and got to work. Today, according to one estimate, one in every six Britons has some Huguenot ancestry. We stood on the corner of Princelet Street and Wilkes Street while Hannah pointed out the large upper windows of the townhouses. She explained how the windows had been designed to allow ample light for the delicate work of Huguenot silk-weaving. Those houses are now coveted addresses that command top dollar in the real estate market – actress Keira Knightley lived here for a while. Further along Princelet Street, we stopped in front of a house that has been
The Jewish Soup Kitchen, Spitalfields
kept in its original condition. It looks vaguely familiar. Hannah explains that it is used in many period television and movie productions and often serves as a backdrop for fashion shoots.
Jewish Immigration The next major influx was made up of Jewish immigrants who came in large numbers in the late 19th century, fleeing economic hardship and persecution. They also found their way to Spitalfield and the East End, bringing their trades and culinary flavors with them. On our tour, we passed
the Soup Kitchen for the Jewish Poor on Brune Street, which opened in 1854 to feed impoverished families. Later, we stood in a long line to order salt beef bagels with snappy English mustard and a pickle at the Beigel Bake on Brick Lane. This tiny shop is so popular with Londoners that the line can sometimes snake outside and around the corner. Luckily, Hannah knows the ladies behind the counter and was able to bypass the crowd to get us each a beef bagel. It may have been the best sandwich I have ever eaten with a soft and chewy boiled bagel, moist thin sliced salt beef and a mustard so sharp it brought tears to my eyes.