Roaming my Old Stomping Ground, East Ham, London 🇬🇧

Welcome to my channel. I'm Roaming Ree.
I'm back in the UK for the summer. I thought I'd visit some of my old stomping grounds.
Next stop the London Borough of Newham. East Ham High Street. I lived in the area for 30 plus years, my whole schooling life. Some tough days but still have fond memories.
As a Londoner can't believe how much the area has changed and sadly not for the better.
Hit the 'LIKE' button and leave a 'COMMENT'. Don't forget to 'SUBSCRIBE' to my channel, ROAMING REE. As always, all comments, good, bad or ugly are very much appreciated.
Shot : 4k dji pocket creator.
Recorded : 13/07/2024
Temperature : 20°C, and forever changing.

[@JosephHarvey-dp3mo]

We've moved here as a young couple originally from Hackney - we're in our 30's, born 1992... I can literally feel and see all the history from times gone past. Seeing all the old pictures of the area in The Boleyn Arms is a trip. Fascinating video and to hear your account. we live very near Denmark Arms near central park, I hope to see the area improve. I also hope Denmark Arms doesn't close as the building is so beautiful it should have some protection as it's such a classic building. I asked to see the rooms but apparently they are in a sorry state.

[@Roamingree]

@JosephHarvey-dp3mo The Denmark Arms will probably never get back to its glory days. I was in there awhile ago and it looked tired and sad. I really hope the area improves but sadly it's now one of the poorest London Boroughs, so probably not in my lifetime. Central Park was one of the nicest parks around with a 9 hole putting green, football posts and a full size cricket ground.

[@robertbridgen2950]

Born in East Ham 1948 went to Hartley Avenue School then Central Park School before moving to Parkhurst Road Manor park and going to Cornwall School Before moving back into east ham in 1963 Stevenage road under the arches. Worked opposite East ham Station Many memories . Now living in Canada and visit home now and again. completely changed .

[@Roamingree]

@robertbridgen2950 it's certainly has changed but definitely not for the better. Unfortunately the whole world is suffering at the mo.

[@Sten111]

Thank you for your video Ree. We obviously dont need to visit India/Pakistan now. Its all here in the Hams.

[@Roamingree]

@Sten111 Ahahahaha thanks mate. Something I have said many times. Recently got told off coz I didn't promote the standard and amount of Indian restaurants around the area 🤣🤣🤣

[@shanghaichica]

They’ve gotten rid of the shopping hall for flats, wow!

[@Roamingree]

@shanghaichica Couldn't believe it myself. I use to walk through the shopping hall playing in all the toy shops almost everyday.

[@dreamsong5986]

Thank you for posting this. I'm a similar age to you, and grew up on Altmore Avenue through the eighties and nineties. So many memories, so much change. Quite an emotional watch, especially with your comments and memories, bringing back some stuff I'd completely forgotten. Please know your content is appreciated, mate. All the best.

[@Roamingree]

@dreamsong5986 Awww Thank you very much. I also lived down Altmore Avenue. Whilst most of the family moved out, my older brother still lives in Altmore Altmore.

[@andicheese1763]

Hi Roaming Ree and thanks for the walk through East Ham. I was born in Burgess Road at my house in the 1960's. Its has changed drastically but i still have very fond and nostalgic memories of the area, so much so i often take a stroll around where i was born and the surrounding area. I remember the swimming pool behind the town hall and went there regularly with my cousin's, sometimes 4 or 5 times per week. They had a small cafe in the building where i clearly remember buying Horlicks sweets after my swim. I used the library a lot, i remember climbing the stairs to get to it and having an amazing selection of books to read as my family never had many books at home. We used ro go to Central Park on a Saturday for play and shenanigans. There was a Wimpy opposite the Town Hall which we frequented when we could afford a mixed grill or Knickerbocker Glory. I remember fondly the COOP department store because as kids we would go up and down the escalators which we called the moving stairs. The Shopping Hall/Market was a great place for bargains and treats. I also remember Woolworths and the wonderful C&A store which you mentioned, which was at the top of my road. It used to have mirrored pillars that we used to do the Harry Worth illusion with. .i had friends in Caufield Road and Kempton road. I went to Altmore Avenue School and then on to Lathom School, a lovely old building. We moved from Burgess Road to the Barking road (above a shop) and then like most East End folk out to Becontree and its estates. It is a bit run down now but the shops could do more to help that, especially the larger corporate ones. You dont see a rundown Argos in Kensington. The high street can still be quite vibrant and does still have a lot to offer. Newham needs to invest in the high street along with the big corporations and businesses. I popped into the Denmark Arms recently for a pint and that is so shabby now. A shadow of its ild self. Such an amazing building as well. I will check your other videos. Thanks again for sharing.

