We're back!

By popular demand!

Well, almost!

We have recently been contacted by the British Library archiving service seeking our permission for them to "adopt" this site and ensure it has a long, on-line, presence, because they regard it as being one of cultural and local historic interest.  

So, well after the contributors to this site have shuffled off to another place, their works will continue to be accessible, via the BL offer, world-wide, in perpetuity. It was a privilege to be asked and we were delighted to agree to participate in their archiving scheme, which should be up and running after they overcome their recent ransomware attack..

It's five years since we stopped posting regularly, but the blog continues to receive over 8,000 visitors a month and has now topped over 1.5 million hits. Many of the 200+ articles on here have received comments from readers (attached at the end of the appropriate article) that have added to the original story, and are well worth a revisit by anyone interested in the topic.

Previous contributors to the blog have continued to produce local historical material of real interest, but without it finding a ready home for it. There is now a considerable reservoir of articles, awaiting publication on a suitable platform.

We are delighted to have picked up the chalice that has been thrown down by the BL offer, continued interest in the site and on-going production of articles of merit, matching the original brief and objectives of this blog. So, we are reviving the blog.

For the future, we will attempt to publish every 10 days or so and promote the new posts via our X (Twitter) account (@e7_nowandthen) - which itself has over 2,000 followers. Or to keep up to speed,  just revisit this site, regularly, to discover recent articles.

Future content will be slightly more mixed than previously. More authors will be contributing and there will be a wider breadth, length and content of contributions. We will be running, for example, an important, original series by E7-N&T stalwart contributor, Mark Gorman on the farms in and around the pre-suburban Forest Gate.

Another regular contributor, Peter Williams, will continue to provide articles on the background to local streets and houses of significance in the area.

There will be a pot pourri of articles, some entering new territory (geographically and subject-wise), others updating the content on articles that are now up to 10 years old on the site.

We will try to provide a real mix of content and subject, while trying to be comprehensive and original in our publication of matters of local importance.

As an indication of the new, wider, approach, our next blog will be from an author new to this site, though not to Forest Gate readers, about his important connections with a recently deceased national icon. Derek Smith will write about his fascinating relationship with the recently deceased, though, then emerging poet, Benjamin Zephaniah, in the local area in the early 1980s.

 

This will be followed by the first of a significant and important local historic research series on the Farms of Forest Gate and Area, by Mark Gorman.

We will then try to mix and match content on roughly a ten-day cycle, bringing as much new, Forest Gate-focussed, material to the site as possible.

We hope you enjoy the content!  Feel free to comment at the end of any article; we will not edit comments and only spam (of which there is a surprising amount) will be deleted. Keep the debate and conversation going!

Meanwhile, for new readers (and others who would like a nudge), below is an index of around 200 of the more interesting articles produced in our first five years of publication.

The index is arranged by rough subject area, and in chronological order, within each subject head, of publication. Click the hyperlink for immediate access. Enjoy! - and feel free to comment!

Businesses and Industry

The Pawnbrokers of Forest Gate • 10 Jul 2013 here

Forest Gate: hub of Victorian bike manufacturers • 11 Mar 2014 here

Bike building in Forest Gate • 20 Mar 2014 here

The Trebor story: Forest Gate's sweet success • 30 Apr 2014 here

 

End of an era – wood turners Brettell's leaves Chestnut Avenue • 16 Oct 2015 here

Happy birthday, Newham Bookshop! • 1 Mar 2018 here

Barry's Meat Market: as one door closes, two open! • 24 May 2018 here

Bonallack's - coach-builders of Forest Gate • 18 Jul 2018 here

Smallholders - on countdown • 23 Oct 2018 here

Charities

Plan B for Excluded kids • 8 May 2013 here

The Durning Hall story • 23 Feb 2015 here

The Magpie Project • 14 May 2018 here

Contemporary Miscellaneous

Booming Woodgrange Road • 12 Jun 2013 here

Forest Gate - the chic and the shabby • 11 Feb 2014 here

7 Es of E7 • 19 Oct 2014 here

Underneath the Arches - Sub- trainian Forest Gate! • 26 Apr 2016 here

Public art in Forest Gate • 14 May 2016 here

30 Heritage Plaques for Forest Gate! • 20 Oct 2017 here

Conservation and Development

Spotted Dog - still under threat • 15 May 2013 here

 

