Some history on Hackney in London

London | Hackney

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© Image from author's photographic archive. DO NOT COPY

The Church of Saint John-at-Hackney was erected between 1792 and 1795. The bill for pulling down the old church and rebuilding had to be read in Parliament on three occasions during 1790 before it was passed.¹ The medieval building, formerly dedicated to St. Augustine of Hippo, was deemed to be in a ruinous condition.² However, monuments of the former place of worship were preserved and installed within the new building. William Blackburn, architect, surveyor of St. Thomas's and Guy's hospitals, and the county of Surrey, was to design the new church. However, in the autumn of 1790 he died at Preston on his way to Scotland.³ Consequently, James Spiller, a protégé of Sir John Soane, was chosen to design the Church of Saint John-at-Hackney. The tower of the old church was retained, thought to be a cost-cutting restriction. Indeed, economics resulted in some of Spiller's grand designs for the new church being shelved in favour of a more modest structure.

© Image from author's photographic archive. DO NOT COPY

The central part of this building made it to the 21st century. In 2021 Hackney Council approved plans to convert what had become known as the Portico Building into the Lower Clapton Group Practice. In this Edwardian view the building served as the Salvation Army Congress Hall. However, construction of the building was completed in 1825 as a new London Orphan Asylum. There are a couple of pubs associated with the opening of the building. The Duke of York was to lay the foundation stone in May 1823 and, prior to arriving at the site, he and Prince Leopold partook of a collation at the Mermaid Tavern in Hackney. At the ceremony for the laying of the foundation stone, the temporary platform on which the dignitaries were standing, collapsed. The royal guests managed to jump clear but several young children fell into the basement apartments that had been excavated. They suffered some injuries but a labourer, who was beneath the scaffolding, was crushed to death. The Duke of York scurried back to his palace but the tragedy did not stop Prince Leopold, the Lord Mayor and the Bishop of London celebrating the event and anniversary of the institution at the City of London Tavern.⁴ After all, it was only one of the lower orders that perished.

The Duke of York was supposed to officiate at the opening ceremony for the London Orphan Asylum in June 1825 but he threw a sickie so the Duke of Cambridge was invited to attend the event that included a sumptuous breakfast laid on by Mr. Kay of The Albion. The Morning Post described the occasion as "one of the most delightful scenes ever witnessed." Around 2,000 people were present "all dressed in the richest style of fashion." The newspaper reported that "it was a subject of general remark that so many beautiful women had scarcely ever been seen together." ⁵

When constructed the London Orphan Asylum was in a fairly leafy situation, the building was approached by an ornamental semi-circular carriage drive. However, the pressure on land led to the area around the building being developed for housing. The photograph was taken from the junction of Linscott Road and Mayola Road, laid over the carriage drive. If the photographer had performed a 180 degree turn the lens would have partly captured the Windsor Castle pub on Lower Clapton Road. Being enveloped by housing, combined with an outbreak of typhoid during 1866 led to the institution removing to a new site at Watford. In November 1881 General Booth announced that the Salvation Army would acquire the former Orphan Asylum for use as a Grand National Barracks for the Training of Officers, and as a Congress Hall. The building, originally built at a cost of £60,000 was secured for £15,000.⁶ A further £8,000 was spent on the building which opened in May 1882 to a packed audience. Indeed, despite being able to seat 4,700 in the hall, people could not squeeze into the building for future services and events. Even in the week the Congress Hall was described as "egg full." The press claimed that "the singing of popular hymns, accompanied by drums, tambourines and trumpets, and ejaculations of religious fervour where there are no restraints of formalism, is evidently more congenial to the masses." ⁷

© Image from author's photographic archive. DO NOT COPY

A form or class of girls line up for a photograph, possibly taken at the start of the academic year at Cassland Road School in South Hackney. The school had long not changed its name to Cassland Secondary School after being known as Hackney Central School. However, the buildings were originally sited in, and called, Lauriston Road Central School when opened in March 1911. The school was moved in 1917. The headmaster at that period was Robert Owen Chew. After holding the post for 32 years, he was succeeded by Miss M. Beswick during World War 2 when the school suffered from aerial bombing. The school's name derived from the fact it was built on the former estate of Sir John Cass, a prominent educationalist.⁸ I wonder who the black schoolteacher was in the centre of the photograph?

© Image from author's photographic archive. DO NOT COPY

This photograph shows the winner and runners-up of a beauty contest held in 1959. In the centre is newly-crowned 18-year-old Pat Davis, Miss Hackney 1959. The runners-up are holding tiny trophies, smaller than a postage stamp. Well, almost. The event was sponsored by Tenants Times. Check out the grumpy visage of the bloke in the suit, the poor man's Eric Morley. Behind him is the local carnival queen.

