The Blind Beggar, Whitechapel

One of London's most famous pubs, The Blind Beggar sits on Whitechapel High Street. There has been a hostelry on this site since 1654. The present building dates from 1894.
The pub belonged to Manns Albion Brewery - the first to produce Brown Ale.
I used to frequent the pub myself when I lived and worked in the area. It is best known for its association with those notorious East End gangsters - the Kray Twins. Indeed, when I was there I often saw their old associate 'Mad' Frankie Fraser at the bar, accompanied by a couple of minders. (He died in November 2014. He spent 42 of his 90 years in prison).
On the evening of March 9th, 1966, George Cornell was drinking in the saloon bar. He was a member of a rival gang - the South London based Richardsons. Ronnie Kray was drinking in another pub nearby and heard that Cornell was here. Ronnie promptly arrived and shot him dead. Despite there being a number of witnesses to the killing, no-one recognised Ronnie at the identification parade the next day, after he had been arrested on suspicion for the crime. Naturally, the witnesses would all have been looking the other way... The Krays did not fall until 1968. Interestingly, the Kray twins were once imprisoned in the Tower of London - two of the last people to be locked up there. This was back in their National Service days - something which they did not want to do, and no-one was going to tell them anything different.

The pub was owned for a time by England footballing hero Bobby Moore.
Back in 1865 William Booth preached for the first time on the street outside the pub - pressing his nose to the window as he urged abstinence on its patrons. This event ultimately led to the formation of the East London Christian Mission, and hence to the Salvation Army. There's a statue of Booth nearby on Mile End Road. The hand is frequently stolen and then replaced.

The pub's name comes from a legend about Henry de Montfort - son of Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester. Henry was killed at the Battle of Evesham in 1265, along with his father. Simon was leading the rebel barons against Henry III. His son - the future Edward I - led the king's forces. The legend maintained that Henry had only been badly wounded and blinded in the battle. He was nursed back to health and became a beggar at Bethnal Green - which is just up the road from the pub.