the late 14th century population growth New and replacement crew would be found wherever they were available, local sailors being particularly prized for their knowledge of currents and hazards in foreign ports. Crews would be paid off at the end of their voyage. Inevitably, permanent communities became established, including colonies of Lascars and Africans from the Guinea Coast. Lascar, though rarely used now was once the name used to describe a Sailor from India or other countries East of the Cape of Good Hope, employed on The term African people can refer to people who live in Africa, or people who trace their ancestry to Indigenous inhabitants of Africa. Guinea is a traditional name for the region of Africa that lies along the Gulf of Guinea. Large Chinatowns at both in Limehouse and Shadwell developed, associated with the crews of merchantmen in the opium and tea trades, particularly for Han Chinese. A Chinatown is a section of an urban area with a large number of Chinese outside the majority-Chinese countries of Greater China. Shadwell is an inner-city district situated within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets located on the north bank of the Thames between Wapping to the west The Opium Wars ( also known as the Anglo-Chinese Wars, lasted from 1839 to 1842 and 1856 to 1860 the climax of a trade dispute between China under the Qing Tea refers to the cured agricultural product of the leaves leaf buds and internodes of Camellia sinensis, which have been prepared and cured for the market Han Chinese ( are an Ethnic group native to China and by most modern definitions the largest single Ethnic group in the world. The area achieved notoriety for opium dens in the late 19th century, often featured in pulp fiction works by Sax Rohmer and others. Opium is a Narcotic formed from the Latex (ie sap released by lacerating (or "scoring" the immature seed pods of opium poppies ( Pulp magazines (or pulp fiction; often referred to as "the pulps" were inexpensive Fiction magazines Arthur Henry Sarsfield Ward ( 15 February 1883 - 1 June 1959) better known as Sax Rohmer, was a prolific English Novelist Like much of the East End it remained a focus for immigration, but after the devastation of the Second World War many of the Chinese community relocated to Soho^[4][5]. Immigration refers to the movement of people among countries While the movement of people has existed throughout human history at various levels modern immigration implies long-term World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The name Chinatown has been used at different times to describe different places in London.

Looking North East along the Limehouse Cut

On 12 February 1832, the first case of cholera was reported in London at Limehouse. The Limehouse Cut is a straight broad Canal in the East End of London, which linked the lower reaches of the River Lee Navigation to the Events 1429 - English Forces under Sir John Fastolf defend a supply convoy carrying rations to the army besieging Orleans from attack by the Year 1832 ( MDCCCXXXII) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Cholera, sometimes known as Asiatic cholera or epidemic cholera, is an infectious Gastroenteritis caused by the Bacterium First described in India in 1817, it had spread here via Hamburg. Although 800 people died during this epidemic, fewer than had died of tuberculosis in the same year, cholera visited again in 1848 and 1858^[6].

Significant events in politics

On 30 July, 1909 the Chancellor of the Exchequer David Lloyd George made a polemical speech in Limehouse attacking the House of Lords for its opposition to his "People's Budget". The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister who is responsible for all Economic and Financial David Lloyd George 1st Earl Lloyd George of Dwyfor OM, PC (17 January 1863 &ndash 26 March 1945 was a British Statesman and the only The House of Lords is the second house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and is also commonly referred to as "the Lords" The 1909 (UK People's Budget was a product of Herbert Asquith 's Liberal government that introduced many unprecedented taxes on the wealthy and radical social welfare programmes This speech was the origin of the phrase "To Limehouse", or "Limehousing", which meant an incendiary political speech. ^[7]