[@Roamingree]

@andicheese1763 My pleasure mate. I was originally on Hall Rd, moving to Caulfield Rd before leaving Newham. Still have cousins and friends but spend my time between Turkiye and here. I can't believe how much London has changed. Everything u have said is almost mirrored to my childhood. Such great times even though they were difficult at times. Spent alot of time in the Library, 2 floors it was so grand, and swimming pool, with the cafe. I forgot the Wimpy on Barking Road but the CO-OP was the best. Thanks for the comment my brother.

[@seancarter8700]

We had the best times 70s 80 lived in barking then Harper Road, remember all these places on videos Stratford Upton Park 👍

[@Roamingree]

@seancarter8700 couldn't agree with u more. Tough times as we didn't have alot but definitely the best times.

[@iconicetiquette4546]

My parents 1970 bought house in forest gate £5 k unbelievable to think now , went to Stratford comprehensive Upton lane 😊

[@Roamingree]

@iconicetiquette4546 honestly it feels like a different world. My parents bought in East Ham in mid 60's for roughly £900, which was life changing money back then. Truly unbelievable. Upton Lane use to know it well

[@donjohnson4368]

@@iconicetiquette4546 my Dad bought a house in Shrewsbury Rd for £3500 - remember him stressing on how he would pay off the mortgage

[@timfish4175]

I can remember when there was still prefabs just past there towards Barking where the A406. is now can't say i spent much time in East Ham but i can remember getting dragged around the C&A there when i was a kid.

[@Roamingree]

@timfish4175 The A406 runs through my old schools football fields. Then the hotel was built with MFI retail park. All that's gone, more flats afraid. I loved C&A, growing up, it was like having a West End style store locally. The building, location and style were iconic 😂

[@ohyeah2816]

Lived in Manor Park until 1973. Driven through a couple of times in the last 50 odd years. Glad my family moved to Cambridgeshire. Same problems as a lot of towns in the UK. Peterborough is my home town now thankfully. Thanks for the walking tour.

[@Roamingree]

@ohyeah2816 Thank you for watching and commenting. My friends have retired to Peterborough, they always say they don't miss London. Massive respect Sir

[@ohyeah2816]

@@Roamingree moving to the country was just so much better than living in London. My family moved from a terraced house in Strone Road with a cemetery over the back to a semi-detached bungalow for a quarter of the price. Something my mum always wanted in her 50s. I wouldn’t live anywhere inside of the M25 for love nor money. Too much traffic. Peterborough hasn’t the population density of Newham and Redbridge. For every person in Peterborough there are 7 or more in both of those. Keep up the great work and thanks… have a great day. 👍🏼🖖🏼😎

[@yet8117]

Thanks for the memories, but what happened to the old bingo hall on East ham high street😢, I did see it on your tour😮

[@Roamingree]

@yet8117 completely forgot about that, on the High St next to the Old BHS, now Primark 😢. And the second bingo hall on the Barking Rd. Thanks for the reminder

[@yet8117]

@@Roamingree brilliant video 👏👌love it

[@TommyTimebomb100]

I'm a Poplar boy and still live on the East India Dock Rd. Back in the eighties I used to venture to East Ham regularly. I used to drop into The Burnel Arms to wind the Teddy Boys up and then spend the evening in the Rusking Arms with the Rockers who's company I loved. Great days!

[@Roamingree]

@@TommyTimebomb100 Love it, proppa cockney. How nice is it around the docks now. Couldn't agree with u more. Really great days. Thanks for the comment

[@donjohnson4368]

Remember that co-op, we used to play on the escalators

[@Roamingree]

@@donjohnson4368 Yes mate, loved the co-op, wasn't it a novelty playing on the escalators. First time I ever saw or used an escalator 😂

[@donjohnson4368]

Wasn’t the Argos , the Woolworths? Remember buying broken biscuits there. Biscuits used to be loose and they’d weigh them

[@Roamingree]

@@donjohnson4368 I remember when Argos opened but can't remember what was there before but I remember eating all the loose sweets and biscuits b4 getting to the counter. Such simpler times

[@yet8117]

