East Ham: A fun family district in lively east London

The suburban district of East Ham is situated in East London, within the borough of Newham and not far from Barking, Ilford and Stratford.

It is a vibrant, multicultural area offering plenty of choice when it comes to residential properties, making it suitable for everyone from young professionals to families.

History

The 'Ham' part of the district's name can be traced all the way back to the 10th century, when a settlement was recorded as 'Hamme' in an Anglo-Saxon charter.

East Ham railway station opened in 1859, starting the process of the area developing into an urban centre as improving transport infrastructure attracted more residents in the latter decades of the 19th century. The District Railway, a passenger rail service that operated in London from 1868 to 1933, delivered the first electric trains to East Ham in 1908.

In 1894, East Ham was officially recognised as an urban district of Essex and incorporated as a borough nine years later. It also obtained county borough status, which it retained until 1965, when it was merged with West Ham, another county borough, to create the London borough of Newham.

Transport

Today, East Ham is well served by London's train and bus networks. Both East Ham and Upton Park Tube Stations are on the District and Hammersmith & City lines. You can travel directly into Central London on either of these lines, or access National Rail services at nearby West Ham or Barking.

You will also find a number of bus routes in East Ham providing links to nearby areas including Beckton, Wanstead and Stratford.

Schools and nurseries

The range of nurseries and primary schools to choose from in East Ham makes the district a popular option for young families.

St Michael's on Howard Road is a Catholic primary school with a nursery attached, meaning it accepts children from the ages of three to 11 years. Also located nearby are the Oliver Thomas nursery on Mathews Avenue and the Nelson and Vicarage primary schools, which are found on Napier Road and Vicarage Lane respectively.

An option in the area for parents with slightly older children is Langdon Academy on Sussex Road, which converted to academy status in January 2014 and is sponsored by the Brampton Manor Academy Trust.

The Kumon community study centre is also easily accessible for people living in East Ham, as is the Newham Cornwell VC Sea Cadet centre.

Attractions and amenities

East Ham is home to several open spaces that will appeal to families, such as Central Park, which gets a programme of free events underway in the summer by hosting the Mayor's Newham Show.

The park has facilities including a cafeteria, a history trail, tennis courts, an ornamental pond fountain, a play area and a basketball practice hoop.

It is one of several outdoor attractions in Newham that are easily reachable for East Ham residents, along with Abbey Gardens, Beckton District Park, East Ham Nature Reserve and others.

At Newham City Farm, visitors can see traditional farmyard animals as well as less familiar creatures like alpacas and birds of prey.

Other amenities on offer within the district include East Ham Library, East Ham Leisure Centre and the Civic Campus.

One of the things this part of London is particularly well known for is West Ham United Football Club, who play their home games at Upton Park. The Hammers trace their history back to the late 19th century and are currently playing in the Premier League, meaning East London is regularly visited by the likes of Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United.

Published 21st January, 2015

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