London: Whitechapel Area Guide

Post by R.M. team, updated on 15 July 2019

Note: The author's views are entirely his or her own and may not reflect the views of RetoxMagazine.com

Where in London is Whitechapel?

What is Whitechapel famous for?

Whitechapel in 1888

Is Whitechapel safe?

Things to do in Whitechapel

Whitechapel Market

Getting to Whitechapel by public transport

Photo opportunities in Whitechapel

Where was Whitechapel TV series filmed?

What else in Whitechapel?

Where in London is Whitechapel?

The Whitechapel area of London is a district in the East End of London, in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. This is a vibrant and a constantly evolving area. It is roughly bounded by Middlesex Street and Mansell Street to the west, Fashion Street to the north, Cambridge Heath Road and Sidney Street to the east and The Highway to the south.

The Whitechapel area is a short walk away from some of the best parts of East London, including Old Spitafields Market and Brick Lane. Victoria Park, Columbia Road Market, Shoreditch and the nightlife of Old Street is all a short distance away, and a short tube ride will take you into Central London.

What is Whitechapel famous for?

Whitechapel is the location of the infamous gruesome Whitechapel Murders in the late 1880s, believed to involve the legendary serial killer Jack the Ripper.

Today you can book guided Jack the Ripper tours and terror walks offered by various individuals and companies, a fun activity for families, groups or individuals.

What happened in Whitechapel in 1888?

The famous brutal unsolved Whitechapel murders of women ascribed to the notorious unidentified serial killer Jack the Ripper took place in the year 1888 in the impoverished area of Whitechapel. Jack the Ripper killed 5 – or possibly six women – in 1888 and his identity remains a mystery. More on the history of Jack the Ripper is available on BBC history pages.

What was Whitechapel like in 1888?

In 1888 Whitechapel was a slum where the homeless, the very poor, and the poorest of the poor coexisted in overcrowded and otherwise appalling conditions. Inhabitants had about 50/50 chance of living past the age of five. In 1888 it was estimated that at least 1,200 prostitutes worked the streets of Whitechapel, which further emphasises how desperate the people of Whitechapel were.

By contrast today Whitechapel is a buzzy, multicultural and creative London area with plenty of bars restaurants and cafes dotted about, and the area is very popular with many homebuyers looking to benefit from Whitechapel’s close proximity to central London.

Is Whitechapel safe?

The area has become fairly trendy over the past decade or so and it is much safer than many tourists (the ones who still think its 1880’s in London) tend to believe. Some buildings might look a little rough and grubby, at times and that might contribute to the perceived lack of safety.

Based on London crime rate comparison (see illustrations below), on immediate observation Whitechapel seems to be significantly safer than some of the more central London areas that are popular with Londoners as well as tourists.

We compared three central London areas; Mayfair and St James, Strand and Whitehall, and Covent Garden against Whitechapel and it seems Whitechapel is doing well in terms of safety. Below are the screenshots from Met Police.

Illustrated above: crimes per 1000 residents for areas of Whitechapel, Mayfair and St James, Strand and Whitehall, and Covent Garden, as recorded for January 2018 by Met Police.

You can also have a look at the most recent crime data for antisocial behaviour, burglaries, robberies, shop lifting, bike thefts, and other crimes on the CrimeStats for Whitechapel report provided by Metropolitan Police Service. When looking at the Whitechapel crime rate report please keep in mind that crime takes place in every area of London.

Things to do in Whitechapel

Aside from Jack the Ripper tours that involve exploring Whitechapel as well as the surrounding areas, there are many other reasons to visit Whitechapel.

The excellent Whitechapel Gallery, a public art gallery on the north side of Whitechapel High Street, is well worth a visit. The gallery was opened over a century ago and has premiered world-class artists from modern masters such as Pablo Picasso, Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko and Frida Kahlo to contemporaries such as Sophie Calle, Paul Noble, Thomas Struth, Sarah Lucas and Mark Wallinger. The contemporary art gallery plays a central role in London’s cultural landscape.

Whitechapel is also home to The Royal London Hospital that offers a variety of local and specialist services and caters to patients from London as well outside of London. This is a leading, internationally renowned teaching hospital based in east London and home to London’s Air Ambulance. For some, visiting the hospital might be the core reason to visit Whitechapel, however, health permitting, it may well be worth exploring the Whitechape area a bit more before heading home.

Whitechapel is diverse and multicultural and was a home to Bangladeshi as well as other communities for many years. Today, you can find authentic fiery Bangladeshi or Punjabi curries, affordable restaurants and places to eat that practice the fabulous BYO (Bring Your Own) drink policy. Authentic cuisine can certainly make the list of things to do in the area. Alternatively, if you like preparing food at home, check out Whitechapel Market for the exotic fruit and veg it offers.

Ultimately, it’s a good area that offers a lot of interesting things to do and is attracting the hipsters of London.

Whitechapel Market

Whitechapel Road Market is also worth a visit, especially if you’re into the more exotic fruit and veg. You might discover fruit or veg you don’t see in your regular supermarket, such as this gorgeous and delicious tropical Jackfruit - this largest tree-borne fruit is a national fruit of Bangladesh, widely used is South and Southeast Asia, but also cultivated in the Caribbean and used in the Caribbean cuisine.

Located on Whitechapel Road, the market is normally open Monday to Saturday from 8am to 6pm. The nearest tube stations are Whitechapel and Aldgate East.

Getting to Whitechapel by public transport

Trains: Whitechapel is in zone 2 of the tube map and is served by Whitechapel Overground and Underground (District and Hammersmith & City lines) train station – that would be the station of choice for the Whitechapel Market, Whitechapel Gallery or The Royal London Hospital. For train times, delays and other public transport information visit the TFL page here. Aldgate East might be another convenient tube station for you to use, depending on which end of Whitechapel you want to reach.

The area is served by buses: 25 (24 hours bus) towards Ilford or Oxford Circus; 106 towards Finsbury Park; 205 towards Bow or Paddington; 254 towards Aldgate or Holloway; D3 towards Bethnal Green or Leamouth. Night buses: N205 towards Layton or Paddington; N253 towards Aldgate or Tottenham Court Road. You can find more information on buses here.

Photo opportunities in Whitechapel

In Whitechapel it is much about spotting a detail. You can spot beautiful old buildings, great pubs, art installations, graffiti, etc. If you have an inquisitive eye, you will spot gorgeous little corners and unique decorations on buildings, streets, in street corners.

There are also a few very interesting spots for selfies and possibly as backdrops or backgrounds for certain bloggers. Here are some examples:

Where was Whitechapel TV series filmed?

The Whitechapel area guide would not be complete without a mention of the popular TV crime series. The Whitechapel TV series, starring Rupert Penry-Jones, Phil Davis and Steve Pemberton, had a lot of its filming done in SE1 areas of London, such as Lynton Road in the London Borough of Southwark. However, some filming for the series was done in East London.

The filming locations for the TV series that are local to the area of Whitechapel include the popular Beigel Bake in Brick Lane – a 24-hour bakery known for traditional Jewish-style filled bagels such as salt beef and smoked salmon, The Rio Cinema in Hackney, Pellici’s Cafe in Bethnal Green, Repton Boxing Club in Bethnal Green and the Blind Beggar pub on Whitechapel Road – the pub is infamous as a site where 1960s gangster Ronnie Kray shot and killed a rival.

What else in Whitechapel?

Embed from Getty Images

Pictured above: Whitechapel Street. People in the narrow streets of Whitechapel, around Whitechapel High Street in East London. Photo by Humphrey Spender, originally published in 1938.