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West Ham
West Ham maps
Historic maps of West Ham and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all West Ham maps
West Ham area books
Displaying 1 of 13 books about West Ham and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of West Ham
Displaying a selection of personal
memories of West Ham.
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Living in Stratford During The London Blitz 1940-41
I remember living at no 41, Louise Road, Stratford E15, during the Blitz, and attending Water Lane School. At school each day as the teacher called out our names for Attendance, I noticed how each day the class became less and less. We were encouraged to have lunch at school (if our mums could afford it), fortunately for me mine could, but for my little friend Chris had to go home each lunchtime to have his meal, it was on one such occasion there was an air aid and my friend never came back, his house took a direct hit. I never knew his surname but I knew his street. There is still a gap in that road, where the bomb landed, even to this day. I remember each morning walking to school and picking up pieces of shrapnal so we could swap at school, playing 'Fag Cards' in the playground, seeing how far one could flick the card, cards, all cigarette cards, Players, Turf, Wills, Woodbines, you would... Read more
Bath Time
My memories of bath times goes back to when Mum would once a week fill the copper again, in the corner of the scullery. The copper was built of bricks if I remember, with a tin liner, below was an opening, where you would light a fire which would heat the water, the copper would also be used for mum's washing, which there was a lot of, having seven boys and four girls. Mum would start to bath us all one at a time, starting with the girls, as we were usally cleaner than the boys, after they had been playing football or cricket, or making their dens on the old bomb sites. Half way through bath time Mum would take out a large jug or two of water, and replace it with cold water, this would keep the temperature just about right. I can remember on one occasion when my brother Daniel caused me trouble, while Mum had gone to fetch the towels from the fire guard, which was... Read more
St. Stephen's Church
My paternal grandparents lived at number 29 St. Stephen's Road from about 1906 until 1944. My father and his two sisters were born in West Ham and he lived at number 29 until he married in 1934 and moved to the south side of the Thames. As a young boy he was in the choir at St. Stephen's Church. My great-aunt and her family lived at number 27 and my uncle purchased his first house in the same street, I think in the late 1920s, so the family was well established in the area for a number of years. My dad moved to Croydon when he married and all of his generation except one moved away from West Ham. I vaguely remember being taken to visit my grandparents in 1939 but never went there again as the war intervened and by not long after my grandparents died. As I recall, my dad said the house had no bathroom. Must have been a real challenge for... Read more
Street Party
I have a few photos of the Coronation street party in Pond Road, great times.
Then when I was married and had up till then 2 daughters we went to another street party in Pond Road for the 1977 Jubilee. My mum and dad were still living there so they paid for my daughters to join in the fun which was great. I wonder if anybody has any pics of that time, it would be great to see.
Kathy
Happy Days
I grew up in West Ham from my birth until 1960, living at Stephens Road, Stratford. I remember going shopping with Mum to Stratford High Road, we would go to the market for all Mum's shopping. We would buy fish from Angel Lane and sometimes from a stall outside Woolworths, the shopping was done most days as we did not have a fridge, only what was a cool cupboard. While out shopping we would also go to the Lyons Tea Rooms, for a cup of tea with cake, a big treat for me. I went to Napier Road school from the age of five, then on to Deanery Road School for girls, which was at The Grove, Stratford. I also remember going to Victoria Park at the holidays from school, we used to walk down Carpenters Road, the smell of Carpenters Road was not very pleasant, as there were many factories down that road, but the walk was worth it as the park was a joy. ... Read more
Angel Lane
being a pupil at grove (or salway) primary school was handy as afterwards i would go with my mate, harry short, and visit his dad's pub, the red lion i think, opposite the theatre royal. we would play on the dumb waiter, pulling each other up and down, then go down to angel lane for pie and mash. my neighbours, the langans, used to be in charge of the theatre royal, so i was a regular visitor there too. watching many shows from the 'gods' for free and seeing many familiar faces from the telly. joan littlewood was running the shows then, with barbara windsor, brian murphy, yootha joyce being in some of the shows. when angel lane was no more, the stratford mall was built and is still there today.
Greater London memories
Hammer of The Year Dance
At the end of the 1972/1973 football season, and at the age of 17, I went for the first (and only) time to the annual Hammer of the Year dance at East Ham town Hall organised by West Ham United. I went with my friend Diane Legg. There I was asked for a dance by a young man, which was a surprise to me as I never had much to do with boys. This time, for some reason I said yes to the dance. I found out his name was Brian and he worked in the City at the Standard & Chartered Bank in Bishopsgate, not far from my place of work, National Westminster Bank in Threadneedle Street. I thought nothing more about him until Monday morning, when Brian phoned the bank and asked me out to lunch. Well, we started dating, and going to see West Ham play at the Boleyn Ground together Saturday afternoons. Things progressed and in 1975 we married!! It's been a long 34 years, but we're still together.... Read more
