A Nostalgic walk from Leytonstone to West Ham Park - East London Walks (4K)

[@StephenGrew]

I'm convinced this capacity to notice and feel things that quite often are very deep and primeval in our surroundings are wrapped up in survival instincts from the ancient past, brought into relatively modern existence and manifested as observing our current surroundings, the near and the far, cars to buildings to absorbing anything nearby.🙂

[@levilm69lovecoldplsywillia9]

Thank you !

[@buster6093]

Thanks :)

[@grandmasterbeats9732]

ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS MAN

[@johnsmyth3663]

Great walk John, just found it , really enjoyed it.

[@diannereeks1150]

Thank you for this walk

[@JohnRogersWalks]

My pleasure Diane thanks for watching

[@tonypammen6150]

I spent my childhood in West Ham park, my teenage and twenty something years in the pubs that are all now closed, you could hear Iron Maiden playing in the Cart and Horses practically from the thatched house 😃. And then as a father I used to take my kids to West Ham Park, not all my memories are good from that time but I digress. The Cart and Horses could be at times like a western movie and their fight scenes 😳.

[@andykeddie7602]

So nice to find your channel, I was born and bred in Leytonstone, grew up around Bushwood, but left in 1979....... the place has certainly changed, I remember walking down to the church at Langthorne many times for Christmas midnight mass, and went to school close to West Ham park...... thanks for the videos!

[@stephenhumphrey4748]

I went to st bonaventures school opposite West Ham park in the 1960s changed a bit since I was there we used to go over there to collect the conkers thanks for the memories

[@stephenmadden6566]

Stephen, we were in St Francis & St Bons together.

[@andicheese1763]

I was born in East Ham in the 1960's and remember as a young kid going to West Ham. Being brought up in hard times West Ham park was like a mini holiday. Sandwiches, orange squash, a football and some friends made for a fun day. Lovely memories. Thanks.

[@priscillarampazzo4359]

It is such a breath of fresh air listening to such personal stories that can resonate with locals and visitors alike.

[@JohnRogersWalks]

Thanks Priscilla

[@StarWarsJay]

My favourite part of the week has arrived. Thanks John.

[@jenniferlevine5406]

I really love this walk! One of my favourites. Thanks again for this wonderful video!

[@robj8201]

Best cuppa of the day...cheers john.

[@imranzazai7404]

Wow very nice.

[@fizzbinuk2814]

The marble pub was called The Royal Oak. Refurbishments were started a few years back, but stopped. The building where the Blue River Cafe is was once all belonging to Bedwells the stationers and printers. It used to say Bedwells corner above where the chip shop is now.

[@JohnRogersWalks]

thanks for the info Fizzbin

[@julieblackstock8650]

I watched this on the sofa with a quilt over me and the heating on. as you say we went straight from summer into November!

[@2007Tarkus]

I was born in West Ham, Christened in West Ham church, spent my early days in Manor Road Primary School before my family jumped ship and moved to Romford, I can always say I was born in E15 and my heart will always be in E15

[@martynbush]

Steve Harris was until recently living in an Essex village called Sheering. I think he moved a couple of years ago. But, Sheering now has a new famous resident, Sir Rod Stewart.

[@bakerloobadboy]

Next to West Ham Church is a green open space next to The Portway. A bronze age settlement was found there during land scaping works back in the late 70's. There used to be an information plate about it but it was made of Aluminium so has most likely been stolen by now

[@ashleysgaze]

A terrific walk, John. Radical ramblers, and ‘rustic local informants,’ of the world unite! 🙋‍♂️🙋‍♀️

[@seriousoldman8997]

Spent my childhood playing footie in West Ham Park before and walking across it to St. Bonaventures as a teenager The Cart and Horses was the first pub I went into to watch bands, early seventies, pre-Iron Maiden. Dangerously close to my childhood home. Thanks for this John! P.S. Who remembers Dead Man's Alley?

[@ttv2951]

In a world gone mad John Roger's keeps you grounded I love how you bring the history to life the names & building's plus "rustic informants" keep on keeping on.

[@janeoxley4829]

Great to see London from another perspective. thank you.

[@JohnRogersWalks]

My pleasure Jane - glad you enjoyed it

[@alex-E7WHU]

Opposite the cart and horses used to be a haberdashery in the 1970's that had a load of cables attached to the ceiling, pots of change etc would go whooshing overhead when the cashier needed change etc. Anyone remember it..?

[@jamesharris9029]

Yes, it was called Sweets. My mum used to take me in there and the money system used to fascinate me. We lived in Forest Lane on corner of Ash Rd

[@seriousoldman8997]

​@@jamesharris9029SNAP! I LOVED Sweet's!

[@morriganwitch]

I often look at videos of my old stomping ground and I do remember not only the building but how I felt at the time xxx

[@mozdickson]

Tell us more...

