Osborn Street is a continuation from Brick Lane which is then bisected by White Chapel Road (The Underground Map). Surrounded by restaurants and hotels, it is a small road that is generally irrelevant compared to the larger streets surrounding it. This street largely has a history tied into Brick Lane, with deep roots in immigration, becoming a home for many people of different backgrounds (Tower Hamlets). For example, beginning at the start of World War 11, many Bengalis moved to the surrounding area in response to serving in the war. Bengalis along with Jews, Muslims, Protestants, and Russians heavily influenced this area with their diverse cultures (Tower Hamlets). This impact continues to influence Osborn Street and Brick Lane as we can observe the diverse restaurants found in the area today, such as, Indian, Southeast Asian, and Turkish restaurants (Google Maps). Additionally, as of the early 2000s, it was said that “Brick Lane and its surrounding streets house some of the poorest people in Britain, yet within a few hundred yards to the west lies the City of London” (Hughes). The story, Brick Lane, follows a young Muslim Bengali family living in Brick Lane. Readers can observe these themes of cultural diversity and poverty throughout the novel, which is very characteristic of where the book is set. Readers are first introduced to Osborn Street in chapter 21 which takes place on the day of September 11th, 2001. September 11th was a notable day in history as it was the first time America was attacked by another country and its own soil. More consequently, the attack was carried out by an Islamic Extremist group, al-Qaeda. This action reverberated throughout our world, and we can see this reflected in Brick Lane. In chapter 21, the main character, Nazneen, was rushing to find her daughter and was stopped by a row of police in front of Osborn Street. They stopped her due to an active protest that was happening in Brick Lane, which was between the two protest groups, Lions Heart, and Bengal Tigers (Coursehero). This scene is significant because it shows the conflict among White people and Muslims in the United Kingdom during this significant time in history. The setting of Osborn Street is also significant because it acts as an entrance way to Brick Lane, from the main highway, White Chapel Road. The police barrier is an effective mode of blockage because it is enabling people to enter the common area of Brick Lane. Therefore, this greatly impedes Nazneen from reaching her daughter. Osborn Street in conjunction with Brick Lane is important to understand because it furthers our understanding of Nazneen’s family. For example, although living in Brick Lane for thirty years, the family had yet to ever visit London despite living so close.
Work Citied
“Brick Lane Study Guide.” Coursehero, 24 May 2019, www.coursehero.com/lit/Brick-
Lane/chapter-12-summary. Accessed 21 Feb. 2024.
The Cultural Trail.
www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/lgnl/leisure_and_culture/local_attractions/cult….
File:Brick Lane, London Looking North Northeast From Roof of Building in Osborn Street
2005 - geograph.org.uk - 688835.jpg - Wikimedia Commons. 29 June 2005, commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Brick_Lane,_London_looking_north_northeast_from_Roof_of_building_in_Osborn_Street_2005_-_geograph.org.uk_-_688835.jpg.
Hughes, Jane. “The Brick Lane Bomb: A Street Scarred by Years of Racial Conflict | the
Independent.” The Independent, 24 Apr. 1999, www.independent.co.uk/news/the-brick-lane-bomb-a-street-scarred-by-years-of-racial-conflict-1089417.html.
Osborn Street, E1.
www.theundergroundmap.com/article.html?id=25590&zoom=16&annum=2024.
“Restaurants.” Google Maps, www.google.com/maps/search/Restaurants/@51.5171722,-
0.0713657,16.49z/data=!4m7!2m6!3m5!2sOsborn+St!3s0x48761cca9c10f1cf:0x7a2d78fca9ce205f!4m2!1d-0.0700463!2d51.5166568?hl=en&entry=ttu. Accessed 21 Feb. 2024.
Survey of London | 19 to 23 Osborn Street. surveyoflondon.org/map/feature/367/detail.
Survey of London | the Buxton (Formerly the Archers) Public House, 42 Osborn Street.
surveyoflondon.org/map/feature/134/detail.