The secret history of East London's relationship with potatoes Potatoes originated in South America and quickly found their way to the market stalls of Ridley Road. It has a history that many locals are proud of but do you know the story? "If, crazed with hunger and exhaustion, our weary Roman legionary, on his way back to Londinium from the rigours of duty on Hadrian's Wall, stumbled forward into another time warp, he would be puzzled by the displays of strange exotic root vegetables in the shops on Kingsland Road or Ridley Road Market Written by Neil LeahyPublished on 09 December 2016 Read full article