Whither Icthycoo Park?

Artrockers,

I spent a pleasant couple of hours in Whitechapel yesterday. The sun shone as the traffic roared towards the coast. I was there with my team to photograph and video Toy. We took photos in the middle of the traffic's roar, down a dark alley and, traditionalists that we are, against a brick wall. Then we headed a few yards to Altab Ali Park. At which point I pointed out that prior to it's re-naming, in honour of a young Bangladeshi murdered by several youths, this was the site of Itchycoo Park, as glorified by The Small Faces.

The various members of Toy were impressed. But I wasn't so sure, something in the back of my mind nagged away - are you sure about that Tom?

I thought back to the thoroughly untrustworthy person who'd first told me that, not much else that came from his mouth was truth so maybe this was also a lie, and one that I'd been repeating for years.

So I did a bit of research and it turns out nobody is really sure where it is. Is it in Ilford, Manor Park? Perhaps only Ronnie Lane knows, but we can't ask him, for obvious reasons.

Just down the road from Whitechapel is Spitalfields' Itchy Park, named after the rough sleepers itching their flea bites, apparently. Is this Itchycoo Park?

Who knows? Do you? If so please let me know, let's nail this once and for all.

Tom Artrocker