With Speedway celebrating it's 80th year, and West Ham 80th Anniversary of the opening of both the sport and the stadium at the end of July, I though it would be nice to go back 40 years and see what the Hammers were doing in the 40th year of Speedway racing.

When the 1968 season opened, the team had returned to celebrate 40 years of Speedway in Great Britain.

In 1100AD, a bridge was built across the Channelsea River to avoid the dangerous crossing of the River Lea at Old Ford by Queen Matailda, who was the wife of King Henry.

The word Stratford means `Street over the Ford`.

The Rt. Hon Stephen first entered Parliament through a by-election in 1994 as MP for Newham North East, being re-elected to the new constituency of East Ham in May, 1997

Stephen was born in 1955 and was educated at Farnborough Grammar School before reading mathematics at Emmanuel College, Cambridge. He has lived in Newham since 1979.

Before entering Parliament, Mr Timms worked in the telecommunications industry for 15 years.

He was elected to Newham Council in 1984 and chaired the planning committee from 1987 to 1990 before serving as Leader of the Council from 1990 to 1994.

Jim Fitzpatrick  MP  Jim Fitzpatrick was born in Glasgow in 1952 and moved to London in 1973.

Actor, Billy Murray was born in Forest Gate in 1941 and grew up Upton Park, where his mum still lives. He went to St Edwards Primary and St. Bonaventures Secondary school.

Lyle Park, on the banks of the River Thames, is a tucked away at the end of Bradfeild Road, Silvertown.

This entrance gateway to a new Chinese Cash & Carry certainly brightens up Factory Road at North Woolwich. The roof is made of ceramic tiles.

This new private housing development is built on the site of Thomas Ward's scrap metal yard at Silvertown. This view is from Pontoon Dock DLR station and is overlooking Barrier Park. In the background you can see Tate & Lyle's Thames Wharf factory.