Hanbury Buildings was a five-storey block of artisan dwellings comprising seven two-roomed flats per floor and was situated in Hanbury Place, a small courtyard at the western-end of Poplar High Street, East London, adjacent to King Street. The buildings, constructed of brick and concrete with wooden floors, had only the most basic sanitation, i.e. one tap and three WCs per floor, located in a common area. The building work was completed circa 1887 [1]. A typical exterior view of the building, part of the British History Online collection, is shown here: (Hanbury Buildings)
The plight of the inhabitants of Hanbury Buildings was taken up by Sylvia Pankhurst, daughter of women's suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst, who in 1908 famously chained herself to the railings of 10 Downing Street in an attempt to get the vote for women. In 1919 Sylvia Pankhurst was editor of the Workers' Dreadnought, and gives a very lucid account of the living conditions and problems faced by the tennents of Hanbury Buildings. Workers' Dreadnought, 14 Jan 1919 [2].
In 1920 the weekly rents were increased from 5s 9d to 6s 6d, despite the property being in a poor state of repair [1]. In 1932 the Council's Medical Officer of Health found much work needed to be done and recommended some of the dark ground-floor rooms should be closed. The sanitary arrangements were a possible danger to health, and the occupants were overcrowded. He noticed that 'superficial dilapidation was evident at first sight', but thought the building was structurally sound. However he recommended against demolition due to the requirement to rehouse the tenants. Poplar Borough Council invited the landlord to carry out repairs, but to no avail and in the following year closed some of the bug-ridden rooms as unfit for human habitation.
By 1938 the building were in such a bad state, that the tenants instigated one of the 'rent strikes' which drew attention to discontent at housing conditions in the East End of London. The tenants demanded a reduction in the rent, and also for repairs to be carried out. In November 1939, 26 tenants of Hanbury Buildings appeared as defendants at Bow County Court, where the landlord was seeking to have the tenants evicted for failure to pay rent East End News, 1939 [3]. Giving evidence, an architect stated that he had not seen worst conditions anywhere. The judge found that most of tenants were within their rights to withhold rent and dismissed the cases, with costs awarded to the tenants.
Hanbury buildings, together with Hanbury Place, were demolished in the 1950s [1].
An index of the inhabitants of Hanbury Buildings (part of the national register of the population of the United Kingdom set-up at the outbreak of war in 1939) may be found at Ancestry, as may a list of electors living in Hanbury Buildings eligible to vote in either parliamentary or local elections from 1890 to 1939.
An interesting tale of a courageous young woman, Elizabeth Clarke, from Hanbury Buildings is shown here: 'Brave Effort to Save Hanging Man' [4]
A contemporary newspaper report on the inquest of George Iles of Hanbury Buildings is contained here: 'Death of Man Injured in Truncheon Charge' [5]
An account of living conditions in Hanbury Place, late nineteenth century prior to the construction of Hanbury Buildings circa. 1887 is contained here: 'A Social Scandal' [6].
Notes and Abbreviations:
- 'Survey of London - Poplar, Blackwall and Isle of Dogs: All Saints' (1994) v 43 and 44, pub. Athlone, London, ed. Porter, S.
- 'Workers' Dreadnought', Sat 14 Jan 1919, ed. Sylvia Pankhurst.
- 'East End News and Shipping Chronicle', November / December, 1939
- 'Western Morning News, 20 September 1923
- 'The Manchester Guardian, 03 December 1929
- 'The Pall Mall Guardian, 16 September 1886
- ''Pplar' stands for 'Poplar
Notes and Abbreviations:
- 'Survey of London - Poplar, Blackwall and Isle of Dogs: All Saints' (1994) v 43 and 44, pub. Athlone, London, ed. Porter, S.
- 'Workers' Dreadnought', Sat 14 Jan 1919, ed. Sylvia Pankhurst.
- 'East End News and Shipping Chronicle', November / December, 1939
- 'Western Morning News, 20 September 1923
- 'The Manchester Guardian, 03 December 1929
- 'The Pall Mall Guardian, 16 September 1886
Notes and Abbreviations:
- 'Survey of London - Poplar, Blackwall and Isle of Dogs: All Saints' (1994) v 43 and 44, pub. Athlone, London, ed. Porter, S.
- 'Workers' Dreadnought', Sat 14 Jan 1919, ed. Sylvia Pankhurst.
- 'East End News and Shipping Chronicle', November / December, 1939
- 'Western Morning News, 20 September 1923
- 'The Manchester Guardian, 03 December 1929
- 'The Pall Mall Guardian, 16 September 1886
Notes and Abbreviations:
- 'Survey of London - Poplar, Blackwall and Isle of Dogs: All Saints' (1994) v 43 and 44, pub. Athlone, London, ed. Porter, S.
- 'Workers' Dreadnought', Sat 14 Jan 1919, ed. Sylvia Pankhurst.
- 'East End News and Shipping Chronicle', November / December, 1939
- 'Western Morning News, 20 September 1923
- 'The Manchester Guardian, 03 December 1929
- 'The Pall Mall Guardian, 16 September 1886
Notes and Abbreviations:
- 'Survey of London - Poplar, Blackwall and Isle of Dogs: All Saints' (1994) v 43 and 44, pub. Athlone, London, ed. Porter, S.
- 'Workers' Dreadnought', Sat 14 Jan 1919, ed. Sylvia Pankhurst.
- 'East End News and Shipping Chronicle', November / December, 1939
- 'Western Morning News, 20 September 1923
- 'The Manchester Guardian, 03 December 1929
- 'The Pall Mall Guardian, 16 September 1886
Notes and Abbreviations:
- 'Survey of London - Poplar, Blackwall and Isle of Dogs: All Saints' (1994) v 43 and 44, pub. Athlone, London, ed. Porter, S.
- 'Workers' Dreadnought', Sat 14 Jan 1919, ed. Sylvia Pankhurst.
- 'East End News and Shipping Chronicle', November / December, 1939
- 'Western Morning News, 20 September 1923
- 'The Manchester Guardian, 03 December 1929
- 'The Pall Mall Guardian, 16 September 1886
Notes and Abbreviations:
- 'Survey of London - Poplar, Blackwall and Isle of Dogs: All Saints' (1994) v 43 and 44, pub. Athlone, London, ed. Porter, S.
- 'Workers' Dreadnought', Sat 14 Jan 1919, ed. Sylvia Pankhurst.
- 'East End News and Shipping Chronicle', November / December, 1939
- 'Western Morning News, 20 September 1923
- 'The Manchester Guardian, 03 December 1929
- 'The Pall Mall Guardian, 16 September 1886
