55 Wallis Road

As you come down the east side slope of Hackney Wick Station - you see the quaint & lovely 55 Wallis Road building right in front of you.

Granted it's not as lovely as some train stations first impressions - but as far as buildings in The Wick go - it's not too bad.

At the moment it's home to many artists and a few furniture & mirror manufacturers - but does anyone actually know what it used to be?

Please ask around and bug your relatives, friends and anyone in the area - to find out if they know.

Please click on the 'comment' button below to add anything you may know about it. We want to get as much info as possible about this (& many other interesting Hackney Wick landmarks) building before the area changes much more.

Just think - you could be an integral part of placing Hackney Wick firmly in the historical minds of future minds by helping out.

Thanks!

http://www.55wallisroad.info/Up_Your_Alley/Home.html

2012 Aquatics Centre

Pics: London 2012

Can you believe what an amazing local swimming pool we are going to have in a few short years?!

Yes - Hackney Wick - about 5 minutes walk from the train station - and you can be cooling down in the middle of summer under Zaha Hadid's stingray roof!!

Okay - so in these crunch credit days - we've lucked out on the kids leisure pool alongside it - but still this is going to be an incredible local facility for all of us to enjoy.

Please check out http://venues.london-2012.co.uk/Aquatics-Centre/ for the Olympic spin on it - but all we need to know is that we are going to be the envy of the rest of London!!

Eton Mission Rowing Club in Hackney Wick

The dedication stone above the front entrance reads:

A.D. 1934

JOHNSONE BOAT-HOUSE

E.R.M.C.

PRESENTED TO THE ETON MISSION ROWING CLUB

BY THEIR PRESIDENT HONBLE GILBERT JOHNSTONE

IN MEMORY OF HIS ETONIAN WET-BOB BROTHERS

FRANDIS LORD DERWENT HONBLE CECIL AND HONBLE SIR ALAN JOHNSTONE

ETON 1864 - 1868 1868 - 1874 1874 - 1877

http://www.ara-rowing.org/clubs/eton-mission-rc

Spegelstein & Sons Ltd in Hackney Wick

This is the old entrance to the Spegelstein & Sons factory in Wallis Road in Hackney Wick, East London.

If you know of anyone who worked in the factory, has any old pics of it, knows any of it's history, has any of it's products - anything - please send them to us here on this Hackney Wick blog.


We are desperate to start recording all of our amazing areas history before the Olympic Juggernaut obliterates everything in its path - and anything you may have about Hackney Wick will be ever so greatly appreciated!!




There is some interresting history on this webpage of daro:


http://www.daro.com/TemplatePages.asp


PS: Robert Stone of Daro was kind enough to lend some of the archive pics from Spegelsteins/Daro to this blogsite. Robert - thank you so very much - the more we all show & tell about Spegelsteins - and all of Hackney Wick - the more we keep it's history alive!

The following pics are all credited to Spegelstein Daro Archives:

1950's street shot of our premises which have changed considerably over the years to what you see today. The only car in the street belongs to Mr Spegelstein

This is probably a 1940-50's shot of what was known as the "Press Shop" where metal components would be pressed from steel strip.

Another shot of the new plating plant that looks like it is yet to run in anger and was used for many years plating the Lesney Matchbox Car chassis which were selling like hot cakes back then

1940-50's of the "Assembly Shop" where bits and pieces would be assembled into various furniture fittings like hinges, locks, stays and catches to name just a few of 100's of different products that were made at this factory each month

1970's shot of the then new "Plastic Injection Moulding Dept"

Very early 1960's at the commissioning of a very new and back in the day high tech piece of plating plant used for finishing the fittings

1940-50's shot of the plating shop area before it was modernised in the 60's

Central Books in Hackney Wick

This is the huge Central Books warehouse in Wallis Road - Hackney Wick. It's a wonderful brick building with loads of charm and character!

It is still in operation - so if you know anyone who works there - please ask if they have any old pics, anecdotes, history, etc for our local blogsite.

