IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
The Terrace, Old Ford Road, LONDON, E2 9PH

Architect: A.E. Darby (as recorded on foundation stone). For another view and further information see Image

The Museum of Childhood - in a different Geograph square from the photographer!

The V&A Museum of Childhood in Bethnal Green in the East End of London is a branch of the Victoria and Albert Museum (the "V&A"), which is the United Kingdom's national museum of applied arts. The museum was founded in 1872 as the Bethnal Green Museum. The building was used to display a variety of collections at different times; in the 1920s, it began to focus on services for children, and in 1974 it was defined as a specialist museum of childhood. It has extensive collections of toys, childhood equipment and costumes, and stages a program of temporary exhibitions. The museum is a Grade II* listed building (Historic England List Entry Number: 1357777 http://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Single.aspx?uid=1357777&resourceID=5 Heritage Gateway).

You might just be able to make it out behind the jumble of street furniture and other clutter. Pevsner describes it as "rather ordinary Neo-Georgian", but I quite like it. Under the red brick and Portland stone dressings is a reinforced concrete frame. Note too the distinctive lettering. Built by A.E. Darby, Bethnal Green Borough Surveyor and Engineer, in 1929, providing baths, swimming pool and other facilities. It is now owned by Tower Hamlets Council and provides similar facilities except that, according to a disgruntled-sounding Wikipedia page, now you have to pay for what used to be free.