Culture And Memory

InStall: A century of East End Markets

The Artful Willows is a group of care home staff and residents at Willows Care Home in Romford. We aim to celebrate a century of lost or unknown narratives around East End markets. Using photographs, newspaper articles, and collections in Tower Hamlets and Newham Archives, we want to explore the past and current cultural relevance and stories of Rathbone, Chrisp Street, and Petticoat Lane Markets. Over 18 months, we will organise community-focused workshops and events, increasing access to rarely used heritage collections and amplifying the voices of often excluded older adults and care home residents. The role of the market once played a central role in communities, but its character has shifted due to gentrification and cultural tourism. We want to breathe life into these narratives and provide fresh insight into lives lived around marketplaces, sharing these stories in dementia-friendly formats to engage new audiences of all ages.