A fortnightly celebration of the folk history of the Olympic boroughs, in story and song.
Image by M@
This week, Ruairidh Anderson tells the final Hackney tale, that of William Lyttle — Hackney resident, retiree and notorious tunneller.
“Do you have issues with neighbours? Not that proven stepping stone between Australia obscurity and the dizzying heights of a pantomime in Woking. Your physical neighbours. The residents of Mortimor Street in Hackney certainly did. Though their complaints had a little more depth to them.. “
Lyrics can be found here.
For more free London-inspired songs visit www.songsfromthehowlingsea.com
Previously in Hackney
- Mrs Basil Holmes: saviour of London’s graveyards
- Horatio Bottomley: Hackney MP and scoundrel
- Deerfoot: the native American who ran in Hackney
Previously in Greenwich
- Joseph Druce: mudlark and Maori Chief
- Anne Boleyn: Marriage and May Madness
- General James Wolfe: Battles, Brothels and Broken Hearts
- Martial Bourdin, The Exploding Anarchist Of Greenwich
Previously in Tower Hamlets
- Charlie Brown: Uncrowned King of Limehouse
- Angela Burdett-Coutts, Queen Of The East End Poor
- Jamrach’s Menagerie, Rhinos & the Ratcliffe Highway
- Moris ‘Two-guns’ Cohen
- Emmanuel Swedenborg, Veruca Socks and Heavenly Secrets
- John Newton, Goebbels, Star Trek & The Slave Trade
- Eliza Marchpane, Mozart, Vol Au Vents And The Wapping Streets
- Isambard Kingdon Brunel, Ships, Bones And Bad Breath
