What happened at Bethnal Green tube station?

On 3rd March 1943, an air-raid warning sounded and locals raced for cover at Bethnal Green tube station. Confusion and panic conspired to trap hundreds on the staircase entrance. In the crush that ensued, 173 were killed including 62 children with over 60 injured.

Were any tube stations bombed in ww2?

The Bethnal Green Tube Disaster of 1943 was the UK’s largest single loss of civilian life during World War II. More than 170 people fleeing from an air raid were crushed to death when the entrance to the east London station became blocked.

When was the Bethnal Green disaster?

March 3, 1943
Bethnal Green tube disaster/Start dates

On 3 March 1943 an air raid siren went off in Bethnal Green and locals made their way to the tube, seeking shelter underground.

When did Bethnal Green tube station open?

1946
Bethnal Green/Opened

Why is Bethnal Green famous?

The parish gained fame for chair-making and silk-weaving, though market gardens clung on in the eastern part. During the following century Bethnal Green became one of London’s poorest quarters, described by Karl Marx as a “notorious district” because of its child labour.

Is Bethnal Green Safe?

Safety & Crime Like many parts of London, crime still happens in the area, but crime rates are below average when compared to similar parts of the UK and Bethnal Green also has a dedicated Safer Neighbourhood Team of Metropolitan Police officers.

Did Tube trains run during the war?

Thus, beyond the uses that many people know about, the Underground served Britain during World War II in a variety of roles. It not only sheltered London’s citizens, but also Britain’s great works.

What tube station is Len shelter?

Holborn
Len Phillips, 80, of Bloomsbury, London, sheltered at night in Holborn and the now defunct Museum Tube stations. When I go down Holborn Tube now I always look at the platform and think “I used to sleep here of a night”.

Why is Bethnal Green called Bethnal Green?

The current name for the area probably came from the local pronunciation of Bethan Hall Green, ultimately leading to the connecting of Bethan and Hall to Bethnal. This was a marshy forest land for many years that seemed a relatively quiet and sleepy hamlet. The Green has historically been the pivot of the area.

Is Bethnal Green tube station safe?

So long as it is Bethnal Green (and not Hackney or Whitechapel) then it is OK so long as you’re not expecting an area dedicated to tourists. There is the Museum of Childhood, a tube that will take you into the West End in 15 minutes and a few decent places to eat, especially if you get vouchers online.

Is Bethnal Green poor?

Having been an area of large houses and gardens as late as the 18th century, by about 1860 Bethnal Green was mainly full of tumbledown old buildings with many families living in each house. By the end of the century, Bethnal Green was one of the poorest slums in London.

Is Bethnal Green a rough area?

According to the Metropolitan Police there were 71 reported violent and sexual offences in the area in November 2018, most of which happened near the canal. Bethnal Green’s many pubs and clubs draw young hedonists in their droves and it has one of the highest violent crime rates in the borough.