A final post for Newham Heritage Month from the very windy Royal Victoria dockside.
Thank you to everyone who has engaged with the posts on social media. I’m sure there are stories that we have not covered this month so please let us know if you have any ideas.
#newhamheritagemonth
Abbey Gardens is now a community run green space but it was once an abbey visited by Henry III and King Edward VI
Any evidence of the abbey was gone by 1906 when ‘the Plaistow Land Grabbers’ occupied the land in protest of mounting unemployment rates.
#NewhamHeritageMonth
Thomas McCluskey, Edith Bridgestock, Thomas Murrell and Pauline Murrell were killed and many of their neighbours were injured and without accommodation.
The collapse of Ronan Point is a tragic part of the history of Newham that should not be forgotten.
#NewhamHeritageMonth
The 1889 dock strike was a key event in the industrial history of East London. The striking dockers were ultimately successful in securing the ‘dockers’ tanner’ and had gained the sympathy of the public for their cause.
#newhamheritagemonth
The Royal Oak pub on the Barking Road was home to a boxing gym that produced 4 world champions.
Including local legend Frank Bruno Pwho became a household name after his success in the ring.
#newhamheritagemonth
There has been a ferry service at Woolwich since the 1300s. The Woolwich ferry as we’d recognise it has been running for 136 years, taking passengers across the river for free.
#newhamheritagemonth
Hannah Dadds qualified as a Tube driver in 1978, the first woman to do so. She drove the District, Jubilee and Bakerloo lines.
Her sister Edna also qualified as a driver and the two sisters were the first all-woman crew on The Underground.
#NewhamHeritageMonth
Vic Turner was a trade unionist, docker and activist.
His arrest sparked huge demonstrations and threats of mass industrial action.
After retiring from the docks he continued to be politically active first as a Newham councillor and then as Mayor.
#newhamheritagemonth
What’s on this week at #NewhamHeritageMonth?
The free festival invites you to a Bollywood singing performance, show about Newham City Farm, history discussions about Royal Docks heritage, a Madge Gill-inspired exhibition, guided tours, and & more www.newhamheritagemonth.org/events/
The 1953 flood was the largest in living memory. The streets were full of freezing water and the flooding caused 200 people to seek shelter in Canning Town Public Hall.
Thankfully the Thames Barrier now protects us from similar tidal surges.
#newhamheritagemonth
94 years ago today, Mahatma Gandhi and Charlie Chaplin met in Canning Town.
This was a derelict site but it is now a pocket park named ‘The Gandhi Chaplin Memorial Garden’ to commemorate this moment of our local history.
#newhamheritagemonth
Keir Hardie was first elected to Parliament in 1892 as MP for West Ham South.
He is legacy is celebrated in many ways across Newham.
His bust sits in the entrance to Stratford Old Town Hall (home of the old West Ham Council) watching over councillors arriving for meetings.
#newhamheritagemonth
The Thames Ironworks & Shipbuilding Company was a shipyard and iron works.
In 1895 they started a football team, Thames Ironworks FC which evolved a few years later into West Ham United.⚒️
Shipbuilding and soccer; industry and sport. Key parts of the history of our local area.
#newhamheritagemonth
As an organiser and trade unionist Jack Dash spent over 25 years working for the good of his fellow dockers.
He was remembered in the Los Angeles Times in his obituary as Jack Dash: cockney communist ‘King of the Docks’.
#newhamheritagemonth
This weekend there's a jam-packed line-up of FREE events and activities for you for #NewhamHeritageMonth
From family art workshops and film screenings, to talks, open house events and exhibitions, discover what's on offer at www.newhamheritagemonth.org/events/
Terry Spinks MBE was only 18 when we won his gold in the 1956 Melbourne Olympics.
He returned triumphant to Canning Town where he was greeted by bunting and a case of champagne sent by Prince Phillip.
You can find Terry Spinks Place in Canning Town.
#newhamheritagemonth
If you’re driving along the A13 you might be going over what used to be a lido!
