Little Somerset Street was originally called Harrow Alley but colloquially known as ’Blood Alley.’
The area once contained eight butcher’s shops which were all bought up by one owner.
The City of London once charged a tariff for driving cattle across the square mile and so a thriving butchery trade grew up in Aldgate and Whitechapel, slaughtering cattle before the carcasses were transported over to Smithfield.