[@ringscircles142]

100 years from now this will still resonate

[@tommyxbones5126]

I remember the pub mentioned at 16:14 as the Toby house ,it had a large collection of leather sofas to sit on - that was in the '80's.

[@ArthurStone]

Thanks John; landscape with memories. Sidenote: many East London parks (inc. West Ham) were developed for public recreation by Queen Victoria after concerns about the fitness/health of East End regiments during the Boer War.

[@luxford60]

Most long predate the Boer War.

[@ArthurStone]

@@luxford60 Yes but they were developed into the parks as they are today (as per the sign outside West Ham Park where I became aware of this info).

[@glenndrewett3735]

Another interesting and enjoyable video, particularly as when I lived in Forest Gate I walked around some of the route you chose, Just bought your book, and finding it a very good read. When I worked at theCity Poly in the 70s & 80s, I was based in the Jewry Street building in Aldgat,, the chemistry dept had the upper part of the building, and the Physics the lower part. In the basement Physics lab, when you opened one of the cupboards below the benches you found an origanal lenght of the old Roman London Wall was still in situ, the building having been built around it. Look forward to your next walks. Glenn

[@minijames2777]

Great walk as always John, the ornamental gardens in West Ham park looks amazing.

[@JohnRogersWalks]

They’re fantastic James - well worth a visit

[@andiharper4498]

First time I've seen these video's... excellent, great history from a place I knew and worked. I now live in Australia... so it really was a walk back in time. So sad to see the decay, mess and just how run down the area has become.

[@williamheale5162]

I used to take my son to the park 40 years ago. There's a bridge where i told my son a troll lived under.

[@bakerloobadboy]

I always remember being told that part of West Ham Park was hollow due to a rifle range for the TA unit there. Have no idea how true that is

[@john80c]

Great video John. I have your book, and Full Metal Jacket. Iron Maiden great band. Shame for all the pubs COVID has finished off quite a few.

[@FIO6271]

John, thanks for another beautiful, calming walk! The weather is changing fast over there, here in Buenos Aires we are hoping for the summer to come, its been rainy and windy for it seems like a long time.And it was so good you mention it, it happened to me too, to find so many memories attached to buildings, that maybe I dont notice in my everyday like but when i am away from them, and then I get back its like my life going before my eyes for a second! Have a nice week John!

[@ianjohnson2198]

Thanks John. I grew up on Janson Road, off Leytonstone Road, and it was nice to see lots of familiar sights. I have very happy memories of visiting the old Water Lane Library (now Uni of East London) as a kid. Over thirty years ago now but I still vividly recall the dark panelled walls and wooden floors inside. The Passmore Edwards museum just around the corner was also a great place to visit.

[@seriousoldman8997]

I spent most of the sixties in that library and read voraciously! The Passmore Edwards museum had live animals when I visited regularly. I' m off in a tailspin of nostalgia now.

[@SyedWinder91]

Hi John, thank you so much for making these wonderful videos, I grew up on Romford Road in the 90's. What you said about each building and sight having memories associated with it, I experience the same when watching many of your videos from across east London. Brings back many memories of earlier days, the 90's do feel ever so long ago. Thank you so much ❤️

[@thebirthdayletters1782]

I cannot tell you how much you make my Sunday evenings - a new vid and a beer is the ultimate tonic before the oncoming week. Part of the pleasure of watching you is how you find such joy and reason for positivity in much maligned places. London under lockdown has been quite stifling and I often find myself dreaming of living elsewhere in some rural idyll - however your boundless enthusiasm for London and the surrounding area really is inspiring in the extreme. Thanks John - you’re a rare diamond.

[@terrybennett8692]

Thanks John, many happy times spent in West Ham Park as a lad.

[@hungryyumyum3813]

Wow, the opening shot of Grove Green Road is pretty much where the house I was born and raised in the 1960s long before my side of the street was torn down. I would wake up to the sound of the trains passing by behind the house and the smell of fresh bread being baked at the corner bakery where the food and wine shop is now. Ah childhood memories.

[@briancox144]

It’s sad that all the pubs are going to the wall their be a thing of the past soon , being a West Ham fan I was always around that neck of the woods interesting video John West Ham park is a wonderful garden well done on a fantastic video .

[@johnleach7358]

Buildings seared into memories is so true .. and east london is a big part of my life and that period of having 3 kids

[@brianjrichman]

John. As an east Londoner (born and bred and both my parents were cockneys) but who has not actually lived in the UK for 20 years now, I can attest to your sentiments about the buildings being seared into ones memory of the past. They form a reference for how we recall an area. From watching your videos, it would seem that so much of what I recall visually is now just a mere echo of a time gone by - but it was only the late 1990's when I last lived in that part of London. The old town (from Stratford out to and past Ilford towards Barkingside) is looking very run down these days with all those closed pubs and the little shops are also looking like they could do with a coat of paint... So sad to see some of that. Keep up with these videos. Love seeing them.