The lido was opened by Mayor Daisy Parsons in 1937 and was used by locals until the 80s. Although there’s no longer a lido, Canning Town Recreation Ground is still a great park.
#NewhamHeritageMonth
I was at Rosetta Arts for Newham Heritage Month to see their exhibition on the Local Tamil Community.
Thank you to Swetha and everyone who helped to organise the event.
#newhamheritagemonth
'Fragments of Home:
Eastern European Stories from Newham'. Facilitated by myself and supported by Elana Juzulenaite.
The exhibition is open until the 18th September at Beckton Globe Library, Mon-Sat: 10 am - 8 pm
#rosettaarts #culturewithinnewham #newhamheritagemonth #newhamlondon #aceagrams
In 1906, Will Thorne was elected as the Member of Parliament for West Ham South, one of just 29 Labour MPs in Parliament.
In 1889, he was one of the founders of the National Union of Gas Workers and General Labourers the union that developed into @gmb.org.uk
#newhamheritagemonth
Harland & Wolff in North Woolwich was the largest shipyard in London when it closed in 1972.
The yard specialised in building smaller vessels such as barges.
The wrought iron entrance gates were moved to Lyle Park in 1994 as a reminder of the areas industrial heritage.
#newhamheritagemonth
Fred Corbett was a local boy who worked at the local shipyards and a football pioneer.
He joined Thames Ironworks FC and stayed at the club when it became West Ham United.
He was the UK’s third ever professional black footballer and the first black player at West Ham. ⚒️
#newhamheritagemonth
Queenie Watts House is in Plaistow, taking its name from an actor and pub landlady.
The pubs that Queenie ran with her husband are no longer around but you can still see her work in tv shows and films like ‘Steptoe and Son’ and ‘Sparrows Can’t Sing’.
#newhamheritagemonth
✨Coming up in #NewhamHeritageMonth book for Bells and Whistles, a series of family events celebrating unique Royal Docks traditions
Plus, don't miss Inspector of Nuisances a stunning exhibition of projections and art in Stratford
Get free tickets at www.newhamheritagemonth.org/events/
The Thames Barrier has been helping to keep London safe from flooding for over 40 years.
Its role is more important than ever, and I'll be working with the government to ensure we get our fare share of funding so that London continues to be protected.
#NewhamHeritageMonth
During the Blitz the East End suffered extensive damage and this was often targeted towards the areas surrounding the docks. In September 1940 South Hallsville Junior School took a direct hit. Local people using the basement as a bomb shelter and children awaiting evacuation were amongst those killed. Today is 85 years since their deaths. We remember them and all those killed or injured during the Blitz.
Today marks the 85th Anniversary of the bombing of Hallsville School, one of the worst civilian disasters of the war.
The Blitz devastated much of the East End, and our area is surrounded by reminders of a defining moment in our history.
#NewhamHeritageMonth
👏This week join a guided cycle in Forest Gate, enjoy Bollywood singing workshops, and experience Between Two Worlds, a vibrant event celebrating Tamil heritage through films, stories & interactive activities
Book your free tickets
www.newhamheritagemonth.org/events/
#NewhamHeritageMonth
Daisy Parsons was a suffragette and politician. She was the first woman to be Mayor of West Ham. She joined the East London Federation of Suffragettes and was the secretary of the branch in South West Ham. In 1914 she was part of the suffragette delegation to Prime Minister Asquith. Her work continued, she became a councillor, deputy mayor, Alderman and in 1937 she became West Ham's first female Mayor. She opened the Canning Town Lido and drove the first ‘trolleybus’. During WW2 she helped organise the evacuation of children and the Women's Voluntary Service.
Daisy Parsons was a true champion for her community.
From her role in the suffragettes to becoming West Ham’s first female Mayor, she made history — opening the Canning Town Lido, driving the first trolleybus, and helping evacuate children during WW2.
#NewhamHeritageMonth
Newham has a rich sporting heritage, but did you know that included motorbike racing?
Tommy Croombs was a star of the speedway scene and his legacy is honoured by the road named after him on the estate in Custom House where the West Ham Stadium once stood.
#NewhamHeritageMonth
