Vestry House Museum
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Mother and daughter with snowballs! We're not sure where in Waltham Forest this photo was taken. Let us know if you recognise the street! #Family #ArchiveAdventCalendar

Our photo shows the Sybourn School Orchestra in 1935, with their impressive array of shields and trophies. The school was opened in 1903, prior to the establishment of a permanent building in Sybourn Street, Leyton in 1910. #violinday

The Winns, Walthamstow, now the William Morris Gallery, is shown in this detail from an Ordnance Survey map c.1870 from our Local Studies Library. At this time Forest Road retained its earlier name of Clay Street. #mapmonday

Tobogganing at Whipps Cross in 1962. #Sledging #ArchiveAdventCalendar

The fabulous Art Deco light fittings at Electric House, Church Hill, Walthamstow in 1937. From our Local Studies Library. #exploreyourarchive #light

Our photograph shows a ward at Chingford Hospital, Larkshall Road. This opened in 1901 as Walthamstow Isolation Hospital. In 1938 Leyton Borough Council bought a half share and it became the Leyton and Walthamstow Joint Hospital. Taken over by the newly formed NHS in 1948, by 1953 it was operating as a general hospital and was renamed Chingford Hospital. #exploreyourarchive #health

Poster for the Christmas Fancy Fair at the Town Hall, Orford Road, Walthamstow from 12-14 Dec 1889. The fair featured tableaux vivants and was planned to raise funds for the renovation of Marsh Street Congregational Church, Walthamstow. Poster from our Local Studies Library collections.

Our photo shows High Road, Leyton in the early 1900s. Rosa Lewis (née Ovenden) was born in Leyton in 1867, and lived at the Ovenden family home in the High Road [exact location uncertain]. She became an eminent society cook and hotel proprietor, purchasing the Cavendish in Jermyn Street, London in 1902. Her life inspired the popular 1970s TV series ‘The Duchess of Duke Street’. Rosa Lewis died #OTD 28 November 1952. Portrait image: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosa_Lewis

Leyton and Leytonstone Eisteddfod 1928. Programme cover from our Local Studies collections. #exploreyourarchive #celebration

This knitting pattern for a Fair Isle jumper was sold by Woolcrafts, a crafts supply store at 741 High Road Leytonstone. #ChristmasJumper #ArchiveAdventCalendar

Join us for a series of walks exploring the development of Waltham Forest into the multi-faith, multi-ethnic community it is today. Led by Peter Ashan, author of Freedom Walk: The Roots Of Diversity In Waltham Forest, these walks will celebrate those that have contributed to the diversity of the borough from the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade to the present day. For three consecutive Sundays from October 11. Find out more and book: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/vestry-house-museum-11389158

Some of the residents of Hazelwood Road, Walthamstow celebrated VJ Day by wearing homemade costumes to this victory party. One of the children in this image is wearing a ‘Peace’ sash in celebration of Imperial Japan’s surrender and the final end of the war. Text by Ainsley Vinall, Assistant Curator. #VJDay75

Our photo shows a party at Leybourne Road, Leytonstone for VJ Day on 15 August 1945. At victory parties residents celebrated and paid tribute to soldiers from Britain and the Commonwealth nations. After the war, the 1948 British Nationality Act made members of the Commonwealth British citizens. Text by Ainsley Vinall, Assistant Curator. #VJDay75

On 15 August 1945 the world celebrated V-J Day as the surrender of Imperial Japan brought an end to the second world war. In Elphinstone Road, Walthamstow local resident Leonard Blaxter organised this victory party with his neighbours. Image from Vestry House Museum collections. Text by Ainsley Vinall, Assistant Curator.

Mae & Harry discuss their memories of coming to England from Jamaica by invitation in 1963, finding work and starting a family. Warning: Contains some uncomfortable listening at the beginning @wfcouncil @VestryHouse #history #blackhistory #WalthamForest #Windrush

Forest House, Leyton was the home of William Fowler MP and his family from the mid 1860s-1880s. William's son Gerald Fowler was born in Leytonstone on 27 July 1866. He became a celebrated cricketer, playing for Essex from 1884-1889 and Somerset 1889-1903. Portrait credit https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gerald-fowler.jpg

Eminent sculptor Frank Dobson died on 22 July 1963. In 1951 he created the London Pride sculpture for the Festival of Britain on London's South Bank: https://www.frankdobsonartist.com/londonpride.html Frank Dobson was born in London in 1886 and educated at Harrow Green School, Leytonstone. We wonder if he could be one of the boys photographed during drill at Harrow Green School in 1896?

Commissioner Catherine Bramwell-Booth was born on 20 July 1883. A Salvation Army officer for many years, in 1917 she courageously led a rescue team following the Silvertown munitions factory explosion in West Ham. In 1906/07 Catherine Bramwell-Booth was captain at the Salvation Army Citadel at 99a Walthamstow High Street, shown here in our image from 1982. Portrait image credit: https://en.wikipedia.org//File:Catherine_Bramwell_Booth_19

Fermonica McIntosh worked as a machinist, volunteer for the disabled and is an active member of her local church choir. She has been a Waltham Forest resident for more than 52 years. @paulasmithphoto @wfcouncil @VestryHouse #history #blackhistory #WalthamForest #Windrush

Fermonica McIntosh worked as a machinist, volunteer for the disabled and is an active member of her local church choir. She has been a Waltham Forest resident for more than 52 years. @paulasmithphoto @wfcouncil @VestryHouse #history #blackhistory #WalthamForest #Windrush

Today we remember legendary footballer Laurie Cunningham who died on 15 July 1989 aged 33. Laurie Cunningham played for Leyton Orient from 1974-1977 and is commemorated in Waltham Forest by his statue in Coronation Gardens, Leyton. Image credit details: https://commons.wikimedia.org//File:Laurie_Cunningham_stat

On 13 July 1816 the inhabitants of Walthamstow and Leyton resolved to abolish the practice of employing children to sweep chimneys. This handbill publicising the resolution is from our Local Studies Library.

Inez Nicholson (seated) b. 22 Oct 1924. Arr. in the UK, 1957. Now aged 95, still lives in their first home in Leytonstone, bought in 1962. Here w. daughter Joan. Photo : Jo Sealy @wfcouncil @vestryhouse #history #blackhistory #WalthamForest #Windrush @Tarahwelsh @Arike_Oke

Frederick Bremer was born on 12 July 1872. An engineer and inventor who lived in Walthamstow, in 1892 he built the first British four-wheeled car with an internal combustion engine. The car was built in a shed at the family home in Connaught Road E17. It was offered to us (then Walthamstow Museum) in 1930 and has been displayed at Vestry House ever since the museum opened in 1933. The car was probably first driven on the road in 1892. Fred Bremer continued to work on it for the next few years, and we believe it achieved a speed of 15-20 miles per hour. Fred Bremer later lived at 15 Albert Road and then 27 Grosvenor Park Road, Walthamstow. He died in Dec 1941 and is buried at Walthamstow, St. Mary's.

Inez Nicholson (seated) b. 22 Oct 1924. Arr. in the UK, 1957. Now aged 95, still lives in their first home in Leytonstone, bought in 1962. Here w. daughter Joan. Photo : Jo Sealy @wfcouncil @vestryhouse #history #blackhistory #WalthamForest #Windrush @Tarahwelsh @Arike_Oke