Picture last night of the new Street Art mural at the site of “The Uppercut club”, Forest Gate, which sadly, I never visited (but I did go to the infamous “Lotus Club” across the road in the late 80s). The site of The Uppercut is now some sort of…Read more…
“Sadiq Has Frozen Your Fares”
After work this evening together with activists across London, we leafleted local railway stations with these flyers pointing out that Sadaq had frozen fares for the 5th time! While the Tories have allowed fares to rise by 4.9% elsewhere. To…Read more…
Exploring the Elizabeth Line: Brentwood to Harold Wood
Today Gill and I tested out a walk in a new book “Exploring the Elizabeth Line” by Jeff Lock. The new Cross London East to West (“Lizzie”) rail line from Shenfield to Reading has been a boom for commuters and travellers (but so far somewhat unreliable)…Read more…
“E7 Now and then” relaunch (& today is 133th Anniversary of the deaths of 26 Boys at Forest Gate Workhouse)
The Forest Gate, (Newham, London) local history site “E7-Now and then” is being relaunched after a 5 year gap. Which is really good news for people like me who live in Forest Gate and is fascinated by all history. Until I read about it in the sit…Read more…
River Lee & Epping Forest Walk
Off message. On Sunday, Gill and I took a train from Wanstead Park (Forest Gate). Changed at Blackhorse Road for Victoria line then one stop until Tottenham Hale. A 10 minute walk from station to River Lea. Then simply go North along the wa…Read more…
Queen Elizabeth Hunting Lodge, Chingford to Forest Gate Walk
Off message but on Sunday, Gill and I took the magic train from Wanstead Park station to Chingford (change at Walthamstow Queens Road then walk to nearby Walthamstow Central to catch the connection for Chingford). It only took just over 30 minutes but …Read more…
An Awful New Year Day Calamity
This morning my Councillor colleague, John Whitworth and I, went to West Ham Cemetery to lay some flowers at the memorial to 26 boys who died in a fire exactly 131 years ago. The boys lived in a massive workhouse for children nearby in Forest …Read more…
London’s oldest football ground needs a new clubhouse roof
“The Old Spotted Dog Ground Trust is launching an appeal for urgent funds – £15,000 is needed to fix the clubhouse roof at Clapton CFC’s new home in Forest Gate.
The Old Spotted Dog is London’s oldest senior football ground and Clapton CFC became the …Read more…
Newham Heritage Month 1-30 June
Check out Newham Heritage Month website and the range of recordings, videos and photos available to download and virtual events to sign up for.
I have just listened to residents reminiscing about VE day; life in post war Newham for a bus co…Read more…
West Ham Park, International Brigade memorial, Willow Lodge, Greenway & Gandhi
For our daily exercise Gill and I walked from Forest Gate to West Ham Park via the lovely art works in Earlham Grove (bottom left of collage). The park today was looking magnificent in the spring sunshine and “safe” following the closure on Easter Frid…Read more…
Talk & Walk: Forest Gate Childrens Workhouse then Maternity Hospital – Tragic Fire, Blitz Bombing & Child Cruelty (E7 Now and then)
“Dickensian stories and tales of the midwife in Forest Gate. 1/2 Talk and walk, lead by yours truly, on the 700 pupil residential Victorian workhouse school and 20th century maternity hospital that existed on Forest Lane. Sat 14 Mar 2-3.30pm, The Lodge…Read more…
Sunday Stroll to Wanstead
Off message but picture collage from a local winters walk yesterday from Forest Gate to Wanstead and back. It was cold but lots of sunshine and blue skies. We stopped off to feed the birds at Jubilee Pond with defrosted green peas (bread makes their st…Read more…
Paul Cockerell – Life long Socialist, Trade unionist & Hammer fan – RIP
On Friday afternoon I went to pay my respects at Paul’s funeral at Manor Park crematorium.
Paul was a Forest Gate North and West Ham Labour activist who also lived round the corner to me.
A lovely non religious service for a life long socia…Read more…
Forest Gate Festival – this Saturday 14 July 2018 (Bastille Day!)
@FGFestivalE7 FREE 🎉 street festival 🎉 on Saturday 14th July Osborne Road in the heart of #ForestGate #newham #forestgatefestival
Check out theforestgatefestival.com
(there will be a Labour Party stall outside 27 Osborne Road 10-2pm)Read more…
Social Media Hate Crime Interview with BBC News London
Fantastic video clip of Forest Gate Labour Councillor, Seyi Akiwowo, being interviewed by BBC news (after speaking at a United Nations conference no less!) exposing the inconsistency and hypocrisy of twitter and the other social media platforms towards…Read more…
Walk from Forest Gate to Chingford
Off message but a lovely walk today from the People’s Republic to Queen Elizabeth’s Hunting Lodge at Chingford. Highlights are :- Great sky. Fantastic breakfast at the Lakeside Diner. Then got lost. Found way across A406. Had coffee at Higham lake. At …Read more…
Remembering local Nazi atrocity – V1 attack on Forest Gate 27 July 1944
Above is a picture collage from this evening’s anniversary vigil to remember the victims of a Nazi Flying bomb attack on this day 27 July 1944 which killed horribly at least 38 East Enders (updated figure) at this very spot.
Forest Gate Councillor, An…Read more…
Anti Fascist/Anti Nazi Vigil: Remember V1 Rocket Attack Forest Gate – 27 July 1944
Thursday 27th July Forest Gate North Labour Party will be holding an Anti Fascist/Anti Nazi vigil to remember those 20 or so local residents killed by a V1 rocket on the 27th of July 1944.
Meet at The Holly Tree Pub 141 Dames Road , E7, corner with Pe…Read more…
Labour at The Forest Gate Festival – Saturday 15 July 2017
“The Forest Gate Festival first took place in 2000, on Osborne Road and has been going strong ever since. Usually held on the third Saturday of July, it’s a local street Festival organised by enthusiastic residents on a volunteering basis.From the start, the Festival has been about…Read more…
#NoMandate – Back on the Campaign Trail
After a short break, members of Forest Gate North & West Ham Labour, led by our newly re-elected MP (with 77% of the vote) Lyn Brown, were back on the campaign trail today. As well as the NHS demo in Central London, today was a Labour Party Nationa…Read more…