Why Is Whitechapel Called Whitechapel?

Whitechapel in London’s East End is a fascinating area of the city. It has, really since it started to be built up, been one of London’s most multicultural areas. Whitechapel once lay just outside the city walls and outside the authority of the city government and trading guilds. It therefore, with Spitalfields to the North, became a popular place for those arriving to London, particularly from around the world, to set up shop.

Jewish refugees from Europe settled here from the 17th-19th centuries, the Irish in the 19th century following the potato famine and the Bengali population in the post-war period. It has historically been an industrial and working class area of the city and in the 19th century pockets of Whitechapel made up some of the worst slums in London. 

Whitechapel is the area centred around what is now known as Whitechapel High Street/Road. This is the street that once led out from Aldgate, one of the city’s seven gates.

Aldgate was demolished in the 18th century, but once crossed the street at the point in the photo below.

The area around this important thoroughfare into London started to build up over the centuries. In the 13th century it had a large enough population to warrant its own chapel.

The Chapel

To begin with the new chapel was an offshoot from the Stepney parish. St Dunstan’s in Stepney has its origins going back to at least the 10th century.

However in the 14th century it was given its own official parish and was known as St Mary Matfelon. Its priest however did remain a nominee of the Rector of Stepney. The name ‘Matfelon’ is thought to possibly come from the name of a benefactor. For example it could refer to Richard Matefelun, a wine merchant, was active in the area in 1230.

The church became known as the ‘White Chapel’. There seem to be two theories behind why this was. It was possibly painted in a lime white wash, alternatively it was made of white chalk rubble or the brilliantly named material ‘clunch’, a chalky limestone. 

Characters Associated With The Church

Over the centuries a couple of interesting characters were buried at the church. It was where John Cass (1661-1718), the Member of Parliament, merchant and philanthropist was buried.

He paid for the founding of a school by St Botolph’s Aldgate in 1710. After he died, the Sir John Cass Foundation was set up, using money from his will to provide education and training opportunities.

He was also however a key person within the Royal African Company and therefore involved in the slave trade. In 2020/2021 institutions named after him, such as the school, changed their names.

It is also where Richard Brandon is buried, the Common Executioner of London from 1639-1649. He is often said by many to be the likely executioner of Charles I in January 1649. The identity of the executioner has never been confirmed and he firmly denied it right up until he died later that year. He did however receive a payment of £30 that year and the execution was clearly carried out by someone experienced. 

The End Of The White Chapel

The church was rebuilt in 1875 in a neo-gothic style. Unfortunately it then suffered a terrible fire in 1880 but was rebuilt again.

It was then gutted in the Blitz and what remained was pulled down in 1952. 

What Is There Today?

Today there is a park on the site called Altab Ali Park. 

The old outline of the church is shown with this raised walkway. 

The remains of earlier versions of the church are marked with carved stone fragments. 

There are also a few surviving gravestones in the park. 

Up until 1998 it was named St Mary’s Park, but in 1998 the park was renamed Altab Ali Park. It was named after a 24 year old Bangladeshi man who was murdered on the adjacent Adler Street on the 4th May 1978 by three teenage boys as he walked home from work. 

It was one of a number of horrific racist attacks in the area in this period. His killing spurred local communities into action and is seen as a turning point in race relations in the East End. 

Since 2015 a commemoration is held on the anniversary every year as part of an ongoing drive for community cohesion and standing against racism. 

The entrance to the park was designed by David Peterson as a memorial to Altab Ali and represents Bengali and European patterns intertwining. 

In the corner of the park is the Shaheed Minar, a monument commemorating the Bengali Language Movement.

It was unveiled by the Speaker of the Bangladesh National Parliament, Humayun Rashid Choudhury, in February 1999. It is a smaller replica of the one in Dhaka in Bangladesh and represents a Mother and her martyred sons.

So, as is often the case with London, this little pocket has many different layers of history. It has a dark side to its story but also one of hope and community.

Thank you for reading! More of London’s historic spots and stories below…