Carpenters Estate is a council housing estate which is being demolished to make way for the 2012 Olympics.[1]
Carpenters Estate is located in the northeast corner of the London Borough of Newham.[2] The estate's name originates from The Worshipful Company of Carpenters, an ancient London livery company, which in the late 19th century bought what was farmland in West Ham for industrial development. Many of London’s factories were built on the canals of the River Lea, the railroads, and Carpenters Road in the following decades. To house the workers for these factories, the Company of Carpenters built rows of Victorian terraced houses between Carpenters Road and the neighboring town center of Stratford.[3] The Company made efforts to improve the lives of the area’s employees and residents, including the creation of a school and a social club.[4]
However, during the Second World War, Stratford was a frequent target for air raids, and by the end of the war, much of the Carpenters Estate housing had been destroyed or was badly damaged.[5] A lack of funds and landlord neglect in the 1950s led to worsening physical condition, though the estate's residents' sense of community has remained strong.[6][7]
In 2010, scenes from the science fiction film Attack the Block, were filmed on the estate and dozens of locals were used as extras.[8]