Camperdown House in Half Moon Passage
Camperdown House in Half Moon Passage
Record No
121193
Title
Camperdown House in Half Moon Passage
Description
A view of the English National Opera Rehearsal Studios in Camperdown House, Half Moon Passage, Whitechapel, seen from Braham Street, with pedestrians waiting at a bus stop. Camperdown House has a three-storey grandly classical frontage on Half Moon Passage. Three central bays have arched ground-floor windows, and tall arched windows on the top floor. There are two sets of steps leading to doorways, raised brick detailing to the ground floor, elaborate window seals and protruding plinths at the parapets. A two-storey rear wing with sloping tiled roof and first-floor arched windows extends along Braham Street. Camperdown House stands on the footprint of a previous tobacco factory and hotel. It was built in 1912-13 as the headquarters for The Jewish Lads' Brigade. It had a library, committee room, dining rooms, a band room, a large auditorium with a capacity of 970, a gymnasium, rifle range and three smaller halls. Membership lapsed and by 1933 the hall was used as a boxing venue, for dances and to show films. The Auxiliary Fire Brigade requisitioned the building in 1939, and the Jewish Lads' Brigade did not return to the building after World War II. In 1952 the Territorial Army took a lease of the property, vacating in 1973 after the formation of Braham Street and when redevelopment was envisaged. Half Moon Passage originally ran through to Whitechapel High Street and Camperdown House was located roughly midway. The creation of the Gardiners' Corner Gyratory System saw the removal of the northern part of Half Moon Passage, and the extension of Braham Street as part of the gyratory, leaving Camperdown House the northern-most building in the remaing truncated section. For more than 40 years Braham Street ran one way, east to west, from Commercial Road to Mansell Street. Camperdown House no longer exists and a twelve-storey office block occupies the site. Redevelopment of the area has seen the removal of the gyratory system, and Braham Street has been turned into a pedestrianised open public space. The railings and ramp leading down into Half Moon Passage still exist. Spanning an archway at the far end of Half Moon Passage, the rear of numbers 17-19 Alie street can be seen. These buildings still exist.
Date of execution
1974
Section
The London Archives
Collection
LCC Photograph Library
Medium
photograph
Catalogue No
SC_PHL_01_390_74_12675
London picture map location
Exact
Subjects
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