Ratcliff, London
Ratcliff is an area of East London. It is in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.[1] It is located on the north side of the River Thames. It was once a hamlet in the historic county of Middlesex.[2]
| Ratcliff | |
 Pitsea Street, viewed from Cable Street |
|
| London borough | Tower Hamlets |
|---|---|
| Ceremonial county | Greater London |
| Region | London |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | LONDON |
| Postcode district | E1, E1W, E14 |
| Dialling code | 020 |
| Police | Metropolitan |
| Fire | London |
| Ambulance | London |
| EU Parliament | London |
| London Assembly | City and East |
Ratcliff is the site of one of London biggest fires in 1794. It began at Clovers Barge Yard. The flames quickly spread to a nearby barge loaded with saltpetre. This was a substance used to make gunpowder and matches. This exploded. Causing the fire to spread and destroying Ratcliff.[3]
Etymology
Ratcliff name is from a sandstone cliff. This used to be above the surrounding marshes. This had a red appearance. Hence Red-cliffe.
History
Ratcliffe was known for shipbuilding.[4] It was an important sea departure area. In the sixteenth century. Such as Willoughby and Frobisher.[4] Ratcliffe at this time also had the largest population in Stepney. Having 3500 residents.[4]
Around 1669. Almost 200 Presbyterians were worshipping inside a warehouse in Ratcliffe. There was a purpose-built Quaker meeting house in Schoolhouse Lane that had been built near the same time.[5]
Ratcliffe was divided between the parishes of Limehouse and Stepney until 1866. It was constituted a separate civil parish. It was then administered by Limehouse District Board of Works. In 1900 it joined the Metropolitan Borough of Stepney.[6]
As the warehouses fell into decline. They were not allowed to stand and were cleared for redevelopment.[7]
Ratcliff, London Media
"Ratcliff Cross", dance tune known before 1726
The daughter-parishes of Stepney that would evolve into the modern London Borough of Tower Hamlets
Ratcliff's boundaries preserved as an electoral ward in the Metropolitan Borough of Stepney
The Hamlet (administrative sub-division) of Ratcliff in Joel Gascoyne's 1703 map of the Parish of Stepney
References
- ↑ https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/1796
- ↑ "The Lost Hamlet of Ratcliff | Spitalfields Life".
- ↑ "The Ratcliffe Fire of 1794".
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "EoLFHS Parishes: Ratcliff". Archived from the original on 26 December 2005. Retrieved 15 December 2005. accessed 20 April 2008
- ↑ http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=22739 accessed 21 April 2008
- ↑ "Shadwell. East End's Free Art & History". Archived from the original on 12 March 2008. Retrieved 20 April 2008. accessed 20 April 2008
- ↑ "The lost village of Ratcliff". Archived from the original on 2021-09-18. Retrieved 2020-02-10.