Mary Hughes Blue Plaque

The blue plaque you see commemorates Mary Hughes, a dedicated social worker who committed her life to supporting the impoverished residents of Whitechapel. Born into a privileged home in Mayfair, she chose to abandon her comfortable life to live directly among the poor and destitute in the East End. In 1926, she purchased a former public house on this site and transformed it into a refuge she named the Dewdrop Inn. The name was a clever play on the phrase do drop in, inviting those in need of shelter or companionship to enter without hesitation. Within these walls, she offered a sanctuary for the homeless, often giving up her own small living quarters or her bed to those who arrived at her door. Her commitment was so profound that she frequently went without food herself to ensure others were fed, and her reputation for selflessness was known well enough that Mahatma Gandhi specifically requested to meet her during his visit to London in 1931.