Walthamstow

This excellent collection of nearly 200 old photographs illustrates some of the dramatic changes that have occurred over the last century in this busy London suburb. The ancient parish, once known as ‘Wilcumstowe’ has, like its name, changed much in appearance over the centuries. Once a rural community it became, in the eighteenth century, a residential parish for the wealthy and influential. The trend continued into the nineteenth century with streets like Hoe Street, Forest Road and High Street sporting fine mansions. The coming of the railway in the second half of the century brought a dramatic change. Enormous growth took place with the improvement in transport it brought and in just forty years the population rose from 11,000 to 124,500. One of the book’s authors descended from a family that moved to Walthamstow at the turn of the century, and the book contains photographs from his family’s archives that show aspects of life during this period, adding a personal touch to this nostalgic trip into the recent part.