Save the Old Spotted Dog - petition - a week to sign! • 23 Aug 2013 here

Forest Gate's listed buildings (1) • 18 Dec 2015 here

Forest Gate's listed buildings (2) • 9 Jan 2016 here

39a - 49a Woodgrange Road- regeneration plans gain planning approval • 22 Mar 2016 here

Public monuments in Forest Gate • 6 May 2016 here

140 -150 Earlham Grove - regeneration plans • 8 Nov 2016 here

Redevelopment proposals for Woodgrange Methodist Church • 15 Mar 2018 here

Crime

Murdergate (1) • 12 Jul 2016 here

Murdergate (2) • 8 Aug 2016 here

The 1919 Forest Gate murders • 8 Mar 2017 here

 

Forest Gate, and Victorian Penny Dreadfuls (1) • 11 Jul 2017 here

Forest Gate and 20th Century Penny Dreadfuls (2) • 20 Jul 2017 here

Education - Now

Schools report - part 1 • 21 Oct 2013 here

Secondary schools report • 14 Nov 2013 here

St Antony's tops Forest Gate junior school 2014 league table • 12 Dec 2014 here

The ups and downs of Forest Gate schools' Ofsted judgements • 4 Dec 2015 here

Tres Bon (1) - the first 75 years of St Bonaventure's school • 27 Aug 2017 here

Tres Bon (2) - St Bon's illustrious alumni • 30 Oct 2017 here

Education – Then

Christmas day in the Forest Gate Workhouse • 24 Dec 2013 here

The Forest Gate Industrial school story • 23 May 2014 here

Forest Gate Industrial School Fire - New Year's day 1890 • 30 May 2014 here

 Origins of formal education in Forest Gate • 18 Jan 2016 here

The story of St Angela's school • 23 May 2016 here

Forest Gate Industrial school - The 1890 inquest and background to its 1906 closure

• 2 Jan 2017 here

Godwin School ( boys ) log 1 - 1883 - 1984, the origins • 13 Jan 2017 here

Godwin School ( boys ) log 2 - pre WW1 (1900 - 1914) • 30 Jan 2017 here

When Godwin school went to Paris – 1912 • 27 Feb 2017 here

Godwin School ( boys ) log 4 - between the wars (1919 - 1939) • 3 May 2017 here

A survivor's tale - 1889 Forest Gate Industrial School Fire • 1 Jan 2018 here

Out now! (book on Forest Gate children’s workhouse) • 29 Aug 2021 here

Collection of original artwork from Godwin school, 1899-1901 discovered - and published! • 1 Aug 2023 here

Fire

Fire Guts Famous Gym • 17 Apr 2013 here

Forest Gate Industrial School Fire - New Year's day 1890 • 30 May 2014 here

Fire! Fire! Fire!, in Forest Gate • 5 Jun 2015 here

Fires and drought on Wanstead Flats - a reflection • 19 Aug 2016 here

First motor fire engine tested on Wanstead Flats • 19 Jun 2017 here

Claremont Road temporary WW2 fire station • 18 Jan 2018 here

Food and Drink

Railway (pub) hits the buffers • 2 May 2013 here

The Forest Gate Good (and not so) Pub guide - past and present • 30 Aug 2013 here

Food hygiene in Woodgrange Road • 30 Oct 2013 here

The 24 hour Forest Gate gourmet trail • 9 Apr 2014 here

Forest Gate pub guide: 2014 • 18 Aug 2014 here

Forest Gate food hygiene, 2014 (2) - schools and health and social care

• 3 Oct 2014 here

Food for thought from Forest Gate restaurants • 10 Oct 2014 here

FG Good Booze guide – 2015 • 15 Aug 2015 here

Very poor food hygiene practice in Forest Gate (and some decent) - 2015 ratings

• 4 Nov 2015 here

The Princess Alice - gone, but not forgotten • 11 Dec 2015 here

 

