Editing Limehouse (section)

==Notable residents==
[[File:SirGilbertHumphrey.jpg|thumb|right|Sir [[Humphrey Gilbert]], c. 1583]]
Sir [[Humphrey Gilbert]] lived here,<ref>{{cite EB1911|wstitle=Gilbert, Sir Humphrey |volume=12 |page=7}}</ref> and was an advocate of opening up the [[Northwest Passage]]. This inspired [[Martin Frobisher]] to sail to [[Baffin Island]], and he returned with a mysterious black rock.<ref>{{cite EB1911|wstitle=Frobisher, Sir Martin |volume=11 |pages=237–238}}</ref> Gilbert set up the [[Society of the New Art]] with [[William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley|Lord Burghley]] and the [[Earl of Leicester]], who had their alchemical laboratory in Limehouse;<ref>''[[Calendar of the Patent Rolls]], Elizabeth I, Vol. VI, 1572–1575'' Joel Hurstfield ''The English Historical Review, Vol. 91, No. 358 (January 1976), pp. 127–129''</ref> however, their attempts to transmute the black rock into [[gold]] proved fruitless. (Humphrey's brother Adrian Gilbert was reputed a great [[alchemy|alchemist]] and worked closely with [[John Dee]].) <ref>{{Cite book|last=Parry|first=G. J. R.|title=The Arch-conjuror of England : John Dee|publisher=Yale University Press.|year=2011|isbn=9780300117196|location=New Haven}}</ref>

Captain [[Christopher Newport]] lived in Limehouse for several years up until 1595.<ref>K.R. Andrews, ''Christopher Newport of Limehouse, Mariner,'' [[College of William & Mary|William and Mary]] Quarterly 3d ser., 11, no. 1(January 1954):28.</ref> He rose through the sailing ranks from a poor [[cabin boy]] to a wealthy English [[privateer]] and eventually one of the Masters of the [[Royal Navy]]. He became rich pirating Spanish treasure vessels in the [[Caribbean|West Indies]]. In 1607 he sailed the ''[[Susan Constant]]'', followed by the ''[[Godspeed (ship)|Godspeed]]'' and ''[[Discovery (1602 ship)|Discovery]]'', as [[Admiral of the Fleet]] to [[Jamestown, Virginia|Jamestown]]. He helped secure England's foothold in North America through five voyages to Jamestown. He sailed his entire life, dying on a trading voyage to [[Bantam (city)|Bantam]], on the island of [[Java]] in present-day [[Indonesia]]. His sailing experience in Limehouse made him known as Captain Christopher Newport, of Limehouse, Mariner.

Charles Dickens' [[Godparent|godfather]], Christopher Huffam,<ref>West, Gilian. "Huffam and Son." Dickensian 95, no. 447 (Spring, 1999): 5–18.</ref> ran his [[Sailmaker|sailmaking]] business from 12 Church Row (Newell Street).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.eastlondonhistory.com/dickens.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040813022525/http://www.eastlondonhistory.com/dickens.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=13 August 2004|title=charles dickens|date=13 August 2004}}</ref> Huffam is said to be the inspiration for the Paul Dombey character in Dickens' ''[[Dombey and Son]]''.

[[James Abbott McNeill Whistler|James McNeill Whistler]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.davidrumsey.com/amico/amico1093308-4593.html |title=James McNeill Whistler / Limehouse / 1878 |website=Davidrumsey.com |access-date=14 December 2016}}</ref> and [[Charles Napier Hemy]]<ref>''The Barge Builders'' in ''The Burlington Magazine'', Vol. 126, No. 981 (December 1984), p. 786+804</ref> sketched and painted at locations on Narrow Street's river waterfront.

Contemporary residents include the actor Sir [[Ian McKellen]],<ref>{{cite web|author=Keith Stern/CompuWeb |url=http://www.mckellen.com/life/per.htm |title=Sir Ian McKellen Personal Bio &#124; Prior to launch of his website |website=Mckellen.com |date=25 May 1939 |access-date=14 December 2016}}</ref> [[Matthew Parris]],<ref>{{cite news|last=Farndale |first=Nigel |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/donotmigrate/3583637/Well-always-have-Parris.html |title=We'll always have Parris |newspaper=Telegraph |date=3 October 2002 |access-date=14 December 2016}}</ref> comedy actress [[Cleo Rocos]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://icthewharf.icnetwork.co.uk/thewharf/headlines/tm_headline=new-forum-fighting-for-a-limehouse-focus&method=full&objectid=18492430&siteid=71670-name_page.html |title=The Wharf: News from Canary Wharf and the Docklands |website=Icthewharf.icnetwork.co.uk |access-date=14 December 2016}}</ref> actor [[Steven Berkoff]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.independent.co.uk/people/profiles/article2124821.ece|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070107071043/http://news.independent.co.uk/people/profiles/article2124821.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=7 January 2007|title=Independent Online Edition > Profiles|date=7 January 2007}}</ref> comedian [[Lee Hurst (comedian)|Lee Hurst]] ,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eastlondonadvertiser.co.uk/news/heritage/limehouse-comedian-lee-hurst-joins-park-protesters-on-march-to-city-hall-1-831549|title=Limehouse comedian Lee Hurst joins park protesters on march to City Hall|first=Marina|last=Thomas|date=16 March 2011|access-date=14 November 2018}}</ref> as well as politician Lord David Owen.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sca.lib.liv.ac.uk/collections/Owen/biog.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010709091000/http://sca.lib.liv.ac.uk/collections/Owen/biog.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=9 July 2001|title=David Owen Papers – Biographical notes|date=9 July 2001}}</ref>  Limehouse was also the home of the late film director Sir [[David Lean]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_19971025/ai_n14142206 |title=CBSi |website=FindArticles.com |access-date=14 December 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924095152/http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_19971025/ai_n14142206 |archive-date=24 September 2015 }}</ref>