On January 25, 1981 MPs Shirley Williams, Roy Jenkins, William Rodgers and David Owen made the Limehouse Declaration from Owen's house in Limehouse, which announced the formation of the Council for Social Democracy in opposition to the granting of block votes to the trade unions in the Labour Party to which they had previously belonged. Events 41 - After a night of negotiation Claudius is accepted as Roman Emperor by the Senate Year 1981 ( MCMLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Shirley Williams Baroness Williams of Crosby PC (born 27 July 1930) is a British Politician and academic Roy Harris Jenkins Baron Jenkins of Hillhead OM PC ( 11 November 1920 &ndash 5 January 2003) was a British David Anthony Llewellyn Owen Baron Owen of Plymouth, CH PC FKC (born 2 July 1938) is a British Politician, The Limehouse Declaration was a statement issued on 25 January 1981 by four senior British Labour politicians all MPs or former MPs A trade union or labour union is an organization of workers who have banded together to achieve common goals in key areas such as wages hours and working conditions forming The Labour Party is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Founded at the start of the 20th century it has been since the 1920s the principal party of the They soon became leading politicians in the Social Democratic Party. This is about the UK Social Democratic Party which existed between 1981 and 1988

Cultural references

The area inspired Douglas Furber (lyricist) and Phillip Braham (composer) in 1921 to write the popular jazz standard Limehouse Blues^[8], which was introduced by Jack Buchanan and Gertrude Lawrence in the musical revue "A to Z". Douglas Furber ( 13 May, 1885 - 20 February, 1961) was a British Lyricist and Playwright. Year 1921 ( MCMXXI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1921 calendar of the Gregorian calendar Jazz is an American Musical art form which originated in the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States Jack Buchanan ( 2 April 1891 – 20 October 1957) born Walter John Buchanan, was a British theatre and film Gertrude Lawrence (July 4 1898 - September 6 1952 was an English actress and musical comedy performer whose work spanned from the 1920s to the 1950s Much later, it was reprised in the ballet "Limehouse Blues" featuring Fred Astaire and Lucille Bremer in the musical film Ziegfeld Follies (1946). Fred Astaire (born Frederick Austerlitz; May 10, 1899 &ndash June 22, 1987) was an American Academy Award Lucille Bremer ( February 21 1917 &ndash April 16 1996) was an American Film actress and Dancer Ziegfeld Follies ( MGM) is a 1946 Hollywood musical comedy Film, directed by Roy Del Ruth and Vincente Minnelli In both instances the actors were heavily disguised as Chinese. Limehouse Blues was also the name of a 1934 film, starring George Raft^[9]. George Raft ( 26 September 1895 – 24 November 1980) was an American Film Actor most closely identified Thomas Burke wrote Limehouse Nights (1916), a collection of stories centered around life in the poverty-stricken Limehouse district of London. Many of Burke's books feature the Chinese character Quong Lee as narrator.

Other notable performances on film include those by Hoagy Carmichael in To Have and Have Not (1946) and by Borrah Minevich and His Harmonica Rascals in One in a Million (1936). Hoagland Howard "Hoagy" Carmichael (November 22 1899 – December 27 1981 was an American Composer, Pianist, singer actor and bandleader To Have and Have Not is a 1937 novel by Ernest Hemingway about Harry Morgan a fishing boat captain who runs contraband between Cuba and Florida The area also appeared in Anna Mae Wong's 1929 film Piccadilly, where as the toughly alluring Shosho, Ms. Piccadilly ( 1929) is a silent British film directed by Ewald André Dupont, written by Arnold Bennett and starring Wong was said to embody the Limehouse Chinatown mystique.

Notable residents

Sir Humphrey Gilbert lived here,^[10] and was an advocate of opening up the Northwest Passage. Sir Humphrey Gilbert (c 1539 &ndash 9 September 1583was an English murderer Adventurer, Explorer, Member of parliament, and soldier from Devon The Northwest Passage is a sea route through the Arctic Ocean, along the northern coast of North America via waterways amidst the Canadian Arctic Archipelago This inspired Martin Frobisher to sail to Baffin Island,and he returned with a mysterious black rock. Sir Martin Frobisher (c 1535 or 1539 &ndash November 22, 1594) was an English seaman (from Wakefield, Yorkshire) who made three Baffin Island (ᕿᑭᖅᑖᓗᒃ Qikiqtaaluk, Île de Baffin Old Norse: Helluland) in the territory of Nunavut is the largest member ^[11] Gilbert set up the Society of the New Art with Lord Burghley and the Earl of Leicester who had their alchemical laboratory in Limehouse. Lord Burghley redirects here For other holders of the title see Baron Burghley William Cecil 1st Baron Burghley (13 September 1520 &ndash Lord Leicester redirects here You may be looking for Lord Leycester, the name of several things in and around Warwick, United Kingdom ^[12] However their attempts to transmute the black rock into gold proved fruitless. Gold (ˈɡoʊld is a Chemical element with the symbol Au (from its Latin name aurum) and Atomic number 79 (Humphrey's brother Adrian Gilbert was reputed a great alchemist and worked closely with John Dee. Alchemy a part of the Occult Tradition is both a philosophy and a practice with an ultimately unknown aim involving the improvement of the alchemist as well as the making of John Dee (13 July 1527 – 1608 or 1609 was a noted English mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, geographer, occultist )

