Street names in Forest Gate record a wealth of English history: literary figures, politicians and many others. Some roads bear the names of royal residencies or great houses. Still others record place names across the UK. A few recall more ancient local topographical features.

Forest Gate itself derives its name from a gate leading into Epping Forest, erected to prevent cattle straying from the Forest into the High Road. It was located close to the Eagle & Child public House. It never was a toll gate, and was demolished along with the keepers' cottage, in 1881. (A 'forest' is a royal hunting reserve, it will, of course, contain trees; any standing timber should more properly be referred to as a 'wood' or 'woodland').

The list is not exhaustive but it does give an indication of the breadth of street-naming as housing estates were developed in the 19^th and early 20^th Century. Sometimes a plot of land would be bought and houses built on it - the developer simply naming roads after their own place of origin.

 Literary Figures.

CHAUCER - Geoffrey, "the father of English poetry" and author who held various post under the King (1340?-1400).

COLERIDGE, Samuel Taylor, poet, philosopher and critic (1772-1834).

DUNBAR, William, Scottish poet "unrivalled in Scotland" and Franciscan Friar (c1460-c1520).

GOWER, probably John, poet and contemporary of Chaucer (c1325-1408).

HORACE, Quintus Horatius Flaccus. Roman poet and author of satires and letters (65-8 BC).

SKELTON, John, English poet of Diss, Norfolk (c1460-1529).

Statesmen and Politicians.

East Ham Council horse-drawn water cart for street cleansing. This photograph was taken in about 1901 and shows the tank being filled from a hydrant fitted in the base of a lighting column. The cart would be drawn along the street and water sprinkled on the road surfaces and pavements through nozzles fitted below the rear of the cart, or is could be used for flushing drainage gulleys. At this time, East Ham Council was an Urban District and as such it was the local "Sanitary Authority" (it was not to become a County Borough for over ten years). Things to notice: the feed bag for the horse, hanging on the corner of the cart; the advertisement on the cart may be referring to a swimming pool in Central Park. The houses are also interesting: the ornate railings on the house frontages (mostly removed in the Second World War for scrap to aid the war effort); the windows have small glass panes in the top sashes, many of which are also fitted with Roman blinds; although not seen here, many of the bonnet roofs over the bays had ornate metal finials fitted to them; the decorative ridge tiles of the properties in the next street. The street has young trees - probably fairly newly planted judging by the chestnut pallisades protecting them; the ornate gas lamp has a projecting arm to support the lamp-lighters' ladder (many of these lighting standards had "East Ham Corporation" in the casting of the base section).

Roads were essential to good communication throughout the Roman Empire. This diagram is a section through the Roman Road that once lead from London to Colchester, showing how it was constructed. Much of modern-day Romford Road lies above the road.

Albert Road looking N.W. at the junction with Glenister Street, with children on a path crossing the waste ground. The large building far left on the corner of Pier Road, is the 'Royal Standard' public house.

Photograph: Alan Godfrey Collection