please empty your brain below

Oh, so your efforts are not to be rewarded with comments!
Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun and circumnavigate the City's little wen. I'm looking forward to some more wenting.
Regarding Leven Street, what is the preferred pronunciation? To rhyme with Steven or with heaven?

I ask because there seems to be a clash of pronunciations at the western end of Tower Hamlets when it comes to Leman Street. Traditionally this was pronounced the same way as seaman, but I've heard it pronounced like lemon.

I prefer the longer 'e' sound but what do the locals use?
Enjoyed the slideshow.
@ RayL: as life long East-enders, we've always known of and referred to Leman St as the first pronounciation. Never heard of anyone calling it Lemon St...yet.

This promises to be a fascinating month, as having grown up in the borough, there are distinct parts that I just haven't had a reason to venture to, so they are equally unknown to me. I look forward to DG's meander down my neck of the woods by the river in the coming weeks.
Yes, please keep bemoaning the state of modern residential architecture.

Fine NLS map link too. Anyone know what the buildings were in Franklin, Washington and Jefferson Streets? Surely not large detached houses? Industrial? (But with a garden shaped plot???) Mystified.
Perhaps you can follow up with a walk around Tower Hamlets in Dover?

I wonder which one came 1st?
You were very near to the Grade II listed Bromley Hall School. Built in the late 60s as a school for the 'physically handicapped' it is clearly something special, but these days can only be glimpsed behind fencing. Would be interested to know what the latest plans for it are.
Many thanks DG, I don't often comment, but I always read! So often you have some gem for us - the oldest brick house in London - who'd have thought it!
For the pedants, coal wasn't 'burnt' in the retorts, merely heated to drive off the gas, leaving coke behind.
Thanks again.
@ Lorenzo: The buildings in Franklin, Washington and Jefferson Streets were apparently prefabs – see http://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/in-bromley-by-bow-a-heavily-blitzed-area-of-east-london-a-news-photo/3319350
Thanks DG for a fascinating description of your walk and the absolutely amazing NLS maps.

I had no idea how so many areas of London had been wiped off the map. Somehow you expect individual buildings to come and ago, and perhaps a new street or two to pop up when there's some infilling, but it's surprising how many whole streets and neighbourhoods have just vanished completely.

Must be quite disconcerting for anyone returning after many years away and finding that there's just nothing left.

All I want now is a Time Machine !
@Gerry: 'Disconcerting' is almost too mild a word for it. Ater years away, I once walked eagerly along a street in South Kensington to take a look at the tertiary institution I had attended (many happy memories) and found a pile of bricks instead.
Oh, look, a walk around Tower Hamlets bemoaning modern residential development. Uncanny. https://stoptheblockslondon.wordpress.com/the-map/
It is Leven Street as in Beven or (digit ) 7

Remember IRA trying to blow up the gas holders in early '80s or late '70s. Fortunately detonator did not work as it should. The old bus garage used to fill up on a foggy day as it was below sea level. Quite spooky. It also had the largest fuel tanks in London underneath and supplied much of east London's buses during the fuel crisis. #

But most importantly Percy Dalton s peanuts were made in a little factory at the south end of Leven St. Richard Digance would remember that in his 100 Remembers

Leman Street is (Leeee - Man) Street










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