Discover Fournier Street, a hidden London gem with 18th-century homes, a step back in time amidst modern skyscrapers.
You find it in Spitalfields, in Tower Hamlets. The street has pretty 18th-century homes with matching windows and chimneys. Together, they form a Georgian townhouse collection that is one of Britain’s best-kept ones.
People work hard to keep Fournier Street nice. Instagram models pose by wooden doors there, while the Gherkin building peeks over the chimneys. These sights hint at the present day.
George Fournier, a Huguenot, gave the street its name. Huguenots, fleeing France, lived there in the 1700s. They were Calvinist Protestants facing persecution.
Huguenots turned homes into silk workshops. People say number 14 wove Queen Victoria’s gown. This small street helped shape the East End’s rag trade.
Now, people use Fournier Street to reach Brick Lane, walking to market stalls and clothing shops. Often, they carry shopping bags filled with clothes.
Ten Bells pub sits at Fournier’s Commercial Street end. It’s known as Jack the Ripper’s final victim’s last stop. Nearby, a new shop is opening; it sells fish and chips, “Jack the Chipper.”
In Spitalfields, old and new mix well. Chefs and artists create food at the market where you can find apple crumble.
You might miss Fournier Street’s past importance. It can be easy to walk right past it.