the name of a district in the east of London (so called from St. Mary Spital), used attrib. in Spitalfield(s) breakfast, weaver (see quots.).
1865. Slang Dict., 242. Spitalfield’s breakfast, at the East end of London this is understood as consisting of a tight necktie and a short pipe.
1880. Day, Fishes Gt. Brit., I. 81. This form [i.e., Trachinus draco], not T. vipera, are sold in Whitechapel as food, and are said to be known as Spitalfield weavers.
