About the project
The Petticoat Lane Heritage Trail was a multi-year project that worked with local people to develop a Heritage Trail around Petticoat Lane and the surrounding areas, which celebrates the area’s rich and vibrant history.
Phase 1
Phase 1 was delivered in 2021-22 and saw the creation of a 10-stop temporary trail, which commemorated individuals, events, and places on brightly coloured plaque stickers which linked to this website via QR codes.
The team delivered paid training and work experience to four local people to research key figures and events in the history of the area, uncovering new stories in the archives. Workshops were also delivered to students at Canon Barnett Primary School and on Petticoat Lane Market which contributed to the design of the temporary trail.
Phase 2
Phase 2 was delivered in 2024-25 and was a larger-scale project. A team made up of heritage specialists and local people developed a 10-stop permanent, self-led trail which celebrates important themes in Petticoat Lane’s history, which you can discover on this website. The plaques were designed in collaboration with students at Canon Barnett Primary School and the Project Steering Group, using motifs and imagery from archival photographs. Make:good then adapted these brilliant collages into designs to be cut out of metal. The information layer is screenprinted onto ceramic, and the base layer is made out of 100% recycled sheet plastic. Many thanks to Studio Makecreate for their fantastic work fabricating and installing the plaques.
Building on the Phase 1 work, there were three research strands in Phase 2: archive research, oral history collection, and contemporary street photography. You can learn more about these strands below.
The Heritage Trail website was created in 2025, and will sit online for at least five years after the end of the project. However, the website will not be updated during this time, so if you'd like to get in touch with us about something please contact us.
Archive research
Four people with a connection to the Petticoat Lane area were trained in archival research techniques by Historian, Dr Susan Skedd. Over five months, the Researchers explored the ten themes in the archives, uncovering records, photographs, and stories to share in the Trail.
Oral history collection
Oral Historian, Laura Owen, worked with the team to train two local people in oral history interviewing techniques. The Oral Historians then went on to interview six people about their memories and experiences of growing up, living, studying, and working around The Lane.
Contemporary street photography
Building on a long-term partnership between London Historic Buildings Trust and local youth intervention charity Streets of Growth, two young people were trained in photography skills by Photographer, Maria Andrews of Manifestfilm. Over a week-long intensive course, the Young Photographers captured street photography around Petticoat Lane, Spitalfields, and Shoreditch.