Changing places (distant case study Brick Lane )

Question 1

What distant place have we studied?

Answer 1

Brick Lane

Question 2

Where is Brick Lane located?

Answer 2

In the Tower Hamlets borough of East London and passes through Spitalfields

Question 3

What was the population of Brick Lane (2011)?

Answer 3

12,578

Question 4

What was the % of men to women in Brick Lane?

Answer 4

• 54% male

- 46% female

Question 5

What was Brick Lane like in the 17th century?

Answer 5

• Early 17th century, popular location for breweries/market

- Late 17th century, silk weaving (French Huguenots)

Question 6

What was Brick Lane like in the 19/20th century?

Answer 6

• 19-20th century, Irish immigrants/jewish immigrants
• Late 20th century, Bangladeshi immigrants which set up Sylheter Dak (paper set up there) and guidebooks with good curry places

Question 7

What did Bangladeshi immigrants set up when the were in Brick Lane?

Answer 7

• Sylheter Dak (paper based there)

- Guidebooks with good curry places

Question 8

What is Brick Lane industry like today?

Answer 8

Art and fashion industries

Question 9

What is the demographic characteristics of Brick Lane?

Answer 9

• Primarily 20-40 age gap, jobs and youth clubs
• Muslim 41.5%
• Bangladeshi origin 41% of the population
• White British 7% compared to 47% London

Question 10

What physical changes have been made to Brick Lane?

Answer 10

• Road signs written in English and Bengali
• Weekly Bangladesh paper
• French Protestant church 1743, converted into Jamme Masjid mosque 1976

Question 11

What are social characteristics of Brick Lane?

Answer 11

• 4 schools are needing improvement, 2 inadequate
• 39% of children in poverty - above national average
• 55% school readiness - below national average

Question 12

How has Brick Lane been represented through Adam Dant Map of Spitalfields Life, 2011?

Answer 12

• Counter map that gives a historical background into Brick Lane and the surrounding area
• Historical background of areas and characters who have made this area special.

Question 13

What is the problem with Adam Dant Map of Spitalfields Life?

Answer 13

• Only presents Dant’s point of view.
• Counter mapping, scale and sizes of different areas can be manipulated
• Making it a less reliable source in terms of geographical locations

Question 14

How has Brick Lane been represented through Art?

Answer 14

Adam Dant Map of Spitalfields Life, 2011

Question 15

What are the negatives of gentrification?

Answer 15

• People cannot afford higher property prices or rents
• Potential loss for traditional local low order shows
• Threat to the traditional community
• Conflict between old and newcomers

Question 16

What are the benefits of gentrification?

Answer 16

• Rise in prosperity and range of services
• Increased local tax income
• Physical environment improved
• Greater employment opportunities

Question 17

What is gentrification?

Answer 17

When an area is redeveloped and upgraded, attracting richer people and often displacing poorer tenants

Question 18

How have cultural characteristics of Brick Lane changed over time?

Answer 18

• Early 17th century, popular location for breweries/market
• Late 17th century, silk weaving (French Huguenots)
• 19-20th century:(Irish immigrants/jewish immigrants
• Late 20th century, Bangladeshi immigrants
• Today: art and fashion industries

Question 19

What economic characteristics have caused change in Brick Lane?

Answer 19

• Levels of employment and unemployment
• Balance between different economic sectors
• House prices
• Crime rate
• Gentrification

Question 20

What is the crime rate in Brick Lane?

Answer 20

25.4 per 1000 around double the borough average

Question 21

What % of Brick Lane is economically active?

Answer 21

80.1% (16-64)

Question 22

How has change over time Brick Lane been represented by photographs?

Answer 22

• Spitalfields market - from sheds/stalls to major renovation programme
• Changes from selling fruit and beetabe to fashion and art
• Photographs document the gentrification of east odon - e.g. housing on fournier street

Question 23

How has Brick lane been represented through media?

Answer 23

Sally Flood - Tales from the East End, 1980 (lived experience)

Question 24

How does Sally Floods ‘Tales from the East End’ represent Brick Lane?

Answer 24

• Very culturally diverse
• Negative words such as ‘exploited’ and ‘bullies’.
  Demonstrates change through time
• Evaluation, shows a strong sense of place but only one person’s point of view

Question 25

How has Brick Lane been represented through books?

Answer 25

Monical Ali’s novel - Brick Lane 2003 - also made into a film

Question 26

How did Monical Ali’s ‘Brick Lane 2003’ represent Brick Lane?

Answer 26

• changing prosperity of the area as it becomes a more fashionable neighbourhood.
  ‘You see’ said Chanu, ‘All this money, money everywhere. Ten years ago there was no money here’

Question 27

What opposition has there been to gentrification in Brick Lane?

Answer 27

• Anti-gentrification protest in the spitalfields in 2015
• Letter written to Guardian highlight concerns about gentrification
• Attack on cereal cafe ‘scum’