Osborn Street, once known as "Dirty Lane", used to be part of Brick Lane. It begins at Whitechapel Road, and ends at a crossroads section that includes streets such as Wentworth, Old Montague, and Brick Lane itself. It is also famous for being the site of the murder of Emma Smith, which prompted the London police to investigate the Whitechapel Murders, a file that included some murders that were attributed to Jack the Ripper. Much of Osborn Street was destroyed during World War II. In Brick Lane, Nazneen has to fight her way through the police on Osborn Street to find her daughter, who had ran away.
"A row of police vans covered the mouth of Osborn Street. Behind them a legion of policemen stood with arms folded and feet turned out. A length of tangerine-and-white-striped tape stuck the sides of the street together." (Brick Lane, Chapter 21).