From famine to feast in E7 • 23 Feb 2016 here

E7 restaurants - food rating - March 2017 • 31 Mar 2017 here

E7 food shops - FSA ratings, April 2017 • 5 Jun 2017 here

Health

Forest Gate health check (1) - poor General Practice • 30 Aug 2016 here

NHS at 70 (1): History of the Forest Gate Maternity Hospital • 1 Jul 2018 here

NHS at 70 (2) - current state of services in E7 • 10 Jul 2018 here

History – Miscellaneous

Upstairs, downstairs in Forest Gate – 1881 • 16 Jul 2013

They lie amongst us (local cemeteries) • 11 Oct 2013 here

Alms and the manor • 28 Feb 2014  

The early recorded history of north Forest Gate • 26 Jun 2014 here

Forest Gate - Pathe News clips • 25 Aug 2014 here

Forest Gate Ward in 1907 • 28 Nov 2014 here

Park Ward in 1907 • 5 Dec 2014 here

Upton Ward in 1907 • 28 Dec 2014 here

Turning the Pages of history • 27 May 2015 here

From chapel to ...? • 23 Sept 2015 here

Forest Gate's little gem • 15 Feb 2016 here

 

Forest Gate's unique place in the history of witchcraft • 17 Mar 2016 here

Forest Gate and Irish Independence • 9 Jun 2016 here

From Forest Gate to Irish Taoiseach, via the Easter rising • 21 Jun 2016 here

An Upton introduction • 21 Jul 2016 here

Edwardian Forest Gate - a photographic essay (1) - street life • 10 Sept 2016 here

Edwardian Forest Gate - a photographic essay (2) - community life • 30 Sept 2016 here

Uncle Joe knew where you lived! • 22 Mar 2018 here

Tollgate or not Tollgate? • 27 Apr 2018 here

 

Music and Entertainment

When Otis played Forest Gate • 29 May 2013 here

 

The Sound of Music from Earlham Grove • 19 Jun 2013 here

Every Picturehouse Tells a Story • 3 Jul 2013 here

The Upper Cut Club, part 1 - the rise • 24 Jul 2013 here

Upper Cut Club, part 2 - hitting the deck • 31 Jul 2013 here

Georgie Fame, Tremeloes and Unit 4 + 2 at Upper Cut • 3 Oct 2013 here

When Stevie Wonder played Forest Gate • 6 Nov 2013 here

Mouthwatering musical fayre on Woodgrange road • 3 Dec 2013 here

Forest Gate Rock - a local anthem! • 1 Jan 2014 here

The Upper Cut beds down - January 1967 • 10 Feb 2014 here

Forest Gate - the new Hollywood? • 18 Feb 2014 here

Essex comes to Forest Gate - The Upper Cut Club, February 1967 • 7 Mar 2014 here

Stax comes to Town - The Upper Cut club in March 1967 • 2 Apr 2014 here

A mixed bunch at the Upper Cut in April • 9 May 2014 here

Upper Cut - May 1967 • 7 Jun 2014 here

Summer of Love in Forest Gate: Upper Cut, Summer 67 • 11 Aug 2014 here

Kenny Johnson and the Lotus Club • 17 Sept 2014 here

Forest Gate swings • 16 Oct 2014 here

50th anniversary of Rolling Stones' "insulting behaviour" in Forest Gate. • 16 Mar 2015 here

He's one of our own - Ronnie Lane • 31 Mar 2016 here

Forest Gate: scene of Rock Against Racism's first gig • 12 Dec 2016 here

Paul Romane's Upper Cut exhibition - for the record • 20 Dec 2017 here

Kenney Jones in E7 - Now and Then! • 26 Jul 2018 here

Neighbours

A nod at our neighbours: Chronology of Wanstead House and Park • 14 Jan 2015 here

A nod at our neighbours - Manor Park pt 1 • 20 Nov 2015 here

A nod at our neighbours - Manor Park pt 2 • 27 Nov 2015 here

Suffragette Suburbs - an International Women's Day nod at our neighbours • 6 Mar 2016 here

A nod at our neighbours - The Bridge House, Canning Town • 1 Jul 2016 here

A nod at our neighbours - Abbey Mills pumping station. Stratford  • 30 Oct 2016 here

