Urban Fox Spotted In Tower Hamlets

London's urban foxes have an ability to pop up in the most unlikely places. Today, an urban fox has made a permanent home in Wapping thanks to Tower Hamlets Community Housing. The fox in question is of course one of our fabulous Hannah Adamaszek designed Urban Fox Little Free Libraries. This is Tower Hamlet's first LFL.

The LFL is perfectly placed on Wapping High Street at the junction of Lilley Close. Tower Hamlets Community Housing chose the location so that the LFL could be enjoyed by its residents, the local community and all visitors to this historic part of London.

Author Stephanie Saulter officially opened the library by donating copies of her book. Stephanie’s third novel, Regeneration, completes the trilogy that began with Gemsigns and continued in Binary. The stories are set in 22^nd century London, and chronicle the struggles of a genetically modified people, the gems, first to escape the grip of the commercial companies that created them, and then to overcome the suspicion, discrimination and prejudice which they face from the norm majority. In Regeneration, the gems’ emergence as innovators and entrepreneurs in their own right begins to threaten not only entrenched business interests, but the entire political status quo.

Stephanie said: “I’m a big fan of what the Little Free Libraries, and indeed all libraries, do for their communities; but this particular library, in this particular place, has a huge resonance with my own work. I was very aware of the historic and cultural significance of the different parts of the city that I used in the novels. The area of east London where the majority of my characters live is known to them as the Squats, and it’s a safe haven for homeless, victimised, marginalised people – a place from which they can begin to rebuild their lives. In our time, that same area is known as … Wapping. But it gets even better, because those newly emancipated people learn what they need to know in part by accessing archived knowledge. In other words, they consult the library. I can’t tell you how delighted I am to see that tale come full circle.”

The next time you're in Wapping, be sure to stop by and donate a book, take a book or both. Thanks to everyone at Tower Hamlets Community Housing and Stephanie Saulter for bringing more books to the East End. 

Wanstead, Leytonstone and Leyton share a common theme

We worked with three fantastic artists to create three beautiful Little Free Libraries in Wanstead, Leytonstone and Leyton. Each LFL has an Epping Forest theme (the Forest is within walking distance of each LFL) and is full of books for each community to share.

Above left: Leytonstone's Little Free Library by artist Leticia Molera Vasquez. Above right: Leyton's Little Free Library by artist Kiko Honda-Powell. Below: Wanstead's Little Free Library by Gabriela Castellanos. When she's not decorating LFLs for us Leticia runs tattoo studio Artefacto in Leytonstone with her partner Sean Vasquez. Kiko specializes in interpretative art and studied graphic and interior design in Osaka, Japan, while Gabriela takes her art influences from her Venezuelan father using a graphic approach with vivid colours.

Three little libraries with one theme, each completely different; all beautiful and engaging.

Read more about our Little Free Libraries across London and the UK in a recent article by the Independent.

The Little Free Library at Clissold Park

The Stoke Newington Little Free Library will be installed inside the Grade II listed Clissold House in the heart of Clissold Park. Throughout the year the park, the house and the cafe are brimming with children and families enjoying the wonderful sights, sounds and facilities this beautiful green space has to offer.

Clissold House (originally named Paradise House) has a fascinating history involving the change of name which arose out of a love story that would probably make a great book. William Crawshay, who bought the house in the early 1800's forbade his daughter Eliza from marrying her beloved, the curate from across the park at St Mary's. Unable to be together, they were forced to wait for many years, until William died, before they could be married. Eliza then inherited the house and married her love, the Reverend Augustus Clissold, hence the name.

For more information about this or any of our Little Free Libraries please visit our website www.littlefreelibraryproject.org.uk.

History of Clissold House sourced from the Londonphile.