The Boss of Bethnal Green: The dark history of the notorious Joseph Merceron

Joseph Merceron, a shadowy figure in the East End, manoeuvred through social and political landscapes to establish a legacy of corruption in Bethnal Green during the 1800s.

When discussing the darker chapters of London’s history, the names of infamous figures like Jack the Ripper and the Kray Twins often come to mind. Yet, over 150 years before the Krays ruled the East End, another shadowy figure, Joseph Merceron, laid the foundations of corruption and exploitation in Bethnal Green. So notorious that he was even featured in season five of Poldark. Played by Tim Hutton, his character is as infamous as his real-life counterpart.

The rise of Merceron: From pawnbroker’s family to Bethnal Green treasurer

Born in 1764, on January 29, in a pawnbroker’s shop on 134 Brick Lane (now Cinnamon restaurant), Merceron came from a family with French Huguenot heritage. His father, James, was a pawnbroker and former silk weaver.

His rise to power began quietly. Baptised at La Patente, a local Huguenot church now known as Hanbury Hall, Joseph started his journey as a clerk. His distinctive last name, Merceron, first appeared in parish marriage records in 1787. 

Merceron worked in a local lottery office, then as an assistant to a poor rate collector, before getting involved in the local vestry, a body governing both Church and community matters. Here, he quickly took advantage of his powers and by the early 1800s was using it to build his fiefdom.

The Mechanics of Corruption

In July 1786, Merceron became a commissioner of land tax, in charge of collecting rent. Later that year, after he became Treasurer of the Poor in Bethnal Green, all the parish funds fell into his control. This made it easy for him to amass power, evict tenants at will and reduce rents for those he favoured.

Merceron’s methods were as ruthless as they were effective. He manipulated the Poor Laws, taking money intended to provide relief to the impoverished by the Government, for personal gain.

His control over the local workhouse, which housed the destitute, allowed him to exploit the most vulnerable for profit, often leasing out inmates as cheap labour.

Despite his growing wealth, Merceron lived a surprisingly modest life. But his power was undeniable—he controlled Bethnal Green like a puppet master, with a hand in every decision.

Joseph Merceron’s influence extended beyond the vestry. By building a network of corrupt officials, law officers, and businessmen, his schemes remained unchecked. 

Merceron’s most notorious tactic was the manipulation of property leases and rents, long before rent control laws were introduced. According to Woodford, as a major landlord, he imposed exorbitant rents on tenants while simultaneously underpaying for properties he acquired through dubious means.

In the background, whilst the Napoleonic Wars fueled radicals, the Government overlooked Merceron’s crimes, in return for his assistance in running an underground spy network to catch revolutionaries and radicals.

As he grew richer, Bethnal Green descended into a Victorian slum. 

The Fall and Legacy of Merceron

Despite his seemingly unassailable position, Merceron’s empire began to crumble in the 1820s.

A series of investigations led by vestrymen and rectors (parish priests) exposed his corrupt practices, leading to public outcry and legal action. 

In 1833, he was convicted of embezzlement. Merceron and his ally Peter Renvoize swindled the parish out of £12,200, enriching themselves while the community suffered. He was sentenced to prison for 18 months. On his release, he continued tampering with the parish finances until he was voted out of his parish office by locals. 

Merceron died from suppressed gout in 1839.

Among his possessions was the pistol used in the 1800 assassination attempt on King George III. His clerk, a key witness, had picked it up, tying Merceron to this historical event.

Before his fall from grace, Merceron was commemorated in several places in the East End. Renvoize’s grave, along with Merceron’s, survived the bombing of St Matthew’s Church in 1940.

The Boss of Bethnal Green in books

Little is known about Merceron, but historian Julian Woodford has spent years trawling through archives to document the life of this mysterious figure. His work culminated in The Boss of Bethnal Green: Joseph Merceron, the Godfather of Regency London (published by Spitalfields Life Books in 2016 and available on Kindle), the only known book dedicated to Merceron’s life and legacy, and this article’s main source of research.

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