A nod at our neighbours - The Plaistow Land Grabbers • 30 Sept 2018 here

Personalities

Fire Guts Famous Gym • 17 Apr 2013 here

Death of Forest Gate's Bryan Forbes (1926 - 2013) • 14 May 2013 here

Golden Boy, Billy Walker's, Forest Gate memories • 2 Sept 2014 here

 

Charles Ward: Forest Gate designer, printer and politician • 21 Nov 2014 here

Tony Banks, in his own words: a reflection on Forest Gate's local wit and MP • 19 Dec 2014 here

Educating Arnie: The Terminator in Forest Gate - in his own words • 15 Jul 2015 here

George Tutill: Forest Gate resident and Trade Union banner manufacturer • 7 Feb 2016 here

"The most interesting personality in the borough of West Ham" (1896) • 10 Apr 2017 here

 

An appreciation of Forest Gate artist Eric Dawson • 24 May 2017 here

The Forest Gate roots of controversial lesbian author, Mary Renault • 1 Jul 2017 here

Forest Gate-born Bryan Forbes recalls his local origins• 31 Jul 2017 here

Charles Mowbray - anarchist revolutionary and unemployed champion • 17 Sept 2017 here

Schwarzenegger's on-going Romford Road legacy • 1 Oct 2017 here

The journey to Forest Gate - (1) Danuta Gradosielska • 18 Nov 2017 here

Samuel Gurney (1786 - 1856) - Forest Gate's most influential resident • 4 Dec 2017 here

Minnie Baldock's active suffragette life in letters and photos • 8 Mar 2018 here

William Edward Wright - Forest Gate Edwardian photographer • 5 May 2018 here

Archibald Cameron Corbett - the man and his houses -synopsis of film • 21 Jun 2018 here

John Fothergill (1712-1780): Quaker, physician, philanthropist and botanist • 19 Nov 2018 here

Elizabeth Fry (1780 - 1845) and Forest Gate • 29 Nov 2018 here

Politics

Fascists in 1930's Forest Gate • 16 Apr 2014 here

Tony Banks, in his own words: a reflection on Forest Gate's local wit and MP • 19 Dec 2014 here

Forest Gate's 12 MPs • 13 Feb 2015 here

Forest Gate's proud suffragette legacy • 6 Mar 2015 here

 

Forest Gate - short-changed • 20 May 2015 here

Suffragette Suburbs - an International Women's Day nod at our neighbours • 6 Mar 2016 here

Charles Mowbray - anarchist revolutionary and-unemployed champion • 17 Sept 2017 here

Racism in Forest Gate in the 1970s and 1980s Part 1 - the scene is set, as the attacks begin • 3 Jun 2018 here

Racism in Forest Gate in the 1970s and 1980s Part 2 - the fight back begins • 12 Jun 2018 here

The Edwardian Upton Hunger Marchers, and others influenced by Plaistow's Land Grabbers • 12 Oct 2018 here

Property Ownership

Councillor/landlord interests in Forest Gate • 9 Oct 2015 here

23 Earlham Grove - an insight into the local housing crisis • 8 Nov 2017 here

E7 properties owned by overseas companies • 27 Nov 2017 here

The criminal landlords of Forest Gate named and shamed • 7 Jan 2018 here

Donald Hunter House, Woodgrange Road.• 27 Jan 2018 here

The good, the bad and criminal of Forest Gate's Lettings Agents • 1 Apr 2018 here

Religion and Communities

The rise and decline of Forest Gate's Jewish community • 20 Nov 2013 here

 

The mosques of Forest Gate • 22 Jan 2017 here

Forest Gate's first Polish community • 5 Feb 2017 here

Emmanuel church (1) - origins of the Church of England in Forest Gate • 27 Aug 2018 here

Emmanuel church (2) - rapid rise and fall of the Church of England in Forest Gate• 10 Sept 2018 here

All change at All Saints • 20 Sept 2018 here

Sport and Recreation

Fire Guts Famous Gym • 17 Apr 2013 here

Clapton FC ground under threat • 29 May 2013 here

Black war hero and football pioneer, Walter Tull, kicks off in Forest Gate • 5 Jun 2013 here

 

