From 1953-1957, then from 1977-2012, the year of the London Olympics, I lived in Walthamstow,
a North-East London suburb. I expect that some of you recall me mentioning
it . . .
On January 17th 2013 we (that’s my
family) left Walthamstow for
the last time and headed for our new home – new life – here in Devon.
I’ve no regrets.
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| Walthamstow Town Hall, where I worked for several years |
Walthamstow does have its history, its High Street
market, its share of famous people and celebs. But it doesn’t have the peace
and fresh air of Devon. (Nor the sheep or the owls)
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| Yep that's a real sheep walking along the top of a real Devon Bank beside a real Devon Lane. Our lane in fact... |
I hated it there – not because Walthamstow was/is
a not particularly attractive place but because I hated town life. My
soul belongs to the countryside. The one saving grace for Walthamstow was that
it bordered Essex and Epping Forest where we kept the horses, where we could
walk the dogs and where we could meet Nature up close . We had a nice back garden - but a downstairs maisonette and unpleasant neighbours.
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| Our Walthamstow back garden and Rum - sadly no longer withus |
Walthamstow:
Recorded in c.1075 as Wilcumstowe (The
Place of Welcome) and in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Wilcumestou the Earl of Essex, Harold Godwineson (later King Harold II of 1066 fame) would have known
the town - village. I suspect it wasn’t as crowded back then. (Population
1871:10,692. 1971: 108,845. Definitely no busy North Circular Road or close by
‘London Car Park’ of the M25! Although I
expect the River Lee had its fair share of traffic – including more than a few marauding
Vikings!
King John visited Shern Hall, Walthamstow in 1213. No idea why. Couldn’t have been for
Walthamstow’s famous greyhound racing track – it didn’t exist back then.
(Though he might have been in the area for the hunting in what was, then, the
Royal Forest of Epping. Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth I also hunted there.) (Oh and that's were highwayman Dick Turpin lived before his famous ride to York. His ghost apparently still haunts the woods.)
The main Walthamstow road was (still is) Hoe Street, with Forest Road
(called Clay Street back then) and High Street – then known as Marsh Street –
for obvious reasons. Walthamstow Marshes still exist and are a recreational
area for walkers, fishermen and footballers. Shernhall Street and
Wood Street are still there today.
In 1965 Walthamstow was merged with adjoining
Chingford, Leyton and Leytonstone to become the London Borough of Waltham
Forest. I remember it well. My Dad had been an independent Town Councillor for
Chingford. He was due to
serve as Town Mayor in 1965 – but didn’t get the chance because of the merger.
He was dreadfully disappointed.
Walthamstow postcode is E17 – some of you
may recall there was (for a brief while) a fairly good rock band called E17 . . . one of them lived down my road!
You Tube video of Walthamstow Market
October 2012
Somewhat noisier than here in Devon
The market that is situated along the length of
High Street opened in 1885 and has always been believed to be one mile long (actually its 2/3
of a mile) but it is the longest street market in Europe, so I guess the
inaccuracy is permissible.
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| Central Library |
Of interest to readers, the Central Library is
located in High Street, and was built with money given by Andrew Carnegie.
Further down High Street there used to be the Junior Library – it was
demolished some time in the early 60s and a Sainsburys supermarket stands there
now.
This little library has a very special importance
to me. I lived in Walthamstow from 1953, when I was born, until 1957
when, at the age of four, we moved to Chingford. I clearly remember coming out
of the library very excited because I was clutching a book I hadn’t read. It
was one of the Little Grey Rabbit books by Alison Uttley. I fell in love with the series, and thus began my relationship with books.
We moved to Chingford in the summer when it was hot, to a house at the top of a hill. In the distance at the bottom of the road was one of the reservoirs sparkling blue in the sunshine. The water was low because a good bit of the white-coloured edge could be seen. I was four. I was short-sighted. I could see the water and what I thought was a beach beside it. I burst into tears because Mummy and Daddy wouldn't take me down to paddle in the sea.
Apparently, Walthamstow is mentioned in a song
"Old Siam, Sir" from the 1979 album Back to the Egg by Paul
McCartney’s band, Wings. Not a lot of people know that. (No, I didn’t either –
thank you Wikipedia!)
Remember the group The Barron Knights? "Long
ago, outside a chip shop in Walthamstow" is the first line of a song Ann
and Joe, The Cranberries had Waiting In Walthamstow, and Genesis (OK
you might not have heard of the others but Genesis? Oh come on!) has a track
title Battle of Epping Forest on one of their albums.
And the cover of
Blur’s Parklife features Walthamstow Dog Stadium.
Oh, and the Beatles played
at the Granada Cinema/Theatre in Hoe Street. I remember that too! Couldn’t hear
much singing though.
There are a few famous residents from the past (do
I include myself?)
Remember me mentioning Walthamstow Marshes? You might have heard of one of the, then, young lads who played football there. A certain David Beckham. (He went to the same Chingford school as me, although I was there quite a few years before him!)
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| Walthamstow Marshes |
Then there's writer, designer, poet, William Morris. Jazz musician Johnny Dankworth, Prime Minister
Benjamin Disraeli, Florence Nightingale’s father, singer Ian Drury, Sir George
Edwards who designed Concorde, footballer
(Tottenham Hotspurs) Harry Kane, film director Ken Russell... all went to school
or college in Walthamstow. (There’s a much longer list on Wikipedia
and yes – I AM listed there – “Helen Hollick, writer, born in Walthamstow 1953”
)
So all in all, that’s a potted account of
Walthamstow.
Like I said, I don’t miss the place.
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| Call back Friday for another Novel Conversation |
