West Ham is a district in East London that has a rich and diverse history. It was originally a hamlet on the western border of the ancient parish of West Ham, hence its name. It became a municipal borough in 1886. It was once a separate town in Essex but was absorbed into the London Borough of Newham in 1965.
West Ham is best known for its football club, West Ham United, which was founded in 1895 and has won three FA Cups and one European Cup Winners’ Cup. But there is much more to West Ham than football. Here are some of the highlights of its history.
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From Hamlet to Borough
West Ham’s name comes from the Old English word “hamm”, meaning a low-lying land by a river or an enclosure. It was first recorded as “Hamme” in 958 AD, when it was granted to a monastery by King Edgar. In the Domesday Book of 1086, it was listed as “Hame”, with a population of about 500.
West Ham developed as a hamlet around the church of St Mary Magdalene, which dates back to the 12th century. It was mainly an agricultural area, with some fishing and milling activities along the River Lea. In the 16th century, West Ham became famous for its abbey, Stratford Langthorne Abbey, which was one of the richest and most influential monasteries in England. The abbey was dissolved by Henry VIII in 1538 and its lands were sold off.
In the 17th century, West Ham saw an influx of refugees from France and Belgium who were fleeing religious persecution. They brought with them skills in weaving and silk-making, which boosted the local economy. West Ham also became a popular destination for wealthy Londoners who built country houses and gardens there.
In the 18th century, West Ham began to industrialise as new industries such as ironworks, pottery, brick-making and chemical works emerged along the River Lea and its tributaries. The population grew rapidly as workers came from all over Britain and Ireland to find employment. West Ham also became a centre of radical politics and social reform movements such as Chartism and trade unionism.
In 1886, West Ham was granted a charter of incorporation as a municipal borough with its own elected council and mayor. It gained city status in 1904 and became known as “the People’s City”. West Ham was one of the first boroughs to provide public services such as libraries, parks, baths and schools for its residents.
From City to District
West Ham suffered extensive damage during World War II as it was heavily bombed by German air raids. Many buildings were destroyed or damaged beyond repair, including St Mary Magdalene church and Stratford Langthorne Abbey ruins. Thousands of people were killed or injured and many more were made homeless.
After the war, West Ham underwent major reconstruction and redevelopment projects to improve housing conditions and infrastructure. Many new estates were built to replace slums and bomb sites. Some historic buildings were preserved or restored such as Green Street House (now East Ham Town Hall) and Plaistow Hospital (now Newham University Hospital).
In 1965, under the London Government Act 1963, West Ham merged with East Ham to form the new London Borough of Newham within Greater London. This marked the end of West Ham’s existence as a separate entity.
The Hammers
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stratford, London. The club was founded in 1895 and plays in the Premier League, the top tier of English football. The club’s nickname is “The Hammers”.
West Ham United’s roots lie in the shipbuilding industry of Blackwall and Canning Town. The club grew from the largest and last surviving shipbuilder on the Thames, the Thames Ironworks. The club initially competed in the London League, later joining the Southern League and Western League before joining the full Football League in 1919.
West Ham United played home matches at the Boleyn Ground in Upton Park between 1904 and 2016. The seating capacity of the ground at closure was 35,016. In 2016, they moved to the London Stadium for the start of the 2016–17 season.
Today, West Ham is still a vibrant and diverse area with a strong sense of community spirit. It has many attractions such as Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park (the site of the 2012 Olympics), Upton Park (the former home ground of West Ham United), Abbey Mills Pumping Station (a Victorian masterpiece) and Brick Lane Music Hall (a unique venue for musical comedy). It also hosts many cultural events such as Newham Carnival (an annual celebration of multiculturalism) and Under The Stars (a free outdoor music festival).
West Ham is proud of its history but also looks forward to its future.
I was born in Forest Gate, West Ham in 1954. We lived at 26 Crossby Rd. My parents moved the family out of London in 1962, so I dont have any connections there, but do have lots of memories – playing British Bulldogs in the Rd; visits from the rag and bone man with his horse and cart; weekly visits from the rent man.
I believe the local store was Ravens, as my mother talked about “going round Ravens”. She kept a tab there I believe, we were often sent to get things and “put it on tab”. They delivered our groceries in a cardboard box. We used to walk to sunday school at a church nearby. Romford Rd was at the end of the road, we walked there to catch the bus. My fathers name was Quinlan, my mothers surname was Torr, and my maternal grandmother was a Ewers. She worked in a sewing machine factory of some kind. Most of the family lived in Plaistow or Stratford.
Anyone have any memories of these names?
What a lovely story loads of memories sad what the end end has come to now. I was born in poplar e14 and moved to Stratford 20 years ago and it’s seen many changes in that time. My youngest children go to the school right next to West Ham park you might remember it the school building itself is over 110 years old and in the reception they have old photos from the 1930/40/50 of school children learning and lunch time there’s 1 photo of them eating pie and mash the classes was really small they only had around 15 kids per class… make me sad when i see how happy they all looked and how different things are now.
Very interesting.
My Mum was born in Welfare Road, West Ham.
We have Irish/Scottish ancestry on the maternal side; Family occupations have been mainly Dockers, Boiler Makers, Riveters and Shipwrights. One of my Gt Grandfather’s worked for Thames Iron Works as an Iron Ship Builder.
We are of course “Hammers” with Claret and Blue blood running through our veins.
I’m very proud of this heritage.