The Magnificent building on the Barking Rd/Eastham High Street, use to be the co-op department 🏬🏢Store, all the mums went their to buy the school 🏫uniforms, supermarket only sold food items no clothes like today. M&S, BHS C&A were to expensive and only for the posh people😂

[@Roamingree]

@yet8117 Yes it was a magnificent building couldn't believe it was knocked down. Going back certainly was an eye opener, no posh shops at all 😂

[@yet8117]

McDonald on the High Street opened 79/80, went there after school St Johns R.C Secondary with my mates from Green Street to Eastham - the queue was so long😮all for this unhealthy junk😅😂😅😊😅but we loved it 14/15 year old, then we had to bunk on the bus home as we had no money left😂and the money spent in McDonald's was saved up school dinner money😂😂😂😊 good memories🎉love your video. Thank you for the good childhood memories😂

[@Roamingree]

Thank you for watching and commenting, really were great memories 😂

[@danseddon4319]

Wow! I remember going to East Ham TEC on block realise during my apprenticeship back in 1985 😮

[@Roamingree]

@danseddon4319 College of TEC of awesome. I was there in 1988. Done everything under one roof, unlike different campuses now.

[@Wayne-fn1sw]

All the English people left these areas 40 years ago.

[@Roamingree]

Yes quite right. 30 to 40 years I couldn't believe how much it's changed.

[@andrewthomson3165]

Not quite I left 11 years ago still have a lot of mates still live there

[@Roamingree]

@andrewthomson3165 true I've still got many mates around East Ham and Upton Park.

[@andrewthomson3165]

Not quite still got8 mates live in east ham .

[@BrianAtlee1978]

Wow what a throwback with the stories I remember hearing stories of people getting chased at the station

[@Roamingree]

@BrianAtlee1978 i bet the stories are all true. It was tough at times but it was a great place growing up.

[@gurprasadsingh4792]

Green Street Forest Gate is 💯 per cent is busier Than High Street North As no traffic can drive through It dead

[@Roamingree]

@gurprasadsingh4792 Yes 💯 agree. Green St is way busier. The pedestrianisation and the long continuing roadworks hasn't helped.

[@donjohnson4368]

Multiculturalism has destroyed London imho.. I say that sadly as an immigrant

[@Roamingree]

I don't think it has mate. Yes it's made some areas worse with the concentration and standard of immigrants coming in. But it's also had a positive outcome as we and now our kids have bettered ourselves. My kids couldn't go through the racism we went through, all now have good jobs and integrated well. We show appreciation for what this country has given us and have shown that multiculturalism can work.

[@donjohnson4368]

@@Roamingree good luck with mate

[@T.Channel]

Missed the festival there that was every year. Under the stars, at central park, east ham

[@Roamingree]

@T.Channel I used to love East Ham Festival. Those were my best summers ever. Thanks for the memory

[@thegenerus1437]

I thought you’d mentioned Marks for Toys as you passed it next to BIMS. Got all my swimming certificates from the town hall in the 80s.

[@Roamingree]

@thegenerus1437 lol don't know what I'm chatting half the time. There was a big toy shop near WHSmiths but can't remember the name. Me too, I use to love the swimming baths, also got my certificates but in the 70's and about 10 of us use to go swimming every Sunday. Good times

[@rizmahd]

Wow 40 years, bound to be many changes. But I really hope they clean it up. Newham was never rich was but was a great place to grow up

[@Roamingree]

@@rizmahd yes I thought so, even with a tough upbringing 🤣

[@charliepaynter]

What years did you go to East Ham College? I was there from 1980 to 1983.

[@Roamingree]

@charliepaynter Afew years b4 me. I was there in 87 to 89.

[@stevepoulton8826]

I grew up in Manorpark in the 60s and it was a great place to be, unfortunately cultural enrichment made a lot of the indigenous people move out.

[@Roamingree]

@stevepoulton8826 Unfortunately that's all over London. What gets me is how ppl have changed becoming more entitled and greedy. London was never like that

[@Caspar563]

Yes my brother I’ve been in Eastham since 1997 everything is a stone throw away they used to have some really good shops down this high street Ravel,M&S k shoes,Dune&co,Daisy,BHS,Woolworth,Robins and so much more now its a DUMP I know 3 people including me we had our phones pickpocketed its all Eastern Europeans they’ve got nothing else better to do than to stand around looking for a target to pick on Standing around a bin eating pumpkin seeds and doing F-k All yes exactly nothing but betting shops its a Sh-t Hole.

