Postcard of the month - #25 - June 2002 |
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Gardiners Corner, Whitechapel |
| The Scottish clothing store Gardiner, with its distinctive
clock tower, gave its name to the road junction. Laid out in 1870s, the junction brought
together the five main thoroughfares of East London: Commercial Road, Leman Street,
Aldgate High Street, Commercial Street and Whitechapel High Street. Gardiner's Corner became known as "The gateway to the East End". Gardiner and Company specialised in military uniforms and children's clothing. They traded on the site for nearly a hundred years, finally closing in 1971. The six-storey building was gutted by fire in 1972. As over 200 firemen fought to save the famous landmark, the 130 feet high clock tower came crashing down on the streets below. All that remains of Gardiners are two small pieces of wall in Drum Road and Whitechapel High Road. The area around Gardiner's Corner was traditionally known as "Aldgate", busy during the day, but especially at night once the pubs had closed. Then the people would "go to Aldgate" to visit the jellied eel and coffee stalls, all night cafes, or, perhaps, "Blooms" for hot salt beef sandwiches.In the early 1980s, the Greater London Council constructed a one-way system at Gardiner's Corner and destroyed its character for ever. |