[@leey7h]

Thatched house pub!! its gone !! Many a bundle in there in the late 60s.

[@thehumancanary131]

I've lived on an island in the Andaman Sea for the past 35 years..but remember working in London...shame to see so many pubs have shut their doors forever....

[@TheGingaKiwi]

Thanks John, really enjoyed that. I’m a kiwi who lived on Ham Park Road during my two year OE in 2003. Some excellent old pubs including King Edward VII, I recommend a visit. Cheers mate

[@aerondight7378]

Fantastic video. Crossed through West Ham park everyday, to go to school, which was Portway. Have some of my happiest memories over here.

[@davidfarrell7373]

Winter moves in. Great film John. Thanks. Dave

[@JohnRogersWalks]

Cheers Dave

[@raymondpenalver7095]

Right I can go off to bed now as your great videos are always the perfect ending for Sunday night, thankks john.

[@billyfury1952]

Thanks John I really enjoyed this walk

[@bananaman7638]

Your videos are so soothing. Could watch all day :)

[@user-zc6jc5tv6q]

Sorry I’ve been absent from your vids for a few weeks, John. Been looking for work and generally getting stressed with everything. Another brilliant vid as always!

[@JohnRogersWalks]

No worries Sean, thanks for taking the time to watch and comment - it's greatly appreciated. Hope things are working out for you

[@phooichunlau7827]

Thanks 🙏

[@davidmcguiness8862]

Thanks John, great video. Tragic to see the Thatched house pub as a Bet Fred. The Charleston pub has disappeared from Maryland point sadly. Steve Harris was best mates with my cousin Ralph who lived in Steele rd and I do hope the Cart and Horses opens again in some form. My Grandad spent his last days in Langthorne hospital and they cared for him incredibly well back in 1989.

[@4thEyeVision]

Thank's John you make Sunday's great :)

[@robertbarling5601]

Thank you once again John for a great video , very informative. I am an Iron Maiden fan as is my son Ian. In fact my son used to play in a band called D-FUSION and they were the support band for Iron Maiden at the standard pub in blackhorse road in Walthamstow. Bob.

[@JohnRogersWalks]

Great story Bob - thanks for that

[@stratford27]

Many thanks for that John, a real trip down memory lane for me.

[@henrygingercat]

Wonderful. I lived, very contentedly, in Leytonstone in the early 70s and it's great to revisit it again.

[@jimmydotcom6078]

A year on.. I was interested to hear you talk about Elizabeth Fry. One of my ancestors was friends with her, I understand; and her family also had something to do with anti slavery, and also helping prisoners. Wonderful video, thanks.

[@LoisDavidsonArt]

So interesting and informative as always John, and funnily enough, I rediscovered my first conker from a week or so ago in my pocket, on my way back from my beach walk this evening at Hove. Treasure!

[@taomahNEGEV]

The Birthplace of Iron Maiden. I wish we could have visited it.

[@maureenswallow3054]

A great vid that reminded me of great times,thanks,Bill.

[@JohnRogersWalks]

Glad you enjoyed it Maureen

[@angiebolton-cox1490]

I love the crunch of autumn leaves, thanks John 😊

[@janmalaszek1459]

You've just walked through a chunk of my childhood memories! Thank you.

[@andrewcroft6855]

Fabulous as ever John, did you know that West Ham Park was the place where the very first FA Cup goal was scored in the 1860's by Clapham Rovers, a couple of years ago they staged a match there celebrating that fact and it was a very enjoyable afternoon in pleasant surroundings there

[@JohnRogersWalks]

what a brilliant bit of local history Andrew - deserves some sort of fitting memorial

[@SuperMadman54]

Didn't know this Andrew so read up about it. Season was 1871/2 Upton Park FC v Clapham Rovers 0-3 pkated at West Ham Park.

[@annepuffett2025]

As usual John fabulous keep them coming

[@thejourneymanxl1194]

Thanks John enjoyed this video👍you walked right past my house you could have popped in and had a cuppa👍

[@FootieFan2024]

Great video John and what a fantastic channel this is and because of this channel I have discovered many new areas in and around London to walk. Also could I recommend a walk for you that walk being a walk through Footscray Meadows it's a gem of a place and The River Cray runs through it and it's also a part of the London Loop .

[@eleanorruskin9566]

love that old Newham logo on the sign at 5’33. Really neat, stylish municipal design work there!

[@simonmackenzie9831]

Used to play football in West Ham Park - last century. Then went to the two Puddings in Stratford for a refreshing beer or two

[@JohnRogersWalks]

That sounds like a fine day out

[@simonmackenzie9831]

@@JohnRogersWalks Unfortunately the legs have gone and so has the pub!!!

