200 years ago our area was damp meadows, orchards and common land, crossed by streams where watercress grew wild. Walthamstow was a ten-minute walk away. Then the railways came and with them, property developers. Streets were laid out, thousands of houses built, and were quickly occupied, mostly by people who arrived from a distance. Soon the area became a community, with its own shops, schools, places of worship and burial ground. And the new arrivals all brought with them their memories and stories, hopes and plans. Over the years the area has survived two world wars, seen many arrivals and departures, and witnessed many changes.
This website shares some of those stories - of places, and of people both past and present, collected from conversations, pictures, newspaper cuttings, memories and hundreds of conversations. They are told on maps, in pictures, in words and as resources for teachers. If you have a pictures or a story to share, a question or a comment, please let us know.