Every day, without fail, a story of life in the heart of London drops in to my inbox. They are stories of workers, buildings, animals, criminals, writers, merchants, children, teachers and artists; their history, their present lives and their hopes and fears for the future. They are all the stories hunted out, recorded and shared by the anonymous The Gentle Author on the blog Spitalfields Life.
Spitalfields is an area of London that borders the City’s financial district, but leaves the ethos of sharp-suited bankers far behind as it stretches in to the eclectic, vibrant, multicultural, historic and ever-changing East End. I’m lucky enough to look out onto Spitalfieds from my desk, watching the sun, wind and rain transform the mood of the winding streets. I escape to it on my lunch breaks, crossing Bishopsgate to seek out the little Thai takeaway, the vintage clothes seller or the Brazillian coffee seller. It’s my hidey hole to escape the mayhem of office life.
I’ve fallen a little bit in love with this pocket of London and Spitalfields Life feeds that love every day. In the way that The Bulb loves blogs that make us smarter – such as Shortlist Daily, Brain Pickings and The Week – Spitalfields Life makes me more curious; more curious about the history of London, more curious about the social fabric of the city, and more curious about people’s stories. By reading the story of Clive Murphy, I learnt what a Phillumenist is. By reading the story of Robson Cezar, I learnt was is possible when you combine bottletops and artistry.
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Robson Cezar, king of the bottle tops, on Spitalfields Life
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Clive Murphy, Phillumenist, as featured on Spitalfields Life
In fact, reading the many memoirs of Spitalfields elders on the blog – such as the cracker earlier this week on Betty Levy of Petticoat Lane – was one of the inspirations that led me to record the stories of my own Grandfather, via email, in the final years of his life.
By showing me that recording the life stories of others was simply a matter of taking time out of my own life, the Gentle Author helped me become closer to one of the most important men in my life. I am beyond grateful for the times when I decided not to fill my life up with another social engagement, but instead to sit at my computer and correspond with my Grandad, to learn more about the 20th century world that he lived in.
Spitalfields Life captures the world of Spitalfields every day and in that way is more than a blog. It is a social history. Just as Samuel Pepys’ diaries capture 17th century London and Charles Dickens’ Night Walks record life in the city’s 18th century, The Gentle Author is capturing life in 21st century London, armed with what must be an insatiable curiosity and a talent for charming, heartfelt anthologies from interviewees.
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Betty Levy of Petticoat Lane, picture shared by Spitalfields Life
Curiosity in human life and a passion to write about people and their stories is a motivation for many writers, but few take it to the extreme The Gentle Author has. Four years ago, the Author promised to write every day about life in this part of London and share it at www.spitalfieldslife.com. The aim: to write 10,000 stories about “the exuberant richness and multiplicity of culture in this place”, which will take an estimated 27 years and four months. “What kind of life shall we be living in 2037 when I write my 10,000th post?,” the author asks. It’s a fascinating question that makes my mind become almost overwhelmed with possibilities.
Here are just three of my favourite regular columns:
1. Dogs of Spitalfields: owners out for walk in East End parks describe their relationships, and pose for a photo, with their dogs. Not only does this show the pleasure of compansionship, but it profiles the diverse collection of eclectic locals that make the East End the vibrant place it is. Look at these recent ones, or the stories of dogs in Spitalfields in Autumn.
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Neen and Caroline (picture Sarah Ainslie, Spitalfields Life)
Image may be NSFW.
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2. Photographs that capture the London of Old, beautifully prefaced with evocative words from The Gentle Author. From the Thames of old London, to the doors of old London, to the fogs and smogs of old London, and many more.
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The Thames of Old London (Image from The Bishopsgate Institute archive, shared by Spitalfields Life)
3. The photo anthologies of Spitalfields Life’s contributing photographer Phil Maxwell, who has taken more pictures on Brick Lane than any other photographer. His haunting portraits include children at play, old ladies out and about, and commuters on the tube.
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Phil Maxwell’s image of and Old Lady of Spitalfieds
If you like London, escapism, history or inspiring stories, then I recommend subscribing to Spitalfields Life’s daily email. Or if inbox bombardment isn’t your thing, then just check the site every now and again for a little shot of inspiration, or buy The Gentle Author’s book, Spitalfieds Life.
For those in London, The Gentle Author will be telling the tales of artefacts from Spitalfields that carry the story of the place at the London Literature Festival at the Southbank Centre on Saturday 1st June.
(Written by Laura)