We have mentioned Spitalfields Life many times on TWR, as it’s been a daily read since it started in 2009.
Recording the stories of many of the wonderful charachters, past and present that inhabit and work around the Spitalfields area, the blog has now been turned into a book. The Gentle Author tells of how he spent a night in the bakery at St John with baker Justin Piers Gellatly, rode the rounds with Kevin Read the Spitalfields milkman, dropped in to the Golden Heart for a pint with landlady Sandra Esqulant, met Paul Gardner the fourth-generation paper bag seller, Steve Brooker the mudlark who discovered treasure in the Thames, Bill Crome the window cleaner who sees ghosts and Alan Hughes the master bell-founder whose business started in 1570.
This is a great book if you are a lover of historical London, city culture, or a resident of the East end. I loved it but was dissapointed it didn’t include the stunning images the gentle author uses on his blog. Perhaps we could have a book just of the photogrpahs next please?
Spitalfields Life is out on the 1st of March.