According to http://fp.centralbooks.plus.com/home_about_us.html - this warehouse has been here since 1939.

Clarnico Factory in Hackney Wick

This is a view of the old Clarnico factory from the other side of the canal. The 8 cranes behind it are the main Olympic Stadium cranes getting it ready for 2012.

This is the only building left out of the whole Kings Yard. All the surrounding factories were demolished to make way for the bio-generator for the Olympic site.

Pic London 2012

Please check out this site as well, as it shows a pic of the Clarnico Staff choir, outside the factory.



http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.intute.ac.uk/artsandhumanities/images/feature78.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.intute.ac.uk/artsandhumanities/limelight/singingcentury.html&usg=__4zrTplWTGSvZFbDiMuvHC69L48E=&h=223&w=290&sz=18&hl=en&start=177&sig2=5b08gvjIdgYIpZh57V4x8g&tbnid=NAEG6Lu9eu3yuM:&tbnh=88&tbnw=115&ei=i35aSdXrBtXkmQfFlpCoDg&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dhackney%2Bwick%26start%3D162%26gbv%3D2%26ndsp%3D18%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN

Plastic invented in Hackney Wick

Right - this is a plaque on the side of a building on the corner of Wallis Road & White Post Lane - here in Hackney Wick.

I'll try & get a better picture of it - but in the meantime - please start sending me as much information as you can about it. The best kind of info would be if anyone remembers any factory standing here - or any relatives having worked in this Parkesine factory - or if anyone has any old photos of anything related to it?

Alexander Parkes 1813 - 1890

© Science Museum/Science and Society Picture Library

Come on Wickers - let's get hunting for some of our heritage!!!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parkesine

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastic

Hackney Wick Community Association AGM

Public Notice


The Hackney Wick Community Association gives notice that the Annual General Meeting of the Board is to be convened 19 January 2009 at 7.00 pm.

For business to be conducted at this meeting we require a minimum of 25 Full Members of the Association to attend.

At the meeting it is proposed to elect three (3) Full Members to the Board of Trustees for the Association. Nomination forms are available to collect from HWCA, requested by phone (020 8986 1999) or email (h.w.c.a@btconnect.com).

Nominees must be Full Members of the Association and proposed and seconded by existing Members.

Members of the public wishing to become Full, Associate, Affiliated or Junior Members of the Association are invited to request a membership form using the above contact details or to visit our building to complete the form.

All residents of the local community within the Parish of St Mary’s of Eton are eligible to become Full & Junior Members. Residents outside of this boundary are welcome as Associate Members. Local training, education, sports, and other organisations with an interest in our community are welcome as Affiliated Members.

We look forward to welcoming you at our EGA.
The Board of Trustees
Hackney Wick Community Association
The Old Baths, 80 East Way, Hackney Wick, London E9 5JH

http://hackneywickcentre.co.uk/

Safer Neighbourhood Team

The Community Advisory Panel for Wick Ward met last night at the Hackney Wick Community Centre - and the fantastic news is that we have the most incredible bunch of police & police support officers dealing with the Wick Ward!!

I have been very fortunate to have met loads of police all around the world - and can honestly say that Sergeant Port & his crew are the best of the best!

Please remember to contact any of the Wick Safer Neighbourhoods Team if you want any advice - or if you have any concerns.

They are: PS 14D Port

PC 502 GD Challis

PC 602 GD Bolter

PCSO 7128 GD Cole

PCSO 7141 GD McIlvaney

PCSO 7144 GD Sweeney

Contacts: 0208 721 2938 Wick Ward mobile with Answer Phone

0207 161 9214 Well Street Safer Neighbourhood Team office with Answer Phone

PS: Some of this Safer Neighbourhood Team will also be at the Hackney Wick Community Meeting on the 22 Jan @ the Old Baths - do yourself a HUGE favour & come along to meet them!

Xmas in Hackney Wick

Not everyone in Hackney Wick celebrates Xmas - but some of the residents that do - really cheer the Wick up!!