I came across the Morland Estate in Hackney somewhat by accident, when I was trawling the area just before Christmas.
I approached from Richmond Road, the view you can see above (block D in the picture below), and it looks like a pretty ordinary estate.
I love this old Hackney Borough Council public notice board. What would you put up?
Anyway, walking down the side of the building the estate got somewhat more interesting because in the middle of all the blocks the council has put an enclosed area within a GIANT FENCE.
Why? Do people here have dinosaurs instead of dogs?
And opposite the fence are some benches that also look like they've been made for large beings.
I think it's such a shame because the buildings had a very nice feel about them. They are well looked after and it's clear the residents take pride in their surroundings.
Looking back on the fenced in area it's easy to imagine the potential of this space.
At the eastern side of the estate I was glad to find the large tower block that you see when swimming in London Fields Lido.
No dinosaurs here, Home to among others several convicted murderers and many members of the London Fields gang, but I guess you want to focus on the Architecture only !
ReplyDeleteHow about removing ridiculous negative comments?
ReplyDeletehave you got any info on fields estate? thinking of moving there soon
ReplyDeleteJust found this on a google search, something different to consider is this is the site of 186 Richmond Road, my Dads house which was 3 houses in on the corner of Lansdowne Rd, he remembers during the blitz waking up and being amazed he had a clear sight to Gayhurst School everything inbetween was wiped out during the night, then a few years later on 7th July 1944 a German flying bomb V1 destroyed no186 killing his Mum and his 17yr old Sister, i doubt people even realise these post war developments around traditional victorian terraced usually have a story to tell.
ReplyDeletebrilliant story!! i live in morland estate (and love it!!!) i'd love to find out more of the local history
ReplyDeleteI had so much more info Nick, got it from Hackney Archives when i was searching for a burial place for my Nan and Aunt, wanted to give my Dad the gift of at least somewhere to visit, alas they were buried in a mass grave, they sent me photos of the bomb site and a police report, i was suprised to find that bomb sites were treated as crime scenes. His aunt lived in a house opposite and saw the V1 run out of fuel and glide down, taking out the chimney pots bouncing along the roofs, my Dads house was higher by a floor and thus the rocket inbedded and exploded, i think a couple of others were killed and about 30 wounded, not sure if his aunts house opposite survives to this day, you'd probably know better than i as ive not been to the site since i was a kid, it may well have been damaged and pulled down to make way for Morland but if you go up the road a bit you can see the houses that survived the War and what Richmond Rd would have been like without that attack on 7/7/44 and of course the earlier raids that gave him the view right thru to the school. Incidently he survived as my Grandad made him goto Cub Scouts so he was in a shelter dug into London Fields, Grandad was of course at work and his Mum and Sister sadly didnt goto the shelter, didnt want to ruin dinner and as the war was already 5yrs in, i guess they had got used to the routine and thought it would never happen to them. Next time your passing the corner of Lansdowne Rd and Richmond Rd, spare a second to remember Ethel Small and Maud Small, my nan and aunt, and the other victims of that day. People these days would probably call them heros but i think calling them ordinary proud Londoners was probably enough
ReplyDeletei grew up there in the 70s,changed a bit,them trees is where we got conkers from,and round the edge was all pram sheds,got so many memories from there,good and bad
ReplyDeleteI lived there from 1960 to 1970 number 108 great place and I also climbed those trees for conkers.
ReplyDelete