Wag Bennett's Gym exhibition - June 2013 • 7 Jun 2013 here

New season approaches for the Tons • 20 Jul 2013 here

Tons of history • 7 Aug 2013 here

Eighteen full international footballers grace Wanstead Flats • 14 Aug 2013 here

Cycling in Victorian Forest Gate • 26 Mar 2014 here

Tons happening in Upton Lane • 24 Jul 2015 here

Boxing's memory lane: Walker vs. Mildenberger fight - March 1967 • 29 Jan 2016 here

Forest Gate Cycling Club, and life on the road at the end of the C19th • 19 Aug 2017 here

Streets and Houses

The Woodgrange Estate - the early years • 5 Jun 2013 here

Residents' Parking Zone - Claremont and Windsor Roads • 24 Jun 2013 here

Upstairs, downstairs in Forest Gate (Claremont Road) – 1881 • 16 Jul 2013 here

What's in a (street) name • 10 Dec 2013 here

A wander down Woodgrange Road in 1900 - West Side • 24 Apr 2015 here

Woodgrange Road in 1900 - East Side • 1 May 2015 here

 

The street where you live (1) - Woodford Road • 5 Sept 2015 here

The street where you live (2) : Ebor Cottages and Irish Row • 2 Oct 2015 here

The street where you live (3): Chestnut Avenue • 23 Oct 2015 here

Forest Gate's first £2m house? - 224 Romford Road • 13 Nov 2015 here

The street where you live (4) - Dames Road • 8 Apr 2016 here

The street where you live (5): Earlham Grove • 31 May 2016 here

The street where you live (6): Capel Road • 31 Jul 2016 here

The street where you live (7) - Sprowston Road • 20 Sept 2016 here

The street where you live (8) - Sebert Road • 16 Feb 2017 here

The Dames Road disaster - 27 July 1944 • 6 Sept 2017 here

Who lived in Claremont Road in 1891? the census returns • 7 Feb 2018  here

Edwardian postcards of the Woodgrange estate • 18 Aug 2018 here

Transport

Crossrail and Forest Gate • 5 Jan 2015 here

Trams in Forest Gate: 1886 – 1940 • 23 Jan 2015 here

 

Local rail crashes in the Spring of 1953 • 7 Apr 2015 here

Forest Gate's early transport history • 30 Dec 2015 here

Tottenham and Forest Gate Railway - 1894 – 2017 • 25 Apr 2017 here

Wanstead Flats

Prisoners of War on Wanstead Flats • 4 Jul 2014 here

Wanstead Flats saved from post WW2 development plans • 11 Jul 2014 here

Archaeology and oral history of Wanstead Flats in WW2 • 11 Sept 2014 here

 

Prefabs and POWs on Wanstead Flats - more residents' stories • 2 Feb 2015 here

The Struggle for Wanstead Flats 1946-47 • 3 Dec 2016 here

“Save the Forest!” Forest Gate and the campaign for Epping Forest • 8 Aug 2018 here

World War 1

Tragic end to local World War 1 romance (part 1) • 19 Jul 2014 here

Tragic end to local World War 1 romance (part 2) • 26 Jul 2014 here

Becoming rapidly forgotten (War memorials in Forest Gate) • 3 Aug 2014 here

Centenary of anti-German riots in Forest Gate • 11 May 2015 here

Forest Gate's role, in WW1 The Hammers battalion (1) • 5 Jun 2015 here

Forest Gate's role, in WW1 The Hammers battalion (2) • 17 Jun 2015 here

The Home Front in WW1 Forest Gate - through the eyes of Godwin school • 21 Mar 2017 here

Forest Gate Conscientious Objectors in WW1 • 15 May 2017 here

 World War  2

Prisoners of War on Wanstead Flats • 4 Jul 2014 here

Forest Gate during the Blitz • 31 Jul 2015 here

V1 and V2 bombs in Forest Gate 1944 -  945 - bombing round up • 7 Aug 2015 here

Three authors write on WW2 air raids in Forest Gate • 11 Aug 2017  here

The Dames Road disaster - 27 July 1944 • 6 Sept 2017 here

Unique photo and details of Earlham Grove V2 attacks • 12 Dec 2017 here

 

A survivor's tale - 1941 bombing of the Princess Alice • 20 Apr 2018 here

A survivor's account of the 1944 Dames Road disaster • 12 Oct 2020 here