Poplar is a district in theLondon Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is located five miles (8 km) east ofCharing Cross and lies on the western bank of theRiver Lea.
Poplar is identified as a major district centre in theLondon Plan, with its centre beingChrisp Street Market, a significant commercial and retail centre surrounded by extensive residential development.
Originally part of theManor and Ancient Parish of Stepney, theHamlet of Poplar had become an autonomous area of Stepney by the 17th century, and an independent parish in 1817, the Parish and laterMetropolitan Borough of Poplar. After a series of mergers, Poplar became part of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in 1965.
Poplar was formerly part of theManor and Ancient Parish of Stepney, and was first recorded in either 1327[1] or 1350.[2] It took its name from theblack poplar trees which once flourished in the area. Black poplar is a very rare and exceptionally large tree that grows well in the wet conditions which the riversThames andLea historically brought to much of the neighbourhood. A specimen persisted in the area until at least 1986 when the naturalistOliver Rackham noted "Nearby, in the midst of railway dereliction, a single Black Poplar even now struggles for life".[1]
By the seventeenth century the area had become a hamlet, a territorial sub-division of Stepney,[3][4] with a degree of independence. The hamlet of Poplar became an independent civil and ecclesiastical parish in 1817.
The area was part of thehistoric (or ancient) county ofMiddlesex, but military and most (or all) civil county functions were managed more locally, by theTower Division (also known as the Tower Hamlets).
The role of theTower Division ended when Poplar became part of the newCounty of London in 1889. The County of London was replaced by Greater London in 1965.
In 1855, Poplar joined with neighbouringBromley andBow to form thePoplar District of the Metropolis — though it remained an independent parish for some administrative purposes. The Poplar District (including Bromley and Bow) became theMetropolitan Borough of Poplar in 1900; population (1901), 168,822.[5] In 1965 it merged with the Metropolitan Boroughs ofStepney andBethnal Green to form the newLondon Borough of Tower Hamlets.
In 1654, as the population of the district began to grow, theEast India Company ceded a piece of land upon which to build a chapel and this became the nucleus of the settlement.[6]St Matthias Old Church is located on Poplar High Street, oppositeTower Hamlets College.
There was a major ship fitting industry from at least the 15th century, and the maritime trades became more important after theEast andWest India Docks were opened in 1806.[5] Thames Ironworks atLeamouth Wharf was a major employer till its closure in 1912, its works team becoming known asWest Ham United F.C. The docks attracted very heavy bombing to the area during theBlitz.
In 1921, theMetropolitan Borough of Poplar was the location of thePoplar Rates Rebellion, led by then-MayorGeorge Lansbury, who was later elected as leader of the Labour Party. As part of the 1951Festival of Britain, a new council housing estate was built to the north of theEast India Dock Road and named theLansbury Estate after him. This estate includesChrisp Street Market, which was greatly commended byLewis Mumford. The same era also saw the construction of theRobin Hood Gardens housing complex (overlooking the northern portal of theBlackwall Tunnel) – designed byarchitectsPeter and Alison Smithson – and the similarlybrutalistBalfron Tower,Carradale House andGlenkerry House (to the north) – designed byErnő Goldfinger. Other notable buildings in Poplar includePoplar Baths which closed in 1989 and reopened in 2016 after the efforts of local campaigners.[7]
The importance of the maritime industries attracted many overseas migrant to the area, including the Chinese community in thePennyfields area of Poplar. This area, on the border withLimehouse was a part of the old East EndChinatown, most closely associated with Limehouse.[8]
TheWest India Dock and other local docks had all closed by the end of 1980, so the British Government adopted policies to redevelop the docklands areas, including the creation of theLondon Docklands Development Corporation (LDDC) in 1981 and the granting ofUrban Enterprise Zone status to the Isle of Dogs in 1982.[9]
TheSpratt's Complex was redeveloped and split into studio workshops (live/work units) and sold by JJAK (Construction) Ltd for leaseholders to fit out.[10] The first building to be converted was Limehouse Cut, varying in size between 580 to 1,610 sq ft (54 to 150 m2). The building was featured in theSunday Times in June 1986[11] and again in 1989.[10]
In 1998, following ballots of the residents, Tower Hamlets Council transferred parts of the Lansbury estate and six other Council housing estates within Poplar toPoplar HARCA, a newhousing association set up for the purpose of regenerating the area. The following year, tenants on further estates voted to remain with the council. However, after a lengthy consultation of all Council estates in Tower Hamlets begun in 2002, most estates in Poplar did transfer to Poplar HARCA, East End Homes and other landlords between 2005 and 2007.
