Wansteadium

A developer who is renovating a house is asking a favour of Wansteadium readers.

HM writes: “We are involved in the renovation of a house on Spratt Hall Road, roughly opposite the library. The owners would like to put things back to as original a state as possible so we are wondering if anyone has any old photos of that stretch of the road.”

Wansteadium can’t help but applaud such attention to detail. Any photos can be sent to us at info@wansteadium.com and directly to the developer at hm33q33@gmail.com.

Meanwhile a newly-released archive of old video has been released by the BFI. Wanstead features in it, thanks to lots of men in top hats, some soldiers, some firemen and nurses. The film was made in 1916 and is titled “the Demonstration of the Churches”; the event was held to honour Wanstead men and women’s contribution to the war effort. The George appears to be in the background. You can watch it on the BFI site here.

 

 

  

@NewhamBookshop @TheWansteadtap thanks for making this possible #GoSetAWatchman pic.twitter.com/Oy5MAvmNzs

— Neil Walsh (@Fr_Chalky) July 13, 2015

And here is the first person with their copy! @GSAWatchmanBook @NewhamBookshop pic.twitter.com/4O8FeF10xH

— The Wanstead Tap (@TheWansteadtap) July 13, 2015

Literary event of the moment took place on Monday evening at the Wanstead Tap, with a showing of To Kill A Mockingbird and then, at one minute past midnight, the selling of Harper Lee’s sequel, Go Set A Watchman. (Congratulations to Dan Clapton and the Newham Bookshop for teaming up in such a Wanstead-based highbrow way.)

Sealed boxes of #GoSetaWatchman being taken to @thewansteadtap. Can't open till 00.01. Meanwhile watch the film of TKMockingbird at 9.45.

— Newham Bookshop (@NewhamBookshop) July 13, 2015

A map showing walking times between Tube stations to help people during Thursday’s strike has been shared widely on the internet. But unfortunately for the people of Wanstead, the map only comes out of London as far as Bethnal Green.

So as a service to Wansteadium readers, here are walking times to local stations, as calculated by Google Maps.

SNARESBROOK STATION to

• Wood Street – 27 mins (1.3miles)
• Walthamstow Central – 43 mins (2.2miles)
• Leytonstone Tube – 26 mins (1.3miles)

WANSTEAD STATION to

• Manor Park – 41 mins (2.1miles)
• Forest Gate – 36 mins (1.9miles)
• Leytonstone Tube – 20 mins (1mile)

LEYTONSTONE to LEYTON – 24 mins (1.2miles)

LEYTON to STRATFORD – 25 mins (1.3miles)

STRATFORD to MILE END – 42 mins (2.1miles)

MILE END to BETHNAL GREEN – 24 mins (1.2miles)

From there you can pick up the times as detailed on the map, which was produced by Ary Joe Creatives.

Wansteadium reader Suzanne writes: “A sad sight on Thursday morning – this branch ripped down on Christ Church Green. A branch this size would have taken a few people to pull/swing on it to break it down. It definitely wasn’t due to the wind last night!” (There wasn’t any.)

Wanstead’s two current fundraising projects have won £5,000 each thanks to online voting from supporters. The playground renovation effort being run by the Wanstead Playground Association AND the building of the new Scout hall in Snaresbrook are to be given the funds from the Aviva Community Fund. (Details of the playground bid are here, and the Scout hut here.)

This means the playground fund has now raised more than £37,000, after a gala dinner at Wanstead Golf Club also saw £5,000 collected. There is a fundraising Wanstead Comedy Night being held on 17 July, and a second volunteering day for people to help paint the fences and tidy the site. That’s next Thursday 9 July, from 9.30am. (Refreshments being donated by Starbucks and Nice Croissant.)

Photo: APCOA Parking (one of the donors to the playground fund)

Doctor in the House television series – St Swithins filming location still exists old Wanstead Hospital, London pic.twitter.com/GT6ajxq9IK

— RailwayManiac (@EdwardKendal) June 29, 2015