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"John Osborne, 22, grocer's assistant, Dalston Lane, Hackney, was charged, on a warrant, before Mr. Haden Corser, with unlawfully and indecently assaulting one Mabel Jones, a girl of sixteen. Detective Inspector Helson said the prisoner was only arrested that [yesterday] afternoon, and the witnesses were not then in attendance. The case was of an extraordinary character. Mr. Haden Corser directed the Clerk to read the information on which the warrant was granted. In her information, Mrs. Matilda Jones, mother of the complainant said she was married, and lived at 110, Amhurst Road, Hackney. On Tuesday, April 4th, her daughter Mabel, aged sixteen, saw an advertisement in a local paper, which read as follows :- "Wanted young ladies, from fifteen to thirty, for experimental work in electricity. Applicants must undergo medical examination. Salary from £2. 10s. per week. Letter only, Electrician, 272, Dalston Lane, Hackney." To this the daughter replied. On April 7 the prisoner called at her house, and asked to see Miss Mabel Jones. He was shown into the parlour, and, in the presence of the witness, he asked Mabel her age, etc. He then said, "I am the medical examiner to the Electric Company, Queen Victoria Street, City. Before I can tell you anything about the place, I must make a medical examination." The prisoner then inquired as to Mabel's parentage, family complaints [such as rheumatism, gout. etc.] which he said would be developed by electricity, and, on receiving satisfactory replies, he directed the prosecutrix to undo her clothing. This she did, and the prisoner then sounded her chest and lungs, and felt the muscles of her arms and legs, and her knees. He said that she must go for gymnastics to strengthen her muscles. He then asked witness if she would allow her daughter to go up for a further examination if necessary. In the meantime he would make his report to the Committee. She had not heard from his since. She should not have consented to her daughter being examined if it had not been for prisoner's statement that he was a medical man, and that the examination was essential to her daughter obtaining the appointment referred to in the advertisement. The girl, Mabel Jones, appended an information in corroboration of her mother's statement. Detective Sergeant Whitlock, J Division, deposed to the prisoner, John Osborne, renting a furnished room at 272, Dalston Lane. He was the manager of a grocer's shop in Mare Street, Hackney. On the 12th inst., witness saw him at the latter address, and showed him the advertisement and some letters. He told the prisoner that these documents had been brought to the notice of the Chief Commissioner of Police, and the Commissioner wanted full particulars as to the nature of the business for which young ladies were required, and why they had to undergo an examination. The prisoner said the matter was too lengthy to explain in detail, but he would write it out, and give the name and address of the doctor, who knew his requirements, and could speak as to the genuineness of the business. The same evening witness received from the prisoner a statement in which he dealt with the theory that electricity was a preserver of human life. He added, "I find I have made a great mistake in supposing myself capable to detect disease. I have in every case sounded the applicants and cannot get two cases alike. I told the officers who applied for this account I would give them the name and address of the doctor who attended the applicants. This I did unthinkingly, as, of course, there was no doctor in attendance. I have omitted to say that the fumes of the battery have an ill-effect on the muscles of the stomach." The detective added that he had found that the prisoner had examined two other young girls in his bedroom. They both said that they would not have submitted to the examination had they not believed him to be a qualified medical man. Inspector Helson said, as a matter of fact, the prisoner carried on no electrical business. He asked for a remand for the Public Prosecutor to take up the case. Mr. Haden Corser remanded the prisoner, who made no answer to the charge. The prisoner was allowed out on bail, himself in £100, and one surety in £50. On Thursday the prisoner was again brought before the Magistrate charged with unlawfully assaulting Mabel Jones. aged sixteen, and other young girls. Miriam Suffield, single, living in Brighton Road, South Hornsey, said she was thirty years of age. In April she saw an advertisement in a newspaper which said, "Wanted, young ladies from fifteen to thirty for experimental work in electricity. Applicants must undergo medical examination. Salary from £2. 10s. per week. Letters only, Electrician, 272, Dalston Lane, Hackney." Witness wrote asking for particulars, and she received a reply signed "D. Harness." Mr. Sims read the letter at length. It directed the witness to inquire for Mr. Osborne a grocer's shop in Mare Street, Hackney. Mr. Sims added that the prisoner had adopted the name of a well-known electrician, but he should prove that the letter was entirely in the prisoner's handwriting. Continuing, the Witness said that she went to the grocer's shop in Mare Street, and saw the prisoner serving behind the counter. He then directed her to go on the Monday to the address at Dalston Lane. She went with a Miss Ives. The prisoner then said there must be an examination, and as he was a bit of a doctor, if they did not mind, he would examine them himself. They offered no objection, and both allowed the prisoner to examine them under their bodices. The prisoner used a stethoscope, and said with regard to witness that her lungs were affected, and with regard to Miss Ives that there was something the matter with her heart. He put his hand under Miss Ives' corset to see how her heart beat. Cross-examination : He conducted the examination in a perfectly proper manner, and there was no cause for complaint. Re-examined : She was, of course, very anxious to get at the situation at £2. 10s. a week, but she would not have allowed the prisoner to examine her if she had not thought he was really connected with an electric company. Some further evidence having been given, the prisoner was again remanded, Mr. Sims stating that he had another case to go into."
"Alleged Indecency By A Sham Doctor"
Reynolds's Newspaper : May 8th 1892 Page 3

"John Thomas Gibbs, 18-years-old and living at Sidney Road at Homerton, a well-dressed man, said to be well connected, had to answer for an indecent assault on a child of five years of age on Hackney Marshes. Frank Francis Whitpord, also of respectable appearance, was charged with a similar offence at the same time and place. Both men were convicted, and sentenced by Mr. Loveland-Loveland to five months' and six months' hard labour respectively."
"Serious Offences At Hackney"
Morning Leader : August 12th 1892 Page 3

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References
1. "House Of Lords, Tuesday, June 1st" : Hampshire Chronicle; June 7th, 1790. p.2.
2. "Petitions" : Kentish Gazette; January 29th, 1790. p.2.
3. "Deaths" : The Scots Magazine; November 1st, 1790. p.49.
4. "London Orphan Asylum : Frightful Accident" : Sussex Advertiser; May 12th, 1823. p.4.
5. "London Orphan Asylum" : Morning Post; June 17th, 1825. p.3.
6. "The Salvation Army" : Eastern Argus and Borough of Hackney Times; November 26th, 1881. p.3.
7. "Congress Hall Clapton" : Eastern Argus and Borough of Hackney Times; June 17th, 1882. p.3.
8. "South Hackney School" at The National Archives <https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/0b3812c8-f787-4ce7-9d02-c9aba70e551a>, Accessed June 4th, 2024.

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