INTRODUCTION
Petticoat Lane has a history of trade spanning hundreds of years. In Tudor times, it was an area outside the city wall where it is believed that bakers could keep pigs and where perhaps cheap or second-hand clothes were traded – giving rise to the name ‘Peticote Lane’. In the 1830s, Petticoat Lane was named Middlesex Street, but many locals still refer to it by its former name.
It was a location for merchants that traded overseas, due to the proximity of the river Thames, where merchant ships trading abroad could moor with ease. As well as goods from abroad came different communities, each bringing with them new ways of working and trading, new skills, music and cultural practices.
This history of diversity also brought different culinary delights to the area from all over the world. These included Jewish food sold delicatessens, Italian cafes with their coffee, spices from the Caribbean, German sugar pastries and tea from the far east.
Not only did Petticoat Lane thrive on its closeness to Thameside wharfs but it also benefitted from its proximity to the City of London and to access its wealth, and to important wholesale markets including Billingsgate fish market, Smithfield for meat and fowls, Spitalfields for fruit, vegetable and flowers.
Also vital was access to information from the City guilds and worshipful companies, but Petticoat Lane location just outside the city boundary meant that its traders avoided falling under the jurisdiction of rules, regulation and tariffs on some goods and services. This unique position helped to drive trade, particularly wholesale trade. The Lane’s traders could cut out middlemen and keep down costs for customers in the market.
With waves of migrants arriving during the 19th century, there was a steady supply of labour for casual, permanent and part-time work in the area. This labour proved what the Lane’s merchants and shop owners needed: a range of workers with varying skills, including manual,
semi-skilled, skilled and highly skilled workers.
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JONES BROTHERS DAIRY
Dairies selling fresh milk, along with butter and cheese, became a speciality trade for Welsh families based in East London. Usually, each dairy kept a cow or two and proved stabling for the donkey used to pull the milk cart on delivery rounds.
Jones Brothers Dairy was established by the brothers John and Henry Jones
from Aberystwyth in the latter half of the nineteenth century. John first started a dairy at number 8 Jewry Street with his brother Henry starting his own dairy at number 32 Stoney Lane in 1877. The dairy moved to 85 Middlesex Street when some of Stoney Lane was demolished to make way for the Middlesex Street Estate to be built.
Today the business is still run by the Jones family with grandsons Henry and Trevor Jones,
Henry’s wife, daughter Lucy and son (also called Henry) all involved. Although the Middlesex Street branch closed some time ago, the business has expanded with a branch in Blount Street, near Limehouse, and depots that deliver fresh food and dairy produce to businesses and offices across London.
​Copyright Clara Ely & Tower Hamlets Local History Library & Archives
DEREK'S RECORDS
Derek’s Records was a business based at 3-5 Wentworth Street that, from the late 1950s to the 1990s, imported and sold vinyl records, cassette tapes, music equipment and accessories. Derek’s Record & Tape Exchange was founded by Derek Fox who began with a stall in Goulston Street selling vinyl records, later moving to Wentworth Street.
The business expanded with a shop in Turnpike Lane and branches opened across East, North East and South East London, as well as opening a store in Bournemouth. The shops featured booths in which customers could listen to selected music with headphones which allowed customers to experience a 'try before you buy' approach to music.
Different branches had people working with specialist knowledge of different genres of music such as classical, disco, oldies, pop reggae and soul. For example, a Caribbean manager ran the Turnpike Lane store who had a specialist knowledge in reggae and soul, so people would make a special journey to different stores depending on what they were looking to buy.
The Wentworth Street Branch was a place that the local Caribbean community would go to buy ska, bluebeat, rocksteady, reggae and soul music. It also supported Caribbean music and the local Caribbean community by promoting dances and music festivals held by the Caribbean community in the local area and across London more generally.
Listen to Steve talking about his stall on Petticoat Lane Market
TUBBY ISAACS' JELLIED EEL STALL
Tubby Isaac ran a jellied eel stall at the south end of Petticoat Lane Market, near Aldgate. The stall was set up in 1919 by Isaac Brenner, who took on the character of ‘Tubby Isaac’. When Brenner emigrated to the United States in the 1930s, the stall was taken over by Solomon Gritzman, who in turn ‘became’ Tubby Isaac. Solomon’s brother, Barney, also ran a jellied eel stall just across the market from Tubby’s. This led to a feud between the two brothers, who didn’t talk to each other for some 20 years!
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Solomon, or Solly as he was known to locals, died in 1982 at the age of 73. He was succeeded on the stall by his nephew, Ted. In 1989, Ted’s son, Paul, took over the job of ‘Tubby’, and he remained working on the stall until its eventual closure in 2013.​​​​​​​​​​​​
Listen to Martin remembering Tubby Isaacs​​​
Petticoat Lane, 1947, Willem van de Poll
Rag Fair at Petticoat Lane, c. 1802, watercolour by Thomas Rowlandson
Researched and written by Dani