Edinburgh Castle, Rhodeswell Road, Limehouse

Dr Barnardo had set up his Tent Mission on open ground opposite the Edinburgh Castle in 1872.  When the public house came onto the market the same year he was determined to buy it.  At the auction, he paid £4000 for the property.  He had acquired several bars, eighteen rooms, a small hall and at the rear a standalone Music Hall, seating over 1100.

Edinburgh Castle was to become Barnardo’s social centre where adults and children would receive support.  The Music Hall became the Peoples’ Mission Church taking the place of his Tent Mission.  Dr Barnardo became the pastor and the open space around the Music Hall, a place to hold outdoor meetings.  The bars presented him with a problem at first: how could he use them?.  He came up with a novel idea of changing the “Gin Palace” into a “Coffee Place”.  To attract people he argued the publican had to be taken on at his own game.  He would also provided bright lights, plenty of colourful pub mirrors and a warm and friendly atmosphere.  He therefore decided to leave the pub as it was.  Also the Edinburgh Castle was to be a commercial undertaking by providing good meals, games, newspapers and “temperance” refreshments.  Here social activity could be undertaken in Christian surroundings.  On the 14th February 1873, Edinburgh Castle was opened by Lord Shaftesbury and became a financial and social success.  Barnardo later use it  as part of his East End Juvenile Mission, where his famous meals were given to needy children.  

After ten years the Music Hall started to show signs of decay and it was demolished and a new bigger hall built and opened in 1884, with seating for 3200.  Dr Barnardo died in 1909 and lay-in-state in the Hall before being buried at his Village Home in Barkingside.

In 1909 a famous Liberal meeting was held at the Edinburgh Castle.  Lloyd George, then the  Chancellor of the Exchequer, addressed a meeting of 4000. He wanted to win support of the public for his Old Aged Pension Act that proposed to give a small pension to those over seventy and thereby keeping them out of the workhouse.  This reform paved the way for the welfare state.

 Later the Edinburgh Castle became part of the Methodist East End Mission.  In 1959, it was closed and demolished.  The site became part of King George VI Playing Fields now part of Mile End Park.