please empty your brain below
This has been a brilliant series. Thanks, DG.

Great Aunt Annie | 24.08.08 - 8:55 a.m. | #

The Edward VII is, or was, also long known as the "Prussia House" despite the change of name years' earlier.

Bowroaduk | 24.08.08 - 12:35 p.m. | #

srop this, and talk about Beijing Olympic today is the last day

Siddiq | Homepage | 24.08.08 - 12:48 p.m. | #

Thanks for this. I live in Stratford and have never paused to look at any of the monuments when rushing past them on the way to the tube. I had no idea about the Martyr's Monument.

As for St. John's Church, it seems to me to be a very strange layout for a high street to have this huge monstrous building towering over everything.

On the other hand, West Ham Park is an absolute delight and such a lovely bonus for people who live nearby.

Laurie | 24.08.08 - 2:07 p.m. | #

My father was the landlord of the King Edward in 1960. I recall that on occasions he let Joan Littlewoods Theatre Workshop have script readings in the dining room between lunch and evening opening times. There was a dumb waiter from the kitchen to the dining room. I used to earn my pocket money by 'bottling up' the shelves after school. I sang in St John's Church choir - on Saturday we could have as many 6 weddings to sing at, for which we were paid 2/- (two shillings) per wedding. We then rushed up the road to the pie and eel shop for a feast.

Gnome | Homepage | 24.08.08 - 8:18 p.m. | #

Samuel Gurney gives his name to a road in Maryland E15 formerly associated with another famous Stratford product,MMMMattessons sausages and black puddings.
http://www.mattessons.co.uk/history.cfm
Another old name swept away in the Ring road was the Leach Marathon hand-made bicycle...
http://www.classiclightweights.c...h-
marathon.html
Just catching up with the last week in one go. Brilliant.

felix | 25.08.08 - 1:56 a.m. | #

Back in the 70s when my family started visiting London, Stratford was nowt but a single tick on the Central line, albeit with a British Railways interchange symbol. And now...well, it is clearly the focal point on the eastern part of the map, with even more lines set to join in over the next few years.

Marc | 25.08.08 - 9:53 a.m. | #

The King of Prussia was a Cornish smuggler called John Carter who took inspiration from Frederick the Great, the real King of Prussia, I think in the C12th. Prussia Cove on Mount's Bay is still named after him. I wonder which one the pub was originally named for?

Rick | Homepage | 26.08.08 - 11:09 a.m. | #

Hi DG,

Re King Edward VII: I lived there with my mum and dad in the early '60s. The locals, including teenagers, always referred to it as "The Prussia." We knew Joan Littlewood's Theatre Workshop people very well, and once [when there was no rehearsal time in the theatre] they rehearsed a scene in a current production in the saloon bar. I gave them free beer. I'd seen the production, and Joan asked me: "Is that an improvement, do you think." I said, diplomatically: "I don't think the play can be improved." It was rubbish, went knowhere. It's an interesting diary, DG.
Pete the Seagle

PETER CARVER | 27.08.08 - 2:14 p.m. | #

Railway Tree? All my mates call it the Rhubarb.

Boo | 29.08.08 - 8:20 p.m. | #











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