Through Time
9 total works
The municipal borough of Ilford, in north-east London, grew from a sleepy Essex backwater in the seventeenth century to become a major coaching town, thanks to its strategic position on the London-Colchester road. Its growth continued through the early and mid-nineteenth century with the arrival of the railway and Ilford became established as a regional industrial centre, home to the eponymous photographic film and chemicals manufacturer, Ilford Photo, and radio, electronics and telecommunications company, Plessey. The extension of the Central Line service after the Second World War brought further expansion before Ilford was absorbed into the Borough of Redbridge as part of Greater London, in 1965.
All these changes are captured in this unique selection of old and new images and informative captions, compiled by London author Michael Foley, and is essential reading for anybody who knows and loves Ilford.
All these changes are captured in this unique selection of old and new images and informative captions, compiled by London author Michael Foley, and is essential reading for anybody who knows and loves Ilford.
London’s Docklands have a rich and varied history. Dating from the Middle Ages, they developed into one of the biggest docks in the world. The riches of Britain’s Empire found its way into the country through the River Thames and into London. Unfortunately, the people who worked and lived in London’s Docklands rarely shared in the riches arriving from around the world.
The area around the docks was one of the poorest in the country, with men working on a casual basis and often fighting other men for the few jobs available in the docks. As well as the docks, the area along the Thames was also a major shipbuilding site until the early twentieth century where many of the early warships were built.
The area around the docks was one of the poorest in the country, with men working on a casual basis and often fighting other men for the few jobs available in the docks. As well as the docks, the area along the Thames was also a major shipbuilding site until the early twentieth century where many of the early warships were built.
Essex has been at the centre of conflict since the earliest days of recorded history. Michael Foley's carefully selected images and factual captions take the reader through the turbulent times of the Romans, (when the Iceni tribe slaughtered the invaders at Colchester), through to the times of William the Conqueror and to the later gathering of troops at Tilbury to fight the Spanish Armada and the war with Napoleon. Colchester, Warley and Purfleet all feature, being the locations of both tented, temporary camps as well as sturdy barracks, which were to last until modern times. These housed the brave military men of Essex who, throughout the ages, have helped to protect the country both at home and around the world.
Ranging from Somerset House to the Serpentine, Smithfield Market to Selfridges, Michael Foley leads us on a tour of London's most popular landmarks. He shows us that while much of the city is transformed decade-by-decade, London is rooted in its most persistent features. While White City would be unrecognisable to a time-travelling Edwardian, the great memorials, palaces and churches are definitive - and a century is nothing to the houses on Fleet Street that survived the Great Fire of 1666. Obvious patterns emerge - while the traffic on the streets is increasingly relentless, the Thames, once clogged with trading ships, now tends towards the empty. And although the speed of new building work has only accelerated over the years, the twenty-first century pedestrian has a much greener - and arguably safer - journey ahead of her than those Edwardian predecessors. London Through Time is the ideal companion for a leisurely ramble around one of the most diverse, most venerated cities on Earth.
Anyone reading this book who is old enough to remember some of the old scenes and buildings of the area may find that they are surprised at how much Havering has changed in the not too distant past. These things have a way of happening without one taking it all in at the time. For younger readers the changes to the local area may come as a shock when they see how much Havering has altered. It is hard to picture Romford market full of livestock if you have only ever seen stalls selling modern items, or to imagine the streets full of soldiers. There was unfortunately a period in the mid twentieth century when much of old Havering disappeared, especially in relation to Romford. They were the days when anything new and modern seemed preferable to what was seen as old and out of date. Attitudes may have changed now but unfortunately it's too late for many of Havering's old landmarks which fell victim to the modernisers. This book may then bring back a few memories for some. Hopefully of days when life in Havering was different and maybe simpler than it is today.
Essex is a county of contrasts. The west of the county is now seen as part of London with the London Boroughs of Barking and Dagenham, Redbridge and Havering actually positioned in Essex but almost indistinguishable from the rest of East London. Moving to the east, however, things are very different. Once past the end of the London Underground District Line at Upminster, the county becomes much more rural, green and pleasant. In many of these towns a small area of the old village survives, usually based round an old church. Many of the small villages have survived independently and stand alone surrounded by open countryside. It is not too difficult to find the odd thatched cottage or weather boarded house among the old buildings. Join Michael Foley on this nostalgic visual journey through the county, which will surprise and delight anyone who knows and loves this area.
The East End of London has always been looked down on by those who live in the rest of the capital. Jack London's People Of the Abyss is just one of the many books written about the poverty, crime and suffering that has blighted the East End throughout the past. As what is now the East End spread out towards Essex, however, the picture has become very different. Many areas such as Bethnal Green, West Ham and Forest Gate were once small rural villages.Not only has the East End been a centre of poverty but it has also been where many of the worst disasters to occur in London have happened. Among the streets of small terraced houses, however, there are often areas of surprising beauty with parks that have survived from the middle ages and houses that were once lived in by a more affluent population. The East End has always been a contrast of rich and poor, mansion and slum, throughout history.
The east London town of Upminster, part of the borough of Havering, has a long and distinctive history. This erstwhile Essex village was once known for its farming, but with the arrival of rail and underground transport links in the early twentieth century, it developed as a market garden for the growing capital. Indeed, the town once boasted a number of windmills, one of which, the Grade II-listed Upminster Windmill, still remains. Today, Upminster is mainly residential.
All of these changes are captured in this unique selection of old and new images and informative captions. Compiled by London author Michael Foley, Upminster Through Time is essential reading for anybody who knows and loves this historical town.
All of these changes are captured in this unique selection of old and new images and informative captions. Compiled by London author Michael Foley, Upminster Through Time is essential reading for anybody who knows and loves this historical town.
Despite the close connection between Barking and Dagenham now, there was an obvious difference in how the two places developed. Built in the seventh century, Barking's abbey elevated the town into significance, while Dagenham, until quite recently, was only a small rural village. By the nineteenth century, Barking was an industrial town, its wealth growing around the town quay, while Dagenham was still focused on farming. Dagenham changed dramatically after the First World War when the Becontree estate, the largest council estate in the world at the time, engulfed the small village. Along with the new houses came new industries on the banks of the Thames and in other smaller industrial estates. As Barking spread eastward and the Becontree estate spread to the west, the space between the two towns began to disappear and Barking and Dagenham merged. However, as the pictures in this book show, among the modern buildings there are still signs of the past, when both towns were separate entities.