[@bakerloobadboy]

@@simonmackenzie9831 sadly most of the pubs along Stratford High street and beyond have gone to make way for much needed Eastern European supermarkets or workers hostels

[@Walksandwanders]

Never mind Iron Maiden! Cart & Horses Pub at 8:55 in the video had a sign near the top of the building ‘Egan’s Freehouse’. Egan being my surname, would be interested to know more about that part of the building’s history. Also love the building features above the shop signs. And the church dating from Saxon times is mind boggling. Great video again.

[@drfo5t3r]

The reason why I look forward to Sunday's. Another great Video, Thankyou John

[@pnr8uk]

Thank you so much for this John, the birthplace of Iron Maiden! What a wonderful treat for us. We watch and love all the videos and you have kept us going through these very strange times. Up The Irons! \../ thank you again! Look forward to the next video.

[@obrYo]

Nice John, it felt edgy today. Liked the new music at the beginning.

[@Suho1004]

So right about memory being embedded in place (and vice versa). It's amazing how just being in a place can conjure up such strong emotions. And I always find it incredibly disorientating when I visit a place with which I have strong memories associated only to find that it has changed. I often find that my brain seems to reject the change and continues to remember the place as it was. Memory trumps reality, I guess.

[@jennifergsearle]

Love these videos

[@michaelstevens630]

Look forward to seeing you on the next walk - Iconic words that create some calm in our minds.

[@londoncabby]

Very interesting video, it bought back some great memories of playing in the park. Amazing history of the area too, my parents got married in West Ham Church. 👍

[@lycan36]

Great walk John! thanks.

[@frglee]

I have clear memories of this area, and of my first job at Leyton Senior High School in the late 70s, with the long daily treks in all weathers to and from Leytonstone Tube.

[@fizzbinuk2814]

the Cart & Horses is having major renovations, with a small residential block to the rear.

[@mariana4059]

I always enjoy the urban street walks. Looking at the buildings. The pubs (sadly mostly closed up). The interesting little shops - what they specialise in and how they advertise it. What is taught at the Khidmah Academy, I wondered? I imagined typing, old-school secretarial duties or perhaps a private detective school. (But I googled and I was wrong). The ordinary people going about their daily lives. The wonderful pockets of open green space in between. A lovely walk - thanks, John.

[@neilwarmington7246]

My grandparents lived in Cavendish drive and I always check to see if you wander down it.. my sister once went back and sat outside and said she didn’t remember any of it.. turned out she was sitting outside 107 instead of 103.. 🙃 great videos and wonderful insight into the history.. 👍

[@streetrambler134]

Great walk, your videos have given me a different view on my walks around Wolverhampton streets and introducing me to the Detectorists 👍

[@grahamwood333]

Monifichet was one of the Barons that forced King John to agree to Magna Carta

[@francineridgewell2263]

I really love watching your videos! And especially seeing places from my childhood in Waltham Forest and Epping Forest. Thankyou again John for another fantastic video 👍

[@histmanuk]

Great walk. Photographically one of the best. So many interesting shots and details. Thanks.

[@JohnRogersWalks]

thanks very much

[@sandramcintosh2231]

Loved your video, I find looking at the past so interesting and informative.

[@richardclark148]

Another great walk John...I quite fancy being a local rustic informant

[@timbuthfer901]

Never realised West ham Park was so massive. Fascinating walk, thanks John. Also never seen langthorne hospital so two places I need to visit.

[@BrianHewittThaibirdspot]

Great walk as usual... makes my day here in Thailand... so many memories..

[@darkpurpleshadow3240]

I am so excited, I am going to copy some of your walks soon.

[@markames3688]

Excellent as always, thanks.

[@thfccfht]

another great video John, always enjoy your stuff and having a few beers at home, been raining today and this evening so there is a cacophony of sounds coming from the frogs and toads outside...all those battle cruisers closed down is a bit alarming though...

[@mikethedigitaldoctorjarvis]

At 7:06 you just passed Gurney rd,i lived there and went to Maryland junior school,many moons ago !

[@llessibm]

Always look forward to your videos and this was no exception although I did feel like I needed to put my fleece on - I love your description of old buildings, you seem to find beauty in the strangest of places - much appreciated.

[@TetinKlimente]

Wonderful. Greetings from Macedonia.

[@JohnRogersWalks]

Thank you - hope all is well in Macedonia

[@colinmumford6843]

Great video John..... Yep, summer is definitely over 😩

[@daveconyard8946]

Thanks john Keep Safe. Dave

[@JohnRogersWalks]

Cheers Dave

[@SMILEVIDEOTRAINS]

thank you John. so many closed pubs but if its a blessing I thought the church was very interesting.

[@JohnRogersWalks]

It’s a really fascinating church, that whole area around the old Abbey grounds in fact