Events
A curated list of events and exhibitions for those interested in research on East London.
Come and join artist Katka Krajči for a huge group doodle as we dream up and map out what our collective landscape of east London looks like and explore the new connections formed when creating on a large-scale together. Open to children and families of all ages – all materials provided
From ‘The Blind Beggar of Bethnal Green’ to ‘Bonkers’, the people of London’s East End have always appreciated a good tune. Our unique history, shaped by its connection to the river as a source of inspiration, work, and migration, has produced an extraordinary musical legacy, spanning everything from folk songs and sea shanties to music hall, jazz, punk, the Asian underground and grime. Featuring over a hundred rare items selected from the collections of Tower Hamlets Local History Library & Archives, this exhibition explores how our borough and its people have inspired and shaped popular music, both locally and globally, over four centuries.
Walk the streets of the East London Group’s paintings, exploring the histories and stories behind the sites and buildings that still remain and those that have long disappeared. A walk led by Alan Waltham, co-curator of Nunnery Gallery's 'In the footsteps of the East London group' exhibition.
This exhibition by Judit Ferencz comprises hand-made books and booklets which trace the lifecycle of the East London council estate Robin Hood Gardens (1972). Judit’s onsite drawing practice documented everyday life on the estate in the years leading up to demolition. The exhibition, based on her PhD at the Bartlett, offers an opportunity for local residents, students and professionals in the industry alike to rethink the value given to the inhabitation of architecture and to reimagine a future where considerations of social and environmental sustainability are vital to processes of conservation and heritage listing.
Social historian Sarah Wise delves into the hugely admired, and hotly criticised, work of Victorian philanthropist Annie Macpherson.
Come along to our Parent/Carer’s & Under 5's meet up, and explore historical records on the famous East End. A chance to meet other parents, enjoy a cuppa and look through our unique collection of maps, photographs, newspapers, pamphlets and much more. A range of toys available for children ages 0-5 with a mini brunch and refreshments including Tea & Coffee. No Booking required. Just drop-in!
Ebb-Tide is a new body of work from artist Michael Thomas in collaboration with mudlark Monika Buttling-Smith. It is an abridged record of ten years of finds from the Thames foreshore by Monika, that comprises over 100 individual photographic works. Photographic prints are shown with accompanying objects from Monika’s collection dating from Roman Britain up to the present day.
Join us for a talk with artist and researcher Judit Ferencz and architectural historian Peter Guillery, as they explore the relation between the archive and Judit's onsite works at the Robin Hood Gardens Estate leading up to the demolition.
In July 1871 thousands of Londoners gathered on the southern edge of Epping Forest to take part in a protest demonstration. A campaign was beginning – one that renowned ecologist Oliver Rackham has dubbed “the origin of the modern British environmental movement.” The struggle to preserve Epping Forest and other commons from unchecked housing development across London had its watershed moment that day. The demonstration was the turning point for a popular struggle which contributed to a change in the law - the 1878 Epping Forest Act – a key declaration of the public’s right to use open spaces for leisure. This story, set within the wider narrative of campaigns to preserve the London commons, is told in this talk by east London historian Mark Gorman. The focus here is not on the metropolitan upper middle-class campaigners, but instead on the grass roots movement whose popular protests would steer the campaign towards its successful conclusion. This campaign and other metropolitan contests contributed significantly to the birth of what has become the modern-day “right to roam”.
Exploring East London history via some of the vividly realised fiction written about its various districts in the years between circa 1820 and 1920. We will think about how imaginative fiction and historical fact intertwine to create local legend. This course is for anyone with an interest in the history of the East End or in London literary history more generally, although no prior knowledge of these areas is required. Curiosity and an appetite for reading will be helpful.
With a subtle twist of the title based on the book Complicity by Jay Bernard, the closing event for the group exhibition 'What We Have Become' showcases the work of a group of local young people from Mile End Community Project on their creative response to the exhibition exploring the impact of archives on collective and personal identity and how art can possibly help us understand modern day Britain.