The firstairborne terror campaign in Britain took place during theFirst World War, which caused significant damage and took many lives. German raids on Britain, for example, caused 1,413 deaths and 3,409 injuries. Air raids provided an unprecedented means of striking at resources vital to an enemy's war effort. Many of the novel features of the war in the air between 1914 and 1918—the lighting restrictions and blackouts, the air raid warnings and the improvised shelters—became central aspects of the World War II less than 30 years later.
The East End of London was one of the most heavily targeted places. Poplar, in particular, was struck badly by some of the air raids during the World War I. Initially these were at night byZeppelins which bombed the area indiscriminately, leading to the death of innocent civilians.
The first daylight bombing attack on London by a fixed-wing aircraft took place on 13 June 1917. Fourteen GermanGotha G.IV bombers led byHauptmann Ernst Brandenberg flew over Essex and began dropping their bombs. It was a hot day and the sky was hazy; nevertheless, onlookers in London's East End were able to see 'a dozen or so big aeroplanes scintillating like so many huge silver dragonflies'. These three-seater bombers were carryingshrapnel bombs which were dropped just before noon. Numerous bombs fell in rapid succession in various districts. In the East End alone 104 people were killed, 154 seriously injured and 269 slightly injured.
The gravest incident that day was a direct hit on a primary school in Poplar. In theUpper North Street School at the time were a girls' class on the top floor, a boys' class on the middle floor and an infant class of about 50 pupils on the ground floor. The bomb fell through the roof into the girls' class; it then proceeded to fall through the boys' classroom before finally exploding in the infant class. Eighteen pupils were killed, of whom sixteen were aged from 4 to 6 years old. The tragedy shocked the British public at the time.[12]
InWorld War II, Poplar suffered heavily inthe Blitz of that war, the Metropolitan Borough losing 770 civilian dead as a result of enemy action.[13] At the height of the bombing, ten Poplar schools were evacuated to Oxford.[14]
Architecturally, the area is a mixture of 18th- and 19th-centuryterraced houses and 20th-centurycouncil estates. Notable examples include theLansbury Estate and theBalfron Tower.
A new Church Green next to St. Mary and St. Joseph Church was created in 2012 on the site of the formerBlitz-bombed Catholic church, across the road from the current church designed byAdrian Gilbert Scott. It is open to the public during the day and public sculptures include, the former Catholic Boys' School entrance statue dedicated to dockers and seafarers, a 15-foot crucifix that stood on the site of the old high altar and a contemporary granite and light sculpture,A Doorway of Hope, by sculptorNicolas Moreton.[15]
Poplar High Street is host to a number of landmarks as it had previously been the principal street in Poplar.[16] These include theOld Town Hall, which hasmosaic detail and is now a hotel.[17] Poplar Bowls Club, founded in 1910, is part of Poplar Recreation Ground[18] A recently reopened sports centre calledThe Workhouse stands on the site of PoplarWorkhouse,[19] where local politicianWill Crooks spent some of his earliest years (a nearby council housing estate is named after him). Another is the designatedGrade II* listedSt Matthias Old Church, now a community centre and formerly a chapel that was built by theEast India Company in 1654.[20][21]
The originalPoplar Baths opened in 1852, costing £10,000. It was built to provide public wash facilities for the East End's poor as a result of theBaths and Washhouses Act 1846. The Baths were rebuilt in 1933 to a design by Harley Heckford and the larger pool was covered over to convert the building into a theatre and designated the East India Hall. Poplar Baths reopened in 1947 after theSecond World War and continued to be used as a swimming facility, attracting on average 225,700 bathers every year between 1954 and 1959, the Baths closed again and was conversion to an industrial training centre in 1988.[22] The Baths once again re-opened on 25 July 2016 and were removed from the Buildings at Risk register.[23][24]
TheMuseum of London Docklands inWest India Quay, opened in 2003 on the site of agrade I listed early-19th centuryGeorgian "low" sugar warehouses built in 1802 on the side ofWest India Docks in thePort of London.[25][26]
Poplar still remains a part of thePort of London as Northumberland Wharf is still retained as a workingwharf with special status from theMayor of London and thePort of London Authority (PLA) as asafeguarded wharf. It is run by Cory Riverside Energy who also managed the Reuse and Recycling Centre which is next to the wharf and for the transportation of waste by barge along the River Thames.[27][28]
