This walk is now fully booked. To place your name on the wait list for a returned ticket, email the events department
Explore Bermondsey’s past as the larder of London, producing famous food brands such as Peek Freans biscuits, Hartley’s jam and Crosse and Blackwell sauces. While the docks and factories were open, people came to Bermondsey to seek work. Houses for workers soon filled the green fields. However, living and working conditions were hard. In the early 20th century an enlightened council tried to alleviate these conditions by building new homes and improving health, influenced by the ideas of two dynamic councillors.
Hear the story of Dr Salter and his wife Ada, the first woman in London to hold the positon of Mayor. They set up a ‘Beautification Committee’ to bring ‘fresh air and fun’ to the locals. Discover their legacy and visit a road where they lived, which featured in the BBC’s acclaimed documentary series ‘The Secret History of Our Streets’.
In addition to the Salters’ story, the tour features a famous entertainer, an elegant classical church, a park on the site of an 18th century pleasure garden, and the surviving gatehouse of Bermondsey Abbey.
Meet point: Bermondsey tube station, SE16 4RX
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