The East End embraces many distinct areas. From the riverside and docks where pirates were hanged and Captain Cook married a barmaid, to Shoreditch where Romeo and Juliet was first performed, this book introduces readers to the lost villages of the East End of London, once dotted with windmills and a transit camp since the time of Henry VIII. A tapestry of history forms the backdrop to life and tradition here as we discover the sewer rats who lived by salvaging coins, the fairs and food, factories and gaols, beggars and kings, hop-picking excursions and many fascinating stories that have emerged from this notorious quarter.