London Borough of Waltham Forest
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| London Borough of Waltham Forest | |
 Shown within Greater London |
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| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Status | London borough |
| Area — Total |
Ranked 323rd 38.82 km² (15.0 sq mi) |
| ONS code | 00BH |
| Admin HQ | Walthamstow |
| Demographics | |
| Population — Total (2006 est.) — Density |
Ranked 55th (of 354) 221,700 5,711 /km² (14,791 /sq mi) |
| Ethnicity White British White Irish Other White White & Black Caribbean White & Black African White & Asian Other Mixed Indian Pakistani Bangladeshi Other Asian Black Caribbean Black African Other Black Chinese Other |
(2005 estimates)[1] 53.5% 2.1% 7.6% 1.4% 0.7% 0.9% 1.0% 3.7% 7.7% 1.2% 2.3% 7.7% 6.4% 1.4% 0.9% 1.5% |
| Politics | |
| Waltham Forest London Borough Council | |
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| Leadership | Leader (Cllr Clyde Loakes) & Cabinet |
| Mayor | Cllr Sheila Smith-Pryor |
| Executive | Labour / Liberal Democrat |
| MPs | Harry Cohen Neil Gerrard Iain Duncan Smith |
| London Assembly — Member |
North East Jennette Arnold |
| Coat of Arms | |
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| Official website | http://www.lbwf.gov.uk/ |
The London Borough of Waltham Forest is a London borough in East London, England and forms part of Outer London. It is a mix of built-up residential development and a fifth of the borough is made up of forestland, reservoirs, open space, parks and playing fields. It is located between part of Epping Forest in the east and the River Lee in the west which form two green corridors, passing into London from the surrounding countryside. It is sometimes confused with the adjoining Epping Forest district, which is not in Greater London. Waltham Forest is one of five London boroughs which have been designated host boroughs for the 2012 Summer Olympics.
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[edit] History
Many Stone Age remains are found in the area. Roman remains have also been found scattered around the borough proving it was a significant area of Roman occupation. The borough was formed in 1965, by the London Government Act 1963, from the area of the former Municipal Borough of Chingford, Municipal Borough of Leyton and Municipal Borough of Walthamstow which was transferred to Greater London from Essex. The borough was named Waltham Forest after the forest the area used to reside in, now known as Epping Forest. The Epping Forest Act of 1878 not only assisted in preserving the forest but also helped develop the towns around it: Chingford, Walthamstow and Leyton. The borough's location between the City of London and Epping Forest encouraged the large scale urban development of much of the borough.
[edit] Settlement
The main centres of population in the borough are Chingford in the north, Walthamstow in the centre (and the administrative hub including the council offices) and Leyton and Leytonstone to the south. Waltham Forest has the fifth largest Muslim population in England and the third largest in London (coming after its neighbouring boroughs, Newham and Tower Hamlets).
[edit] Demographics
Out of the 376 local government districts in England and Wales, Waltham Forest has the 11th largest non-white minority ethnic population. The largest minority ethnic group are black Afro-Caribbeans/Africans with a population of 30,300, followed by Pakistanis who number over 17,000. Out of the 376 local government districts in England and Wales, it ranks 19th for over-crowded housing conditions, 29th for unemployment and 17th for number of single-parent households.
[edit] Music and the arts
Waltham Forest is home to many musicians who have made it on the UK charts in many years these include East 17 and Blazin' Squad. Waltham Forest is one of the two boroughs in London which brought the music scene grime the new up and coming genre formed in 2000. Many grime acts hail from this borough such as More Fire Crew, Lethal Bizzle, Neeko, Jammer (rapper), Ozzie B and many more underground artists. Already well known as the seat of the Arts & Crafts movement under the stewardship of the great William Morris, Waltham Forest has continued to succoured many contemporary artists & art groups. Most notably the North East London Independent Artists (NELIA) based at the Changing Room Gallery in Lloyd Park, the 491 Gallery in Leytonstone and a plethora of independent artists mainly in the Leytonstone area. The annual Waltham Forest Arts Trail, where local artists open their studios to the public, has proven to be a real success story. Eamon Everall founder member of the influential Stuckism Art Movement is a long-time resident in the borough where he also maintains a studio. Sally Moore, Welsh Artist of the Year 2005, also lives in the borough.
Waltham Forest is the only borough that does not have a Theatre that is open to the community. Waltham Forest Theatre situated in Lloyds Park is due to be demolished by 2010 as the council can not fund the only theatre in the borough!
Two teenagers have set up a friends group 'Friends of the Waltham Forest Theatre' and they are campaigning to save and refurbish the theatre. The boys have managed to get famous actor Kevin Spacey to support them, Stage Refurbishment Firm ASG, Stage company Q2Q, theBroadway Theatre in Barking have offered there support. If you would like to find out more on what the campaign is doing please email them on waltham-forest-theatre@hotmail.com or sign their petition to the Prime Minister http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/wftheatre
[edit] Future
Waltham Forest is one of five host boroughs in East London for the 2012 Olympics in London. The training facilities at the Waltham Forest Pool & Track will be used by Olympians to prepare for the Olympics.
[edit] Education
[edit] Infants & primary schools
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[edit] Secondary schools
[edit] Areas within the borough
The borough is split by the North Circular (A406) with moderate population densities in the centre and south that have more inner London characteristics and much lower densities to the predominately suburban north. It includes the districts of Leyton, Temple Mills, Lea Bridge, Grove Green, Cann Hall, Cathall, Leytonstone, Wood Street, Higham Hill, Walthamstow, Walthamstow Village, Blackhorse Road, Chingford, Larkswood, Endlebury, Hale End, Highams Park, Hatch Lane and Chingford Green. It is mostlty covered by the E postcode area with a small section in the east in the IG postcode area, and one or two addresses in the N postcode area. Major council estates in the borough include Oliver Close, Beaumont Road, Leyton Grange and Cathall.
[edit] Transport
The Central line of the London Underground serves the south of the borough, running alongside the A12 road with stations at Leyton and Leytonstone. The Victoria Line runs roughly through the middle of the borough with stations at Walthamstow Central and Blackhorse Road. The Gospel Oak to Barking line of London Overground has stations at Walthamstow Queens Road, Blackhorse Road, Leyton Midland Road and Leytonstone High Road. National Express East Anglia services from Liverpool Street station in the City of London serve stations at St James Street, Walthamstow Central, Wood Street, Highams Park and Chingford.
[edit] Notable residents
Waltham Forest is the birthplace of William Morris, best known as one of the principal founders of the British Arts and Crafts Movement. Morris was a designer of wallpaper and patterned fabrics, a writer of poetry and fiction, and a pioneer of the socialist movement in Britain.
Other notable people such as Footballer and former England Captain David Beckham, I, Claudius star Derek Jacobi, former Essex and England Cricket Captain Graham Gooch and film director and producer Alfred Hitchcock were also born in the borough.
[edit] Sport teams
[edit] See also
[edit] Gallery
 Walthamstow Town Hall |
 Queen Elizabeth's Hunting Lodge |
 Walthamstow Stadium |
 Leyton Town Hall |
 Walthamstow Marshes |
 Leytonstone Station |
 All Saints and St Paul's Tower |
 Walthamstow Market |
[edit] References
- ^ Data Management and Analysis Group, Greater London Authority, Demography Update October 2007, (2007)
[edit] External links
- Waltham Forest Council
- Latest news from the local newpaper
- Waltham Forest Pool and Track
- Waltham Forest History and Stats
- Woodhouse Players
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