Person    | Male  Born 4/2/1850  Died 2/1/1936

Frederick Nicholas Charrington

Renounced a brewing fortune to help the East End poor. Born Bow Road, the heir to Charrington’s Brewery in Stepney. He entered the business but, aged 19, experienced a religious conversion and became an evangelical Christian. He became aware of the harm that alcohol, the source of his wealth, did to the poor and so he left the business and devoted his life to helping the poor in the East End, particularly through the Temperance movement. Campaigned against prostitution and music halls.  Either he kept some of his ill-gotten gains or he was good at raising funds because he managed to open a school, the Tower Hamlets Mission and to build the Great Assembly Hall in Mile End. Founded a retreat for alcoholics at Osea Island off the coast of Essex. Some were wealthy (Sickert is rumoured to have stayed) others would do community work as payment. He was one of the original members of the London County Council, 1889-95. Working on almost identical ground Barnardo and Charrington began supportive of each other but this developed into a bitter feud.  Died in the London Hospital.

His campaign against prostitution had two unseen consequences: by closing down brothels he forced the prostitutes out onto the streets, thus, possibly, providing easy victims for Jack the Ripper. This campaign also brought him into contact with prostitutes and thus, inevitably, he has been named as a suspect for Jack the Ripper himself.

George Powell is a good source of more information.

 

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Frederick Nicholas Charrington

Commemorated ati

Mile End mural

Murals are often rather fun puzzles so do have a go identifying what you can ...

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Tower Hamlets Mission - 2

In thanksgiving to God for the devotion and generosity of the friends of the ...

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Other Subjects

One Tun pub - Saffron Hill

One Tun pub - Saffron Hill

The present day pub was rebuilt in 1875.

Building, Commerce, Food & Drink

1 memorial
Spiers and Pond

Spiers and Pond

This Ruislip website refers to a lost S&P war memorial and gives some historical information, stating "They were well-known wine merchants and railway caterers as well as owning their own resta...

Group, Commerce, Food & Drink

1 memorial
Act of Parliament - 1751-2 - licensing

Act of Parliament - 1751-2 - licensing

"Licensed pursuant to Act of Parliament of the Twenty fifth of King George the Second." This is a form of words that we have found at three 19th century places of entertainment, two physically and...

Concept, Food & Drink, Law, Music / songs, Theatre

1 memorial
W. Young & Son

W. Young & Son

The Young family began fishing the Thames for whitebait in 1750. In 1811 William Young married Elizabeth Martha who had been selling fish at the Greenwich quayside. They set up a fish shop and the ...

Group, Commerce, Food & Drink

1 memorial
Pope’s Head Tavern

Pope’s Head Tavern

From British History:  "...'Pope's Head', mentioned as early as the reign of Edward IV. Here, in the reign of Henry VI., wine was sold at a penny a pint, without charge for bread."

Place, Commerce, Food & Drink

1 memorial