Captain Christopher Newport lived in Limehouse for several years up until 1595^[13]. Christopher Newport (c 1561&ndash1618 was an English sailor and Privateer. He rose through the sailing ranks from a poor cabin boy to a wealthy English privateer and eventually one of the Masters of the Royal Navy. A Cabin boy or ship's boy is a Boy (in the sense of low-ranking male employee not always a minor who waits on the officers and passengers of a Ship, especially A privateer was a private Warship authorized by a country's Government by Letters of marque to attack foreign shipping The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore known as the Senior Service) He became rich pirating Spanish treasure vessels in the West Indies. The Caribbean (ˌkærəˡbiən kæ'rəbiən Cariben|Caraïben or Caraïben; Caraïbe or more commonly Antilles; Caribe is a Region consisting In 1607 he sailed the Susan Constant, followed by the Godspeed and Discovery, as Admiral of the Fleet to Jamestown. An Admiral of the Fleet or Fleet Admiral is a military Naval officer of the highest rank He helped secure England's foothold in North America through five voyages to Jamestown. He sailed his entire life, dying on a trading voyage to Bantam, on the island of Java in present day Indonesia. Java (Jawa is an Island of Indonesia and the site of its Capital city Jakarta. The Republic of Indonesia ( (Republik Indonesia is a Country in Southeast Asia. His sailing experience in Limehouse made him known as Captain Christopher Newport, of Limehouse, Mariner.

Charles Dickens’ godfather ran his sail making business from Church Row (Newell Street);^[14] and James McNeill Whistler^[15] and Charles Napier Hemy^[16] sketched and painted at locations on Narrow Street's river waterfront. A sail is any type of surface intended to generate Thrust by being placed in a Wind &mdashin essence a vertically-oriented Wing. Charles Napier Hemy ( May 24, 1841 - September 30, 1917) British painter, He was born at Newcastle-on-Tyne Contemporary residents include the actor Sir Ian McKellen^[17], Matthew Parris, and comedy actress Cleo Rocos,^[18] actor Steven Berkoff^[19], comedian Lee Hurst, as well as politician Lord David Owen. Sir Ian Murray McKellen, CH, CBE (born 25 May 1939 is an English stage and screen actor the Matthew Parris (born 7 August 1949 in Johannesburg) is a Journalist and former Conservative politician in the United Cleo Rocos (born 24 July 1962 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil is a UK-based comedy actress and television/theatre producer and presenter best Steven Berkoff (born 3 August 1937 is an English Actor, Writer and director. Lee Hurst, born in Tower Hamlets, London in 1962 is a stand-up Comedian who ran his own club "Lee Hurst's Backyard Comedy Club " David Anthony Llewellyn Owen Baron Owen of Plymouth, CH PC FKC (born 2 July 1938) is a British Politician, ^[20] Limehouse was also the home of the late film director Sir David Lean. Sir David Lean KBE ( 25 March, 1908 &ndash 16 April, 1991) was an English Film director and producer ^[21]

Buildings

Early Georgian terrace on Narrow Street, with The Grapes public house. (January 2006)

