Life and events in East London over the last 300 years. The Speaker is a Cockney by birth and the talk describes how the East End evolved and grew massively during the 18th and 19th centuries. 

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Listeners learn about the people from all over the World who settled here, and the legacy they left on this part of London that started as green fields, became the site of some of the worst poverty in Britain and how in recent years, it has again become a highly desirable place to live and work. 

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For the East End, the 20th Century was a period of profound social change and upheaval and listeners will hear how the area suffered so badly from the effects of World War 2. The stories of 2 of the worst civilian disasters - one of which was covered up by the Government during the war for fear of the effect it would have on morale are retold, including the testimony of those involved in these terrible events. 

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After the presentation, viewers are offered a lesson in how to understand and speak the Cockney Rhyming slang!