London Borough of Tower Hamlets

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The London Borough of Tower Hamlets (pronunciation (help·info)) is a London borough to the east of the City of London, England and north of the River Thames in East London. It includes much of the redeveloped Docklands region of London, including West India Docks and Canary Wharf. Many of the tallest buildings in London are located on the Isle of Dogs in the south of the borough.

Tower Hamlets is one of five London boroughs which have been designated host boroughs for the 2012 Summer Olympics.

[edit] Geography and Administration

[edit] Civic History

The name "Tower Hamlets" was historically applied to the Tower division of the county of Middlesex, covering not only the present borough, but also part of the present-day London Borough of Hackney. The Constable of the Tower of London had special jurisdiction over the area from the 16th century until 1889. Inhabitants of Tower Hamlets were originally required to provide yeomen for the Tower of London. Later the Constable became Lord Lieutenant of the area, raising and organising the local militia. Under the Reform Act 1832 the area became a parliamentary borough. The name continued to be used for constituencies until 1918.

The borough was formed in 1965, and took this historic name, through amalgamation of the former metropolitan boroughs of Bethnal Green, Poplar and Stepney. These boroughs were the heart of the East End of London.

[edit] Politics

[edit] Parliament

For the most recent election to Parliament, the Borough was split into two constituencies:

• Bethnal Green & Bow, whose current incumbent is George Galloway (Respect), since the 2005 general election.
• Poplar & Canning Town (which also takes in Canning Town in the neighbouring London Borough of Newham), represented by Jim Fitzpatrick (Labour), since the 1997 general election, when the constituency was formed.

The constituencies for the next election will be:

• Bethnal Green & Bow
• Poplar & Limehouse (which will be then entirely within the borough of Tower Hamlets).

The Borough is a part of the London constituency for election to the European Parliament. The political history of the borough has been characterised as leaning heavily to left-wing parties, often explained by the migrant minorities that have lived within it.^{[citation needed]} In the main, this has meant large Labour majorities in terms of national and local elections, although other left-wing parties have won seats including Communists and more recently the Respect Unity coalition.

[edit] Greater London Assembly

The borough lies within the City and East constituency, and is represented by John Biggs, Labour.

[edit] Local council

The controlling and majority group is Labour. The current composition following the defection of four Respect councillors to form a new group called Respect (Independent) on 29 October 2007 is:^[1]

Details of individual ward councillors can be found at the Borough's ward pages (below)^[2].

[edit] Physical geography

Tower Hamlets is located to east of the City of London and north of the River Thames in East London. The London Borough of Hackney lies to the north of the borough while the River Lee forms the boundary with the London Borough of Newham in the east. The River Lee also forms the boundary between those parts of London historically in Middlesex, with those formerly in Essex.

The Isle of Dogs is formed from the lock entrances to the former West India Docks and the largest current meander of the River Thames and the southern part of the borough forms a part of the historic flood plain of the River Thames^[3]; and but for the Thames Barrier and other flood prevention works would be vulnerable to flooding.

The Regent's Canal enters the borough from Hackney to meet the River Thames at Limehouse Basin. A stretch of the Hertford Union Canal leads from the Regent's canal, at a basin in the north of Mile End to join the River Lee at Old Ford. A further canal, Limehouse Cut, London's oldest, leads from locks at Bromley-by-Bow to Limehouse Basin. Most of the canal tow-paths are open to both pedestrians and cyclists.

Victoria Park was formed by Act of Parliament, and administered by the LCC and its successor authority the GLC. Since the latter authority's abolition, the park has been administered by Tower Hamlets.

[edit] Areas within the borough

Areas included in the borough:

[edit] History

Main article: East End of London

Tower Hamlets forms the main area of the East End of London, more detailed local histories should be available for each of the districts (above) within Tower Hamlets.

[edit] Local landmarks

[edit] Historical landmarks

• Tower of London
• site of two historic Royal Mints
• Hawksmoor's Christ Church, Spitalfields
• Victoria Park
• Cable Street - site of the Battle of Cable Street

[edit] Modern landmarks

The Canary Wharf complex, within Docklands, on the Isle of Dogs forms a group of some of the tallest buildings in Europe. One Canada Square was the first to be constructed, and remains the tallest. Nearby are the HSBC Tower, Citigroup Centres and One Churchill Place, headquarters of Barclays Bank. Within the same complex are the Heron Quays offices.

The unusual Green Bridge, constructed in 2000, links sections of Mile End Park, that are divided by the Mile End Road. The bridge contains gardens, water features and trees around the path.

[edit] Demographics

According to the 2001 census key statistics for the borough include

• a population of 196,106.
• 52% are under 30, the highest percentage in England (average 38%)
• 51% of the population is white, 33% Bangladeshi, 3% Black African and 3% black Caribbean.
• 29% of the borough are owner–occupiers.

[edit] Economic Profile

At the 2001 census, the borough had the highest rate of unemployment in Great Britain at 12.7%. Part of the borough is within the boundary of the Thames Gateway development area.

[edit] Education

Main article: List of schools in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets

37,500 pupils go to 98 schools in Tower Hamlets. The London Borough of Tower Hamlets is the local education authority for state schools within the borough^[4].

[edit] Further Education Colleges

• Tower Hamlets College
• College of Technology London

[edit] Universities

• Queen Mary, a constituent college of the University of London.
• Barts and The London, Queen Mary's School of Medicine and Dentistry

[edit] Sports and Leisure

Main article: Tower Hamlets parks and open spaces

Mile End Stadium, within Mile End Park hosts an athletics stadium, and facilities for football and basketball. The Sporting Bengal United F.C. team is based there.

A leisure centre including a swimming pool at Mile End Stadium was completed in 2006. Other pools are located at St Georges, Limehouse and York Hall, in Bethnal Green. York Hall is also a regular venue for boxing tournaments, and in May 2007 a public spa was opened, the only one of its kind in the country.

[edit] The Olympics

Tower Hamlets is one of five host boroughs for the 2012 Summer Olympics, with the Olympic Park to be constructed in the Lea Valley.

[edit] Parks in Tower Hamlets

Main article: Tower Hamlets parks and open spaces

[edit] Museums

• Island History Trust
• Museum in Docklands
• Ragged School Museum
• V&A Museum of Childhood

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• LBTH Ward data report (2005) information on Tower Hamlets at the Ward level
• Tower Hamlets Council
• LBTH find your councillor
• Local area partnerships
• East End Nightshots on jacktheripper.de
• East London Markets
• New Spitalfields Market
• Old Spitalfields Market

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Categories: Cleanup from October 2007 | Wikipedia articles needing clarification | All articles with unsourced statements | Articles with unsourced statements since December 2007 | Articles with invalid date parameter in template | Articles with sections needing expansion | Districts of London | Tower Hamlets