Walking tour: exploring the streets of the East London Group with Alan Waltham
Thursday 21st November 2024 , 10:30am to 12:30pm
Take a stroll with co-Curator Alan Waltham, as we walk the streets of the East London Group’s paintings, exploring the histories and stories behind the sites and buildings that still remain and those that have long disappeared.
Kicking things off at the People’s Palace at Queen Mary University London, we will take a rambling route through the streets of the East End, stopping off at some of the key spaces and places featured in the East London Group’s most iconic paintings.
Alan Waltham will be our guide, elucidating some of the hidden stories and hyper-local histories that these sites held for the East London Group, bringing together the London of then and now and exploring how the city has changed across time.
Route details
- Starting at the People’s Palace at Queen Mary University London, we will see Phyllis Bray’s mural, before moving on to Guardian Angels church and St Clements Hospital.
- Our next stop will be Coborn Street followed shortly by Mornington Grove and the old Frerodo bridge adjacent to the Thames Magistrates Court.
- Approaching the Nunnery gallery, we will take a detour off to the left along Fairfield Road for a view of the old Bryant and May factory, before returning to Bow Road.
- Depending on energy levels of the group, we might head down the towpath along the Lea Navigation then finish up at the Nunnery Gallery, stopping briefly to take in a view of Grove Hall Park.
- The Nunnery Gallery will be open to give attendees the chance to have a look at the exhibition and connect the sites they have visited with the original works of the East London Group and the Urban Contemporaries!
Accessibility: the route is entirely on street level, except Phyllis Bray’s mural at Queen Mary University of London which is on the first-floor. Access to the Towpath (if the group does decide they want to do this) is via ramp.
Exact meeting point at People’s Palace will be sent out to all attendees closer to the time.
Concession rate applies to students, over 65s, under 18s, Bow Arts artists, National Art Pass members, and key workers
More about Alan Waltham
As a private individual, with no formal background or training in the art world, Alan was pitched into this new environment in 2008/9 due to the inheritance of some of the works and archives of his wife’s late uncle, Walter Steggles. Walter and his younger brother Harold had exhibited widely in the late 1920s and 1930s but, beyond that, Alan and his wife had no context as to their artistic achievements. Whilst sorting through old catalogues and correspondence, it became clear just what they and the Group had achieved and, as time has gone on, he has become steeped in their world and that of the East London Group and discovered the true scope of their achievements and reputation in their day. Alan has used various social media platforms to add immeasurably to that understanding, most notably Twitter.
Alan has launched three websites for the East London Group and runs profiles for the group on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. He has been closely involved in seven exhibitions in recent years, four of which he has curated, and with a fifth in prospect.
Access information
If you have any questions regarding accessibility at this venue or event, would like to make us aware of any access requirements that you have in advance of visiting, or would like this information in an alternate format including Easy Read, please email nunnery@bowarts.com or call 020 3967 1643.
Access requirements could include things like providing equipment, services or support (e.g. information in Easy Read, speech to text software, additional 1:1 support), adjusting workshop timings (e.g. more break times), adjustments to the event space or anything else you can think of!
