Hankey Place

Hankey Place is a short residential street in the heart of The Borough, a neighbourhood south of London Bridge dominated by modern flats and conversion warehouses. The street itself is brief—just 138 metres long—running between Long Lane and Manciple Street. It forms part of the Tabard Estate, a mid-twentieth-century development that transformed this corner of Southwark after slum clearance. What you see today is almost entirely post-war: the architecture is functional, the character is of a working neighbourhood rather than a historic gem. Yet the street’s name carries an unexpected story of faith, war writing, and community service.

The street was formerly Chapel Place, realigned and rebuilt following the London County Council’s changes to the Tabard Street area. It was named for Donald Hankey, who worked in a mission here before the Great War and then, having enlisted, became well known through publications about military service. Hankey was a significant figure in early twentieth-century literary and religious circles—a missionary whose writings about the soldier’s experience during the First World War found an wide readership. When the street was rebuilt and renamed in the 1950s, it took his name as a tribute to this local connection.

Chapel Place existed as a lane in Southwark long before it took Hankey’s name, but the mid-twentieth century saw dramatic change in this area. After the Second World War, Southwark Council and the London County Council undertook extensive slum clearance and redevelopment schemes. The Tabard Street area—bounded by Long Lane and Manciple Street—was identified for comprehensive reconstruction. In this process, the old Chapel Place was not simply preserved; it was realigned and rebuilt to fit the new street pattern and new blocks of housing. The street dates from the 1950s, replacing Chapel Place.

The street that emerged from this mid-century redevelopment was modern and functional—designed to house working people in purpose-built blocks. The Tabard Community Hall (also called Hankey Hall) dates from around 1924 and serves the local residents. The street remains predominantly residential, with a mix of social housing and converted warehouse spaces nearby. It is a product of the optimistic post-war vision of urban renewal, though not the romantic or historic vision that draws visitors to other parts of London.

Hankey Place embodies the post-war redevelopment character of The Borough. The street comprises low-rise housing blocks, mostly flats built in the 1950s onwards, with the Tabard Community Hall serving as a focal point for local life. There are no grand Victorian buildings or historic pubs here—instead, a quiet, functional streetscape designed for ordinary urban living. Yet this very ordinariness is important: these streets were built to replace slum housing and to provide affordable, decent accommodation to working people. The area is now undergoing further change, with warehouses and industrial spaces being converted into residential and cultural uses, creating new energy whilst respecting the street’s established character.

Today, Hankey Place is a residential street in one of south London’s most dynamic neighbourhoods. The street itself remains quiet and residential, but it sits within a wider area of rapid change and investment. Borough Market is minutes away, as are independent restaurants, galleries, and cultural venues along Bermondsey Street. The nearest Tube station is Borough, approximately 380 yards north, providing quick access to central London. Guy’s Hospital lies nearby, as does London Bridge station. The housing stock is predominantly modern flats, many now converted to private use or let on the private market. Yet the social character of The Borough—as a working neighbourhood with strong community ties—remains evident in local institutions, markets, and the mix of residents who call this part of Southwark home.