Kingsley Hall
Doris and Muriel Lester grew up in wealth, yet their grandfather Henry Lester began life as a bricklayer's labourer at age eight. Their father worked at the Thames Ironworks starting at ten years old before owning a ship repair yard in Blackwall. Both men were devout Baptists who helped finance their children's early social work initiatives. In 1912, Doris and Muriel opened a Nursery School at numbers 58 and 60 Bruce Road. They charged one shilling per day for feeding, clothing, and caring for local children. When mothers could not afford fees, wealthier supporters sponsored the children instead. Kingsley Lester died aged 26 in 1914 leaving money for educational, social, and recreational purposes. The sisters bought an old chapel on the corner of Eagling Road in 1915. Local volunteers redecorated the building to create a people's house for Bow residents. Friends, neighbours, workmen, factory girls, and children gathered there for worship, study, fun, and friendship. The premises operated a nursery alongside social events, concerts, and adult schools. Football matches, Sunday services, and summer holiday schemes also began during this period. Membership cards stated the centre was a place of fellowship without barriers of class, colour, or creed. During World War I, the hall ran a soup kitchen and stayed open at night for Air Raid Wardens. Doris and Muriel remained pacifists despite facing criticism from others. At the end of the war, they joined a march to the House of Commons demanding milk be sent to starving Germany. Members adopted a German child who stayed with a local family for two years. After the war, Kingsley Hall maintained strong links with Suffragettes in east London. Muriel spoke on street corners and Sunday mornings in Victoria Park about women's votes. Local people contributed funds towards maintaining services after her talks. Muriel became an Alderman on the Metropolitan Borough of Poplar fighting for basic provisions like milk for children under five. Enough money saved allowed them to build the Children's House on Bruce Road. H.G. Wells opened the new building in 1923.
During the General Strike of 1926, Kingsley Hall in Bow became a shelter and soup kitchen for workers. Larger accommodation was needed as popularity grew within the community. A new Kingsley Hall was built on Powis Road using funds from neighbours and wealthy patrons. Architect Charles Cowles-Voysey designed the structure that would become the current hall. A stone-laying ceremony took place on the 14th of July 1927 with many notable figures participating. Sir Walford Davies laid the brick representing music while Mr J.A.R. Cairns placed citizenship bricks. Miss Sybil Thorndike laid drama bricks and Miss De Natorp placed education bricks. Mrs D.S. Waterlow set open air and country bricks while Mr C. Cowles-Voysey handled architecture. Mr P.R. LeMare laid commerce bricks and Dr Maxwell Garnett placed world brotherhood bricks. Miss Mary Arden Shakespeare set friendship bricks and Mr John Galsworthy placed literature bricks. Mrs J. Douglas Watson laid kingdom of heaven bricks and Margaret Martin set kingsley hall club bricks. George Lansbury placed sunday evening service bricks while Mrs Harvey set women's club bricks. Tom McCarthy laid wayfarers bricks and Mayor T.J.Goodway placed borough bricks. Lady Clare Annesley set service bricks and George M. Ll. Davies MP placed politics bricks. Gilbert Bayes laid art bricks before the building opened on the 15th of September 1928. The new facility included residential cells, a clubroom, dining room, kitchen, office, and worship space. Kingsley Hall (on Powis Road) served as a permanent community center after the strike ended. It housed residential units alongside social spaces for the growing local population.
In 1931 Mahatma Gandhi accepted an invitation to stay at Kingsley Hall during talks on India's future. He resided in a small cell-bedroom on the roof sleeping there when weather permitted. Muriel Lester described his arrangements for visitors who came to see him arrive. People in East London waited outside hoping to catch a glimpse of the famous leader. Besides government work he spent time with residents visiting the Nursery School daily. Children called him Uncle Gandhi throughout his three-month stay. At six o'clock each morning after prayers he walked along the canal talking to workmen. His daily walk started before dawn taking about an hour at a brisk pace. Routes varied but he enjoyed walking along Sewerbank through Stratford to Plaistow for elevated views. Crowds joined these walks eager to speak on wide ranging subjects including many children. He found it easy to relate to locals enjoying swift Cockney wit repartee. Stories about him being accompanied by a goat were pure press invention without basis. Among his visitors were Charlie Chaplin, George Bernard Shaw, and the Pearly King and Queen. Politicians like David Lloyd George and Archbishop Cosmo Gordon Lang also visited frequently. On leaving Kingsley Hall he wrote Love surrounded me here in its visitor book. Muriel later accompanied him on tours of earthquake-shaken regions in Bihar during 1934. In 1954 English Heritage erected a Blue plaque on the building's façade honouring Gandhi. The room where he stayed has been preserved as part of the facility today.