St Anne's Limehouse was built by Nicholas Hawksmoor. St Anne's Limehouse is a Hawksmoor Anglican Church in Limehouse, in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. Nicholas Hawksmoor (probably 1661 - 25 March 1736) was a British Architect born to a humble family in Nottinghamshire A pyramid originally planned to be put atop the tower now stands in the graveyard. The church is next door to Limehouse Town Hall and close to Limehouse Library, both Grade II listed buildings, the former now used as a community centre. Limehouse Town Hall in Limehouse, London ( has been through several changes over the years Limehouse Public Library in Limehouse, London was first proposed for construction in 1888 but the required finances could not be raised until 1900 when J Passmore A listed building in the United Kingdom is a building or other structure officially designated as being of special architectural historical or cultural significance Across the road is the Sailors' Mission, where Situationist International held its conference in 1960. The Situationist International ( SI) was a small group of international political and artistic Agitators with roots in Marxism, Lettrism and the The building subsequently became a run-down hostel for the homeless which became notorious for its squalor, although it has since been converted into a luxury apartment block.

Further to the southwest, Narrow Street, Limehouse's historic spine, which runs along the back of the Thames wharves, boasts one of the few surviving early Georgian terraces in London. Narrow Street is just that a narrow street running parallel to the River Thames through the Limehouse area of east London. Next to the terrace is the historic Grapes pub, rebuilt in 1720 and well-known to Charles Dickens, featuring as the Six Jolly Fellowships in Our Mutual Friend. This page is about the public house For the music group try The Grapes (band. Our Mutual Friend (written in the years 1864–65 is the last novel completed by Charles Dickens and is in many ways one of his most sophisticated works combining Almost every building on the other side of Narrow Street was destroyed by bombing in the Second World War, including hundreds of houses, the Barley Mow Brewery and a school. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including One notable exception is a former public House, known locally as 'The House They Left Behind', because it was the only Victorian Terrace to survive. It still stands today, with the aid of three large supporting pillars.

Further along the street is 'The Narrow', a gastropub run by Gordon Ramsay. A gastropub (or "gastro pub" is a British term for a Public house which specializes in high-quality food a step above the more basic " pub grub Gordon James Ramsay, OBE, (born 8 November 1966 is a Chef, Television personality and Restaurateur. It is housed in the Grade II listed, former dockmaster's house and office, for Limehouse Dock. A harbourmaster (or harbormaster, see spelling differences) is an official responsible for enforcing the regulations of a particular Harbour or

Education

For details of education in Limehouse see the List of schools in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets

Transport

Nearest places

• Poplar
• Isle of Dogs
• Wapping
• Shadwell
• Stepney
• Rotherhithe
• Bethnal Green
• Ratcliff

Nearest stations

• Limehouse station
• Westferry DLR station
• Stepney Green tube station

River boat service piers

• Canary Wharf Pier

Narrow Street forms a part of the north bank of the Thames Path, the walk is between tall former warehouses and modern flats. This list covers Primary school and Secondary schools in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. Poplar is an area of the East End of London in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. The Isle of Dogs is a former island in the East End of London that is surrounded on three sides (east south and west by one of the largest Meanders in Wapping (pronounced 'Wopping' is a place in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets which forms part of the Docklands to the east of the City of London. Shadwell is an inner-city district situated within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets located on the north bank of the Thames between Wapping to the west Stepney is an inner-city district in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. Rotherhithe is a district of central south-east London in the London Borough of Southwark. Bethnal Green is an area in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, in the East End of London. Ratcliff or Ratcliffe is a former hamlet lying by the north bank of the River Thames between Shadwell and Limehouse. Limehouse station is a railway station located in Limehouse district of east London. Westferry DLR station is a station on the Docklands Light Railway (DLR in the Limehouse district of east London. Stepney Green is a London Underground station on the District and Hammersmith and City lines located on the junction of Globe Road and Mile End Road in The Canary Wharf Pier is a London River Services Pier on the River Thames in London, UK. The Thames Path is a National Trail, opened in 1996 following the length of the River Thames from its source near Kemble in Gloucestershire Many were built with planning covenants granting river access, but these are now often barred to the public. Vehicular access is limited, as the area is cut off by the entrance to the Limehouse tunnel and parking is strictly controlled, however this makes the area reasonably quiet for cyclists. Public access to the foreshore is prohibited, apparently part of the security arrangements for former Foreign Secretary, David Owen. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, commonly referred to as the Foreign Secretary, is a member of the United Kingdom Government heading the

References