I can add some thoughts from my own family story. “My great grandparents were from Germany. My great grandmother (Sophie Jungling) originally lived in Lewisham and they married there. The whole family moved over to Whitechapel in 1894. It would appear that Whitechapel had a large thriving German community. There are many reasons why the Germans collected in East London, but these stories are mainly not for this page. However one notable reason is a number of people used to be sugar bakers (a trade that largely died out in the 1880s) and I’ll write something up on that soon. Several of my ancestors in other branches of my family were sugar bakers. Hence they all collected in the East End of London – St Georges East and Whitechapel. However on the 1901 census my great grandfather (Fritz Singer) was a journeyman baker. One story I have relates to their first child. Frederick was born in 1893. In 1894 he died suddenly. His death certificate says he died of “violent shock caused from burns caused by the deceased putting a lighted candle off the table during the temporary absence of his mother”. In those days lighting was by candle and obviously there was no electricity. At least they had indoor toilets! Both my grandfather and grandmother were born in Blackwall buildings and obviously spent their childhood there. I’ll write more up as I get time.”

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Guy Singer