Poplar Borough Council had been authorised in 1893 to supply electricity to the borough.[29] Electricity supplies began in October 1900 from a power station on the corner of Glaucus Street and Yeo Street.[30] The station was later known as Poplar Watts Grove (off Devons Road).[31] The power station was upgraded in 1908 when a 1MW turbo alternator set was installed. The buildings were further expanded to allow the installation of 2 x 3MW turbo alternator sets in 1913.[32]In 1919 a 4,750 kVA set was added.[33] By 1922 installed generation was 16,000 kW and plans were laid to extend the station. This was achieved in 1927 when it opened with a 10,000 kW turbo alternator and capacity to add a further set.[34]
The generating capacity of the station and the electricity generated over the operational life is as follows:[35][36][31][37][38][32]
| Year | Generating capacity,MW | Maximum Demand, MW | Electricity generated,GWh |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1902 | 1.6 | 1.79 | |
| 1903/4 | 1.6 | 2.47 | |
| 1908/9 | 2.8 | ||
| 1909/10 | 3.68 | ||
| 1910/11 | 4.12 | ||
| 1911/12 | 4.2 | 4.56 | |
| 1912/3 | 10.20 | 5.0 | 15.41 |
| 1918/9 | 13.25 | 24.38 | |
| 1923/4 | 16.0 | 28.12 | |
| 1936/7 | 40.0 | 14.76 | |
| 1946 | 28 | ||
| 1960/1 | 24.0 | 1.31 | |
| 1961/2 | 25.0 | 2.85 | |
| 1962/3 | 25.0 | 7.92 | |
| 1963/4 | 25.0 | 1.93 | |
| 1965/6 | 25.0 | 18.07 | |
| 1966/7 | 15.0 | 6.44 |
In 1903-04 there were estimated to be 320 arc lights, 1,649 incandescent lamps, and 130 electric motors connected to the public electricity supply in Poplar.[29] The power station used water from the adjacentLimehouse Cut canal together with cooling towers to condense steam and for cooling.[37]
Uponnationalisation of the electricity industry in 1948 ownership of the station passed to theBritish Electricity Authority and later to theCentral Electricity Generating Board. The CEGB closed the station in 1967 when thethermal efficiency was only 8.39 per cent.[37]
Until 1965, Poplar had its own council which was based atPoplar Town Hall.[39] Since 1965, the area has formed part of theLondon Borough of Tower Hamlets, with its council based atMulberry Place.[40] The council moved to a newTower Hamlets Town Hall in Whitechapel Road on 1 March 2023.[41]
TheIsle of Dogs and Poplar proper in general achieved notoriety in 1993 whenDerek Beackon of theBritish National Party became a councillor forMillwall ward, in aby election. This was the culmination of years of resentment by local residents of perceived neglect by bothLiberal Democrat andLabour Party politicians.[42] Labour regained the ward in the full council election of May 1994, and held all three seats until a further by election in September 2004.[43]
Langdon Park School is amixedsecondary school andsixth form, located northeast ofChrisp Street Market.
TheGeorge Green's School was founded in 1828 byGeorge Green, a shipbuilder and shipwright. It was originally located onEast India Dock Road. Today it is avoluntary controlled school supported by theWorshipful Company of Shipwrights located on theIsle of Dogs peninsula.[44]
Neighbouring areas of London. | |
|---|---|
Poplar is connected to other areas ofEast London by theDocklands Light Railway (DLR). Five stations serve the area, includingAll Saints,Langdon Park,Poplar,Blackwall andEast India. DLR stations in Poplar are inLondon fare zone 2, and link the area to destinations such asBank (in theCity),Canary Wharf,City Airport,Greenwich, andStratford.[45]
Poplar DLR station is a focal point for the DLR network, where several different routes converge.
The nearestLondon Underground station isCanary Wharf, which is served byElizabeth line andJubilee line trains.
The nearestNational Rail station is atLimehouse, which is served byc2c trains betweenLondon Fenchurch Street (in the city) and destinations in South Essex, includingSouthend Central.
Poplar is served byLondon Buses routes15, 115, 309, D6 and night bus routes N15 and N551.[46]
Poplar is well connected to destinations in East London andEast Anglia by road:
Poplar High Street runs through the centre of Poplar.
Cycle Superhighway 3 (CS3) passes east–west through Poplar, along Poplar High Street. The route runs unbroken and signposted westbound towardsLancaster Gate (Hyde Park) viaShadwell, the city,Victoria Embankment, andParliament Square. Eastbound cyclists leave Poplar on Naval Row, following signposts towardsCanning Town and the A13. The route runs alongside the A13 towards Canning Town,East Ham, andBarking.[47]
National Cycle Route 13 follows the route of CS3 through Poplar. This long-distance route linksTower Hill toFakenham,Norfolk. The route does not run continuously; however, east of Poplar, the route runs non-stop as far asPurfleet, via the ExCeL andRainham.[48]
Balfron Tower has been featured in various other music videos, films and television programmes, as have various other locations in Poplar. According to movie websiteIMDb, locations around Poplar have been used in the following feature films:
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link){{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link){{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
