| London Town Guide |
West Ham District
E15, E16
Nearest Tube: West Ham
The London district of West Ham is a large district in the East End of London. The name comes from the Saxon meaning "low lying pasture".
Originally a small rural parish, the name West Ham soon referred to a massive area of east London. And as such through the 17th and 18th centuries the district had a much larger population than many of London's outer districts.
In the 17th and 18th centuries West Ham was also one of the more industrialised districts of outer London, with industries such as weaving, leather being well represented in the area.
In the 19th century the district became increasingly industrialised with the railways and Docklands. The population of the area expanded rapidly and West Ham soon became a thriving working class area.
The industrialisation of West Ham also left it the legacy of a strong association with the Trade Union and Labour Party movements. And in 1898 the district elected the first Socialist administration in the UK.
In 1965, along with many other parts of east London, West Ham was amalgamated into the borough of Newham. But the name West Ham still carries on, most famously in the area's West Ham United Football Club.
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