1885–1918: In this period the constituency was a division of the parliamentary borough of Tower Hamlets in east London.

The brewery was headed by Spencer Charrington, MP for the area between 1885 and 1904.

In 1889 there was a change in the administrative arrangements covering the constituency, with the creation of the County of London.

The Representation of the People Act 1918 defined it as comprising four local government wards of Mile End Old Town (Centre, North, South and West) as well as the ward of Whitechapel East.

The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by the Autumn of 1939, the following candidates had been selected;