[@Roamingree]

@Caspar563 I loved living in East Ham, and as you said, everything was on my doorstep, probably would've never moved if the schooling was better. You're exactly right on what you say about East Ham. It was great for shopping, Remember when Mr Byrite opened 😂, Ravel and Dolcis were my go to for shoes. Now it's a real dump. Nothing, except cheap shops and the whole area looked dirty. I was surprised there weren't many Eastern Europeans on the High St, but there were afew groups hanging down the side roads. Beggers and Bookies go hand in hand. Thanks for the comment, brother.

[@Shinobu-s9i]

I love the smell of curry all over London.

[@Roamingree]

@Shinobu-s9i Honestly u can't beat the Indian/Pakistani/SkiLankan food places in London, especially in East Ham, Manor Park and Ilford. Wasn't a great choice when I was growing up.

[@thegenerus1437]

Remember growing up in the 80s and having no go areas cos of NF. Custom House and Canning town were racist hotspots.

[@Roamingree]

@thegenerus1437 yep definitely no go areas for us. I use to hate Canning Town, Custom House and Silvertown. My brothers were in Eastlea School in the 70's, could u imagine what they had to put up with.

[@Wayne-fn1sw]

Agree 💯

[@stevenwest3555]

Was working at the old East Ham police station last month . I posted a shorts video

[@Roamingree]

@stevenwest3555 Thanks mate. I'll check out the video. I was in the nick years ago. I presume it's bin sold ?

[@stevenwest3555]

@@Roamingree yeah they closed the station will become part of the college , there was literally blood outside on the floor from a stabbing . I didn’t film that tho . You’re channels brilliant 👍

[@Roamingree]

@stevenwest3555 Thanks mate, l love yours aswell. Watching it brings back memories when I was working in Mayfair. It's good the college is taking it over. Don't need more flats in East Ham.

[@donjohnson4368]

The Sports Direct was Williams Furniture store

[@Roamingree]

@@donjohnson4368 Remember the furniture store, and was it Tandy's b4 that.

[@alexpalmer496]

Miracles talk is cheap new song out ❤ mixtape Silent tears out soon part1 big up this channel

[@Roamingree]

@alexpalmer496 Thank you my brother

[@T.Channel]

Newham is very poor with a high crime rate. Its the most diverse borough in London with the leadt white British population and Bromley and Havering with the highest in opposite to Newham. Council could clean it up or get criminals to do community service

[@Roamingree]

@T.Channel Yes, Newham has always been one of the poorest, highest crime rate and largest NF following inner London Borough. Even with all that I loved growing up there. Tough at times but I look back with fondness. Crazy in'it

[@NubianPrince85]

East Ham still a cheap Bargin World/Sams! Too good hasnt move d too much to modern day....😑

[@Roamingree]

@NubianPrince85 that's true bro, but the whole High Street has changed, especially around the old shopping hall. I loved East Ham, still have family and friends there.

[@NathanStup]

Interesting what you think about the demographic change since you grew up here?

[@Roamingree]

@nathandougal9361 Huge changes in such a short space of time. Not all change is bad. The biggest change for me is ppl don't seem to care about their neighbours and neighbourhood. Rather than promoting our own strong ideas we seem to pander to the minority. Sadly this is in every city atm. Breaks my heart

[@NathanStup]

@ yea man can’t agree more it’s only going to end in tears

[@Roamingree]

@nathandougal9361 mate the end is nigh. Most of us r in tears already 😢

[@NathanStup]

@ sad to see the destruction of Britain

[@dropoutsarena]

Hello Roaming Ree , My name is DIpto . I am a freelancer And KZbin SEO Expert . i run a Agency . I spent 20 minutes to audit your channel . i found that your contents have a large scope to get lots of engagements .And you also dedicated on making contents. but your are not getting enough subs and engagement . do you have any plan to grow your channel and in full organic way ?then we can discuss about more by my expertise . waiting for your kind response

[@Roamingree]

@FreelancerDipto50 hi Dipto, thanks for the comment. Of course it would be nice to grow the channel. Can you send me more details via my email. [e-mail].

[@dropoutsarena]

@@Roamingree Sure sir . i already emailed you . lets the amazing discussion move to email section . waiting for you .....

[@dropoutsarena]

@@Roamingree SIr , did you check your email ? I already emailed you . if you have some time then please check it