In 1965 R.D. Laing and colleagues asked the Lesters for use of the Hall as a community. They sought space for themselves and people experiencing psychosis within a state of reality akin to waking dreams. Kingsley Hall became home to the Philadelphia Association running one of psychiatry's most radical experiments. Based on notions that psychosis was not an illness to be eliminated through electric shocks, they valued it differently. Residents in grips of psychosis were treated with kindness and respect aiming to alleviate suffering. One notable resident was Mary Barnes who later wrote Two Accounts of a Journey Through Madness with Joseph Berke. Her account described using mental condition as vehicle for painting and creative expression. Another notable resident was renowned Norwegian author Axel Jensen. Activities made the local community largely hostile leading to regular reports of harassment. After five years from 1965 to 1970 the project wound up and Kingsley Hall boarded up. During the seventies the building suffered severe damage before reopening decades later. The hall was designated a Grade II listed building in September 1973 protecting its historical significance.
In the 1980s Kingsley Hall served as one of sets used in the film Gandhi. Richard Attenborough united with the Kingsley Hall Action Group raising funds for extensive refurbishing. Many locals contributed skills and commitment bringing the center back into usable condition. Kingsley Hall reopened the 2nd of March 1985 following events held during the preceding week. It has since hosted youth groups, holiday outings, arts workshops, advice surgeries, weddings, and educational projects. The facility houses the office of the Gandhi Foundation pursuing international peace interests. In 1995 two major burglaries occurred when vandals broke in burning down offices completely. Devastated staff and volunteers continued running youth groups, advice sessions, clubs, and meetings regardless. Management interpreted remit as serving local community and cause of international peace innovatively. The hall is run by a trust registered charity number 263813. Premises are normally available for use by community and other social groups. In 2009 Kingsley Hall launched its website expanding digital access to services. A second community centre known as KHCCC was built later on Parsloes Avenue in Dagenham. That location underwent redevelopment in 2018 continuing the family's legacy across borough lines.
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Common questions
Who founded Kingsley Hall and when did they open it?
Doris and Muriel Lester opened Kingsley Hall in 1915 by purchasing an old chapel on the corner of Eagling Road. Their grandfather Henry Lester began life as a bricklayer's labourer at age eight while their father worked at the Thames Ironworks starting at ten years old.
When was the current Kingsley Hall building on Powis Road officially opened?
The new facility on Powis Road opened on the 15th of September 1928 after a stone-laying ceremony took place on the 14th of July 1927. Architect Charles Cowles-Voysey designed the structure that included residential cells, a clubroom, dining room, kitchen, office, and worship space.
How long did Mahatma Gandhi stay at Kingsley Hall during his visit to East London?
Mahatma Gandhi resided at Kingsley Hall for three months in 1931 while staying in a small cell-bedroom on the roof. He walked along the canal talking to workmen every morning before dawn and spent time visiting the Nursery School daily with children calling him Uncle Gandhi.
What happened to Kingsley Hall between 1965 and 1970 regarding psychiatric experiments?
R.D. Laing and colleagues used Kingsley Hall from 1965 to 1970 as home to the Philadelphia Association running one of psychiatry's most radical experiments. The project wound up after five years due to hostility from the local community leading to regular reports of harassment and the hall eventually boarding up.
When was Kingsley Hall designated a Grade II listed building and what does this protect?
The hall was designated a Grade II listed building in September 1973 protecting its historical significance. This status ensures preservation of the structure that served as a permanent community center after the General Strike of 1926 ended.