BETHNAL

GREEN  , an eastern metropolitan borough of London, England, bounded N. by Hackney, E. by Poplar, S. by Stepney and W. by Shoreditch . Pop . (1901) 129',680 . It is a district of poor houses, forming part of the area commonly known as the " East End." The working population is employed in the making of match-boxes, boot-making, cabinet-makingand other industries; but was formerly largely devoted to silk-weaving, which spread over the district from its centre in Spitalfields (see STEPNEY) . This industry is still maintained . The Bethnal Green museum was opened in 1872 . It contains exhibits of food and animal products, formerly at South Kensington, entomological collections, &c.; and various loan exhibitions are held from time to time . The Museum also housed the Wallace collection until the opening of Hertford House, and the pictures now in the National Portrait Gallery . It stands in public gar-dens; there are several other small open spaces; and some 7o out of the 217 acres of Victoria Park are within the borough . Close by the park there stood, until the 19th century, a house believed to have belonged to the notorious Bishop Bonner, the persecutor of Protestants in the reign of Mary; his name is still attached to a street here . Among institutions are the missionary settlement of the Oxford House, founded in 1884, with its women's branch, St Margaret's House; the North-Eastern hospital for children, the Craft school and the Leather Trade school . The parliamentary borough of Bethnal Green has two divisions, each returning one member .

The borough

council consists of a mayor, 5 aldermen and 30 councillors . Area 759.3 acres .